Today we’d like to introduce you to Kimberly McDonald.
Kimberly, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I began my career in fine jewelry as a curator of private high jewelry collections. At that time, no one was really doing this in an organized manner the way I was. I worked with private individuals to acquire stones, redesign gifted and inherited pieces, and acquire important jewelry for their collection. Over the years that I did this, I became acquainted with some very well-known jewelers at that time while also exploring my own taste level and style as a designer. Very often I would conceptualize/design a piece that a client wanted to purchase but I would pass the design off to an already established designer in order to give my client the best value for their purchase.
One day my best friend, now business partner, suggested to me that I try my hand at my own collection. I hadn’t really given it that much thought but once she planted the seed, I decided to go for it. I have always been attracted to and drawn to organic stones and natural materials. One of my first loves was the material we referred to as agate. I decided that if I was going to create my own collection, I would want to work with these unique stones and others such as geodes, opals, and various other materials that were less traditional or had not been used at all in “fine jewelry.” I created about a dozen pieces and had an interview with women’s ware daily. Shortly thereafter, I received a phone call from the buyer at Bergdorf Goodman. She invited me to come in and show my collection.
Long story short, that was my first official retail partner. Soon after followed Brown’s of London, Hirshleifers, Nieman Marcus, and several other of the top retail boutiques of that time. Throughout the years, the collection continues to grow but stays true to the original DNA, which is a deep love and reverence for nature. Eventually, we added more stores to our lineup, we joined online luxury retail notable Net-a-Porter and also opened the first KMD boutique in Los Angeles. Adding to the fine jewelry range, I also began to design home accessories, including lighting, carpets, wall coverings… Layering in re-purposed antique silver from Paris and various other objects, always keeping Nature at the forefront of the aesthetic. A few years ago, I then added resort wear to the brand. In September 2020, having lived in Atlanta for a few years, I decided to bring the aesthetic of the Kimberly McDonald brand to Atlanta and opened a Mono brand store at the shops of Buckhead.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
The first few years in business were so exciting. Of course, there were hiccups along the way but everything was new and I enjoy a challenge so it didn’t really bother me. Of course, when you are not the new kid on the block, you do have to work harder to stay at the top of your game. Again, not afraid of a challenge. This really pushed me to expand the line to include home accessories and eventually resort whereas well in order to keep the integrity of the fine jewelry line but also expand into other areas. I think you have to expect when you go into business for yourself that there will always be times when you feel you have reached a certain point And can enjoy some measure of pride in what you’ve accomplished but it is important not to rest there for too long because especially in fashion and design there is a need for newness and a need for constant evolution. Once you understand this you can have a game plan of how to address any challenges and clear those hurdles.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I think that most people will know me or the name of my collection as being very closely aligned with nature, organic and natural materials, and animal conservation. I think that the authenticity, originality, and absolute reverence for nature sets us apart from other companies that operate in the same arena.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
Wear your jewelry! Especially stones like the ones that I work with that are filled with energy… They want to interact with you and your energy. They are talismanic and inspirational. Don’t be afraid to mix styles, metals, or materials… I love pairing something new and avant-garde with something vintage. Where you express your personal style is in how are you pair of things together.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.kimberlymcdonald.com
- Instagram: @kimberlymcdonaldjewelry
