Welcome back to the blog, it's been a minute!
For those of you who are like me & love a brand story or you're someone simply now getting to know the brand - whatnotz is an island inspired jewelry brand that carries a sense of nostalgia and belonging; a classic keepsake with a modern twist; creating an impermanent sense of home in each piece.
This timeless brand was created on the shores of Barbados, a small island in The Caribbean.
I sat with Stephanie, the founder of whatnotz to chat in detail about the inspiration & design process of her second collection, the Trinidad series.
So let's dive right into it!
Why did you choose Trinidad as your second collection?
It was the next obvious choice for expanding the brand in The Caribbean, having a big Trini community in Barbados already & my best friend who's Trini.
It was fun designing the T&T collection, I love that the map shape looks like a big E, the challenge was to incorporate the little Tobago cut-out inside the bigger island, it turned out really well. I was really pleased with how the pieces turned out.
What is each piece made from?
I only use .925 sterling silver as my base, then either plate with rhodium, which makes it more scratch resistant and durable. The gold vermeil is a thick layer of 18k yellow gold onto the silver.
How long did it take to make the collection?
From sketch to first sample the process can take up to 8 weeks & then another 4 weeks for production, each signature bracelet is hand finished by one person and corded by hand, the same goes with the necklace, all polishing is done by hand and they are all engraved at the back with I love T&T and the whatnotz brand name. There is a lot of love & time that goes into each piece.
Have you travelled to Trinidad?
I have been once, I wanted to go to carnival in 2020 but with the start of Covid-19 I thought I might postpone it to 2021.
What is your favorite dish from Trinidad?
Easy! It would have to be doubles.
Which piece is your favorite from the collection?
The gold vermeil necklace, I'm more of a yellow gold girl than silver.
Are you going to be launching any other Caribbean islands soon?
Most probably, but will keep it hush hush until we are close to launching. Stay tuned! 👀
Where can people find the Trinidad Collection to shop?
You can purchase the T&T collection online, shipping takes approx 3 business days and cost is $15usd. I made the order processing super easy and seamless for my customers, but if you have any issues, feel free to reach out via email or dm and ask a question! I'm more than happy to help!
This collection is absolutely stunning. I love the fact that you can see the amount of time it took to create these pieces from start to finish.
Made with love, created to be treasured, whatnotz.
Be sure to let us know which piece is your favorite🖤
