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Emma Carroll Etc jewelry
This local designer turns leather scraps into lovely pieces of jewelry.
What it is Emma Carroll Etc, a vegetable-tanned jewelry line by local designer Emma Carroll
Who she is Carroll was born in Chicago but moved to the U.K. with her family when she was 12. Her folks moved back to the States a few years ago, but Carroll stayed in London for design school and then to work for handbag designer Ally Capellino. “She is big into her lovely leathers,” Carroll says, “and there were always tons of pieces laying around.” So, Carroll collected the scraps and turned them into jewelry.
What she makes Carroll and her business partner/significant other, Matt Eckford (“He’s pretty much the driving force behind things, dealing with all the business stuff,” she says), started off with a side business in London making furniture. “It was a lot of fun, but a lot of work and too much heavy lifting,” Carroll says. She and Eckford decided to turn the business into an accessories line instead. Using the Italian, vegetable-tanned leather scraps as inspiration, Carroll creates colorful necklaces, earrings and bangles ($26–$195). Each handmade piece, especially standouts such as the dangling three-inch feather earrings (featuring hand-cut pieces of dyed pink, gray, yellow, brown and blue leather made to look like a feather), is graphic and playful, yet has an elegant edge.
Why we like them These are modern pieces you don’t see everyday, so wearing them makes a statement—in a good way. The whole line has a whimsical feel to it, but the quality craftsmanship brings an upscale aspect. Pair the long disk necklace (small leather circles along a gold chain and ribbon ties) with a vest and jeans, and you’ve got yourself a simple, well-accessorized outfit.
Where to find them View the whole collection online at emmacarrolletc.com. Or find a selection of pieces at Habit (1951 W Division St, 773-342-0093, habitchicago.com) and Bess & Loie (1015 W Lake St, 312-226-2247, bessandloie.com).
