28
I’ve had 15 minutes of fame a bunch of times.
Roxanne Assoulin has a decades-long career of designing jewelry meant to spark conversation.
Assoulin describesher eponymous brandas community-based and connection-based.
Ahead, Assoulin chats with Bustle about life at 28, balancing motherhood and a career in jewelry design.
Take me back to age 28.
Where were you at in your life, in your career?
It’s when I started my business.
I started doing hair accessories and I would go door to door.
I sold to Vera Wang, Norma Kamali, Bloomingdale’s, and Fiorucci.
At 28, I got married, I had just had my second baby.
I made a bracelet for myself, and people started asking me about it.
So, I started my line under my namesake, Roxanne Assoulin.
It took off very quickly.
So that’s where I was at 28 working out of my basement, wrapping bracelets.
What would you say your goals were at 28?
I had no career goals.
I didn’t know what I was doing.
I met Marc Jacobs around that time and started doing jewelry for him.
I did all the fashion shows, Bill Blass, Oscar de la Renta, Stephen Sprouse.
I did all the Perry Ellis stuff when [Marc Jacobs] was grunge.
It was the ’80s and early ’90s, and fashion was huge.
Elsa Klensch was on television.
We didn’t have internet.
We didn’t know what anyone was doing till the clothing came out.
Can you explain the difference between the two?
I’ve had 15 minutes of fame a bunch of times.
I actually started under my maiden name.
We did a crystal skirt for Madonna.
Each season we would have these huge accounts.
It went into the private label sector.
When direct-to-consumer came in, those companies started hurting.
That’s how this was born again.
What advice would you give to yourself at 28?
I would say to a 28-year-old, don’t take life so seriously.
Your friendships will change, your relationships with your parents will change.
What is the most valuable thing that you’ve learned throughout your career?
One of the most valuable things [Ive learned is] that everybody’s just winging it.
There is no master plan here.
There’s a war, there’s a recession.
There’s a flying saucer.
I think humility is key in any business.
When I started this, I didn’t know what I was doing.
I asked people “What do you think?
How do you think I should do it?
What do you think the price should be?
They would introduce me to people, and when I launched, they all championed me.
What do you have coming up next for you?
I always say I have one more life left.
I’m not sure what it’s going to be.
There’s a curiosity, and it’s exciting.
Well, I’m sure everyone will be very excited to find out whatever it is.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
