Karen McClintock Makes Waves in the Fashion and Jewelry World

by Stephanie Findlay photos by Valerie Keele

What began when Karen McClintock wanted to
improve a necklace to sell at a garage sale has
catapulted her to the forefront of Canadian jewelry
design. In just three years, McClintock has established
herself in the Canadian custom jewelry market, selling
pieces at six of the nine Holt Renfrews in Canada
as well as, the boutique clothing store, Shepherd’s in
Ottawa.
McClintock spent the summer of 2005, designing
and producing custom pieces. By October, her buyer
recommended that she try selling to Holt Renfrew.
In what she describes as a “huge learning curve”,
McClintock spent the next seven months traveling
back and forth from Toronto customizing and
refining her work for sale in the specialty department
store. After only 10 months in the business, Holt
Renfrew picked up her line. She was one of only
two Canadian designers launched by Holt Renfrew
in 2006. Since then, McClintock has shown no signs
of slowing down. She’s recently been to Paris with
veteran fashion designer Linda Lundstrom, and is
currently planning a bridal line as well as working on a
coffee table book with award-winning photographer
Michelle Valberg of Ottawa.
McClintock is animated about her new ventures. “It’s
kind of like I have two people in me,” she explains, “a
realistic side, oh-my-god-I’ve-got-so-many-ordersto-
fill, and another entrepreneurial side. And it’s
definitely that entrepreneurial side that takes over.”
“If you had asked me three years ago if I had
expected this, there is no way.” McClintlock relays
that her close attention to her buyer’s needs make
her different from everyone else, “she (the buyer) told
me what she’d like to see and I did exactly that. I
took it literally because I didn’t know any different.
I didn’t have my own preconceived ideas of what I
was doing.” Since then, McClintock says that she’s
been able to develop her own look. However it is
her commitment to her clients that gives her an edge
in this competitive industry. “I never back down
from a challenge,” she says. Her first assignment for
Holt Renfrew was to create pieces following various
themes, including Pop Art. “Pop art wasn’t me at all. I
was at first going ‘wow, that’s a huge leap for me’ but
it came out really well.” McClintock is able to work
within unknown parameters and achieve success
with her diverse talents in jewelry design.
When asked about her favourite client relationship
story, McClintock tells about a woman soon to
become grandmother, “She wanted to get something
that would make her feel young and vibrant. She
bought a piece of my jewelry because it made her
feel wonderful…I had touched a person, believe it or
not, in a way that I had no idea.” Governor General
Michaelle Jean, who is featured in the upcoming
McClintock-Valberg book collaboration, is one of
many Canadians to appreciate McClintock’s work
and McClintock says that she has received positive
feedback from Her Excellency.
For now, the book release is tentatively scheduled
for Earth Day, 2009. In the meantime, McClintock
is busy finishing up her first wedding collection and
continuing to design and produce other designs.
Expansion to the United States is also in the works,
“I don’t know how many times people have said that
I’m going to make Oprah,” she laughs. If she does, and
Oprah is in one of her gifting moods — we’d like to
be a member of that studio audience with hopes that
McClintock’s designs were in the offering! n
For more information or to shop on-line visit,
www.karenmcclintock.com.
Karen McClintock

Jewelry that rocks

Jewelry that rocks
Photos by Michelle Valberg
Graphic designer LINDA REA-ROSSEKER/Leader-Post
By IRENE SEIBERLING
Leader-Post
Karen McClintock didn’t set out to become a jewelry designer.
In fact, no one could be more surprised by her success than McClintock herself. “I still can’t believe this is happening,” the 43- year-old Ottawa-based designer said repeatedly during the week we shared in Paris recently with Canadian fashion icon Linda Lundstrom.
“How did I get here? It’s surreal,” she said, her utter amazement — and delight — evident.
Things just seem to keep falling into place for McClintock, who has quickly become known as one of Canada’s hottest up-and-coming jewelry designers.
It all started about two years ago — as a bit of a fluke, actually. While getting ready for a garage sale, McClintock came across an old necklace, which she was convinced she could “improve”.
“I knew nothing (about making jewelry),” she admitted.
So she headed over to the craft department at her local Wal-Mart and picked up what she thought she’d need to re-string a few necklaces for the garage sale.
They sold like hot-cakes. And she was hooked.
At first, McClintock used stretchy string — at the recommendation of a shopper in the department
store’s crafts section — and beads.
“What did I know? I had no idea what I needed. This was all new to me,” she said.
After a bit of kidding about the stretchy string, a friend with experience in the jewelry business steered McClintock in a more professional direction — using wire and crimp beads. McClintock started using sterling silver, semi-precious stones, Swarovski crystals and antique silver coins to create hand-crafted necklaces, bracelets and earrings.
Her necklaces range in price from $200 to $400. Impressed with McClintock’s natural talent for combining colours and textures to create jewelry that makes a statement, her friend encouraged her to pursue her new “hobby”. The timing was perfect.
A divorced mother of two, McClintock was now married to a Cambridge, Ont. businessman, also with two children. Their “complicated” living arrangement — commuting between their two homes (hers in Ottawa and his in Cambridge), and their vacation home in Florida — made it impossible for her to commit to a 9-to-5 job. But she wanted to work. “It was more for my self-esteem,” said McClintock, who gave up a successful career running a consignment shop to raise their blended family. So she decided to re-invent herself, and create a job that would work with her current circumstances. “There was no intention to start a business,” she said frankly. But one thing just kept leading to another. And in no time at all, her creations were being showcased in six of the nine Holt Renfrew locations. (Her designs aren’t in Holt Renfrew’s Toronto Bloor Street location, Vancouver or Montreal — yet.)
Marlene Shepherd, co-owner of an upscale ladies’ clothing and accessories boutique in Ottawa, also carries McClintock’s collection (www.shepherdsfashions.com). “She has a good sense of colour and a good sense of balance,” Shepherd said in a telephone interview from Shepherd’s Fashion and Accessories. “She takes direction well and criticism well. She’s not too proud or too snobbish to accept some ideas. That’s a wonderful thing about her — you can work with her, and give her suggestions,” Shepherd said. “Combine her creativity with my (30 years of) experience, and we are able to come up with something that we are both happy with.”
Shepherd praised the new designer’s versatility. “Everybody has their status handbag — the Prada or the Gucci. Her necklace is sort of along the same line — the status necklace that you can wear for a couple of seasons,” Shepherd said. “It’s the necklace of the season, and you wear it with lots of different things, depending on how you combine it. She even has some that have detachable pendants.”
That sentiment was echoed by Kate Chartrand of Holt Renfrew. “Her work has the potential to evolve and stay fresh with every season, which is what will keep our customers coming back for more,” she explained. “Karen takes elements of bohemian trends and develops them into more tailored and sophisticated designs that really resonate with our clientele and offer them longevity,” Chartrand said. Not having any formal training in jewelry design seems to have worked in McClintock’s favor.
“I absorb everything. I’m like a human sponge — I suck up ideas and direction,” the tenacious former competitive athlete said. No one could ever accuse McClintock of lacking determination.
While in Paris recently, she got pointers on production from veteran fashion designer Linda Lundstrom, who introduced McClintock to Miles Socha, Paris bureau chief for Women’s Wear Daily. When McClintock mentioned she was hoping to get her designs into the U.S. market, Socha arranged a meeting with his friend, Mindy Prugnaud, a fashion merchandising specialist for Saks. “I’m excited,” Prugnaud said as she viewed samples of McClintock’s collection in the lounge of the Paris hotel where McClintock was staying. Conveniently, the hotel was located in the fashionable residential area where Prugnaud lives. McClintock was asked to supply photos, within days, which Prugnaud said she would include in a booklet she’d put together to pitch the collection to Saks. “How amazing is this,” McClintock said, beaming after the meeting.
The incredibly rapid rise of her career still has McClintock pinching herself, wondering if this is really
a dream. “If it comes gradually, you work into it,” she said. “When it comes fast, you keep questioning ‘when is it going to stop?” No time soon, if demand for her designs continue at the current rate.
When described as a successful Canadian jewelry designer, McClintock smiles. “I still can’t believe people actually call me that.” “I really have no idea where this is going to go, but I am enjoying the journey,” she said.
For more information about Karen’s
designs, go to www.KarenMcClintock.com

A Rare Find

ONE OF CANADA’S HOTTEST JEWELRY DESIGNERS CALLS OTTAWA HOME

Karen McClintock has a unique way of seeing the world. A beach scene conjures up blue quartz, mother of pearl and larimar semiprecious stones. When she studies a sepia-toned photograph,
she sees moss opal, abalone and fresh water pearls.
Written By Nadine St-Jacques 

Photography by Darren Brown

For Karen, these stones are the tools of her trade. The energetic blonde surrounds herself with tray after tray of gems in every colour of the rainbow as she crafts dazzling jewelry designs in her second floor workspace. Known as one of Canada’s hottest up-and coming jewelry designers, the Ottawa native’s blossoming career is going places she never expected. Her necklaces, earrings and bracelets can be found exclusively in the capital region at Shepherd’s and Holt Renfrew. Sitting at her glass kitchen table in her Greely home, the ever-stylish blonde – who, of course, is wearing one of her signature pieces made of semi-precious stones and an ancient silver coin – says she still can’t believe the meteoric rise of her career. Surprisingly enough, it all began after
a quick trip to her local Wal-Mart less than two years ago. With her stepdaughter in tow, she went to the discount department store to find materials to re-string a few necklaces
for a garage sale. A few days later, Karen showed her creations to a friend with experience in the jewelry business. Although the friend kidded her about using stretchy string instead of wire, she was impressed by McClintock’s natural talent for pulling colours together and encouraged her to pursue her new hobby. At the time, something deep inside Karen started to simmer. Could jewelry designing be exactly what she needed to complement her busy lifestyle?

A divorced mother of two, she married Jim McClintock, a businessman and champion
water-skier in 2003. Between them, they have four kids ages 11, 13, 14 and 15, which also means a complicated living arrangement. Karen’s two kids go to school in Ottawa, while Jim’s children and business are in Cambridge.As a result, Karen regularly commutes between the couple’s two homes, as well as their vacation home in Florida. This arrangement also means holding a 9-to-5 job is virtually impossible. “I’m only in the city every second week and we travel every week, so I was kind of feeling like, what am I going to do?” says the former athlete with a master’s degree in sports psychology. “I can’t just clean house and shop because that’s not me.” Consequently, McClintock made up her mind and decided she would try her hand at jewelry designing. The result was an instant following. “I sold my first piece in a week right off my neck at a water-ski tournament,” says Karen with a laugh. From that moment on, the Ottawa native’s
career as a designer took off. She attributes her success to her “take the bulls by the horn” approach to life and a conscious decision to aim high. In August 2005, only two months after making her first piece, she picked up the phone and called Marlene Shepherd, owner of Shepherd’s, a high-end clothing store in the Rideau Centre, and asked if she could bring in a few of her designs. Inspired by nature scenes and colour combinations in pictures and photographs, Karen creates hand-crafted necklaces, bracelets and earrings made of carefully selected semi-precious stones and Swarovski crystals. Karen’s signature trademark is her use of chunky stones, as well as antique silver coins that her Toronto Queen Street supplier finds for her in
exotic locales.
Marlene says she knew Karen’s jewelry was what they were looking for. “I could see that she really had a talent for pulling together beautiful colour combinations,” she says.“I knew right away there was somebody that I thought had talent.” From then on, Marlene took the new designer under her wing – support Karen is extremely grateful to have. “She was wonderful because she gave me an opportunity. She’s definitely been my mentor,” she says. It is obvious that in Karen’s short career as a designer, her tenaciousness and positive attitude have paid off.Today, her pieces are also sold at six
of Holt Renfrew’s 12 locations across Canada. And for good reason – they are beautiful, versatile and customers can’t seem to get enough of them. “Jewelry is an emotional purchase and from my experience, I knew women would feel drawn to her pieces,” says Elena Lowenthal, associate buyer for fashion jewelry at Holt Renfrew. “Karen’s work has the potential to evolve and stay fresh with every season, which is what will keep our customers coming back for new additions to their collections.” Michelle Valberg, a good friend of Karen’s and well-known Ottawa photographer, says she believes the secret to Karen’s success is her ability to stay focused. “She works from her intuition
and creativity,” says Michelle. “She didn’t follow a lot of the baby steps that I think people get lost and caught up in.” Karen attributes the level of success she’s acquired in such a short time span to her varied background. For six years, she was the technical
director of Water Ski Canada before turning around a failing consignment shop called Déjà New in Orléans. Although many would say her life has changed drastically since then, it’s obvious her first priority is always her family. “I think she could take it to greater heights than she is now,” says Marlene. “I’ve told her she could easily go to Bergdorf Goodman, but I don’t think that’s what she wants right now. I think she’s keeping it at a certain level, to balance out her lifestyle.” Karen, who still drives her kids to school in
Blackburn Hamlet and karate classes in Orléans each day, explains she’s content with
her life at the moment. Although she admits her goal is to sell her pieces at all 12 Holt
Renfrew locations, she’s ecstatic and humbled by her achievements. For now, she’s simply taking it one day at a time. ‘This whole business has been this unbelievable
karma,” says Karen with a gleam in her eyes. “I’ve gone from walking into Wal-
Mart not knowing what I’m doing to actually walking through the door of Holt Renfrew. I
hadn’t even been doing it a year and they take me on, they launch me as this successful Canadian designer. I still can’t even believe people actually call me that.”
For more information about Karen’s
designs, go to www.KarenMcClintock.com

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.