Rock Solid

Rock Solid

Ottawa jewelry

designer a hit with

luxury buyers

BY SHEILA BRADY

It’s a long way from the bead department in the Cambridge Wal- Mart to upscale display cases at Holt Renfrew and Shepherd’s Fashion Accessories. 

But it’s only the start for Ottawa’s Karen McClintock, who in one short year learned to make funky, semi-precious jewelry — priced around $300 — and convinced upscale retailers to sell it. When McClintock married Canadian water ski champion-turned-businessman Jim in 2003, she had agreed to step back from a successful career running her Orléans consignment shop Déjà New to raise their blended family that includes four children now aged 10 to 14. Besides, it was difficult to hold down a job because the couple commuted between their home in Greely and Cambridge, Ont. 

“Here’s the thing. Jewelry came out of desperation,” says McClintock frankly. “I wanted something to do that made me feel challenged and fulfilled.” The 42-year-old has a hefty portfolio of chunky necklaces, bracelets and earrings that sell as fast as she can make them. Usually she works at the glass table in her kitchen, or at their second home in Cambridge. Despite her early success though, she says she doesn’t want is to grow too fast.

“Quality control is important because you’re only as good as your last piece.” She insists on keeping tight control of design and calls in help when needed. “My main asset is that I am a good listener. I am a human sponge and suck up ideas and direction.” 

McClintock was listening in June 2005 when a shopper directed her to the bead department in the Cambridge Wal-Mart, suggesting she buy the store’s stretchy string. She picked out a selection of beads, and began crafting necklaces for an upcoming garage sale. 

Within days, she made her first sale and hasn’t looked back since. She quickly switched from stretchy string to wire on the advice of the owner of a sophisticated bead store on Queen Street East in Toronto. 

Then a jewelry friend told her about a bead importer, also on Queen, and her work took a dramatic step forward. Take turquoise, smoky quartz, pearls, Swarovski crystals, ancient gold coins and burnished keys, then factor in McClintock’s ability to combine colours and textures and you have memorable jewelry that makes an instant statement.

As a former competitive athlete and a top amateur water skier, McClintock doesn’t lack for determination. She called up Marlene Shepherd, co-owner of Shepherd’s Fashion Accessories, to ask if they could meet.

“What did I have to lose?” says McClintock. “I brought in my pieces and Marlene loved them. She showed me the colours for her spring line of clothing and I went back to the Toronto bead shops.”

“She came in pretty green and very new to the industry,” says Shepherd, who has become something of a mentor to the new designer. She says McClintock is good at creating flexible pieces that can be worn many ways. 

Since that first meeting, McClintock has created spring and fall lines for Shepherd’s, including a long necklace that can be worn as a belt, doubled around the neck or separated into parts to wear as a bracelet. One of her necklaces will be featured this fall when Shepherd’s launches a trio of black dresses. 

And while McClintock also sells her pieces at shops in Mont Tremblant, Halifax and Bedford, Nova Scotia, she wanted to go further. So last October, the selftaught designer met with a manager in the fashion department at Holt Renfrewin Ottawa. Within acouple of weeks McClintock was showing pieces to an associate buyer in Toronto. 

Holt’s asked her to increase her sophistication level, design a custom clasp and develop pieces to compliment the luxury chain’s fall line of clothing. By April, McClintock had a new line and by July she heard the golden words: “You’re in.”

Beginning this month, Holt’s is showcasing a select grouping of McClintock necklaces in Calgary, Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal. All but a few pieces sold out at the Ottawa launch in early September, and again in Toronto a few days later. Now McClintock is busy filling back orders. 

“It was a phenomenal debut,” says Julie Timmins, manager of special events and publicity for Holt Renfrew in Ottawa. “We sold almost every piece. This is one of the first times this has happened. Her pieces have really great colours. They are chunky, bold, detachable and versatile.” 

Timmins adds: “Good Canadian designers are few and far between Her pieces are going out of the store as fast as they are coming in. They are unique and fresh. ”Thankfully, so is Karen McClintock.
for more information go to www.KarenMcClintock.Com
Sheila Brady is the Citizen’s homes editor.