Ten Minutes with Jesse Walker of REALM Jewelry

Mash up n:  to combine data from two or more external sources to create something new. Need me to use it in a sentence? How about “REALM Jewelry by Jesse Walker is a mash up of  DIY design, classic gemstones, and the eighties.” Using industrialish materials (think safety pins, dog tags, brass chains) and pretty pieces (think cameos, porcelain medallions, faux pearls), Jesse has crafted a unique look that I like to call uptown industrial. Jesse might owe a lot of his inspiration to the glampunk 80s, but I promise you that REALM is all the way au courant. But don’t take my word for it—here’s the scoop straight from Jesse.

Oligoville: Fill in the blanks: In five words or less, REALM Jewelry is . . .

Jesse: Organic meets industrial.

Oligoville: How would you describe your ideal  customer?

Jesse:  Someone who loves fashion and pays attention to style trends, but isn’t afraid to go their own way.

Oligoville: How’d you end up a designer?

Jesse:  I was always drawing as a kid, and then, as a teenager, I got really into music and fashion ( thank you MTV). So I went to FIT [Fashion Institute of Technology] in New York to study fashion design/ After that I moved on to home accessories design, but it was only a few years ago that I started making the jewelry, pretty much on a whim.

Oligoville: How/when did you launch your brand?

Jesse:  In 2005, at Eastern Market, here in Washington,DC. I made some jewelry to sell along with the home accessories I was making at the time, and the jewelry sold better—and was more fun to make—so I switched to it full-time.

Oligoville: What’s with the kilt pins?

Jesse:  I grew up in the eighties, so I’m always inspired by anything with a punk element to it. I also just think they have a really elegant and beautiful shape to them. It’s become a signature technique of mine to use them, not just as decorative elements, but as part of the structure of my jewelry.

Oligoville: Who and/or what inspires you?

Jesse: High Fashion, big cities, art, and music. I’m inspired by contrasts, mash-ups of unlikely or mundane materials so that they can be seen in a new way.

Oligoville:  What’s 24 hours like in your life?

Jesse:  A blur.

Oligoville: What’s in your closet? What are you wearing right now?

Jesse:  Oh god, for someone so interested in fashion, I don’t have any nice or cool clothes. It’s all jeans and t-shirts. Every few years I try to get my act together and buy some nice things, and make an effort to have some style. But I don’t have the energy to keep it up when I’m thinking about how to dress other people all the time. Also, I’d rather put my money back into my business right now.

Oligoville: What’s in your bag right now?

Jesse:  It’s a messenger bag with some basic jewelry making tools, an umbrella, my ipod and cell, a sample bag of Giant Cheetos, and lots of gum.

Oligoville:  Tell us about some unexpected setbacks you have faced since starting your business and what you learned.

Jesse: The amount of competition can be overwhelming; there are so many jewelry designers out there. I’m learning to be ruthlessly honest with myself about what I design and sell. Is it really me? Is it really unique? Is it really wearable?

Oligoville: What has been the most rewarding part of your career?

Jesse:  Being able to make money doing something that really allows me to put all my creative energies, and imagination, to use.

Oligoville: Tell us where you expect to see your business in the next five years.

Jesse:  I plan to start focusing more on wholesale, so REALM will be carried in a lot more stores. And I expect to have some employees, so that I can spend more time creating new designs and less time making product.

Oligoville: Any advice for aspiring entrepreneurs?

Jesse:  Get yourself a trust fund.

Oligoville: What’s on your playlist right now?

Jesse:  Lady GaGa, and Jordan Sparks…Yes I know it’s cheesy, but it keeps me moving.

Oligoville: Any last words?

Jesse:  Accessorize.