Meet Katherine Sliclen | Owner & Designer of Stone Cooper Jewelry

We had the good fortune of connecting with Katherine Sliclen and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Katherine, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I started SC shortly after graduating from Skidmore College in 2013. I had grown up making and loving jewelry and worked at two different bead-stores starting at age 15. I fell in love with the notion of wearing jewelry to hold meaning or represent something larger or sentimental, and loved creating my own jewelry with intention and lots of symbolism. Since I had minored in metal-smithing in college, I spent one summer interning in NYC’s diamond district so that exposed me to the fine side of jewelry, as well as behind the scenes of manufacturing and selling.

After graduating and going back to work at the bead-store while applying to graduate school, I decided to try to launch a small jewelry business to keep my creativity and love of silver-smithing going. People had always asked me if they could buy my creations, so I thought it made sense. I took classes at night at a local art school in Northern NJ, so that I could use their torch, and my teacher there was tremendously helpful in rounding out the skills I had learned in college, as well as encouraging me to pursue my own business. I got a small line of pieces cast and started making charm necklaces and incorporating some beads and crystals.

A friend of mine made my SC logo in her basement and I launched my website at the very end of 2013. I did my first craft show that next spring, and started vending at them all over the tri-state area on most weekends. My success and passion made me question if graduate school for social work was the right decision, and after three years of postponing it and working part-time, I decided to make SC my full focus and career. It took me a few more years to even get comfortable saying that I’m a jewelry designer or have a jewelry company, since I truly do feel like I’m living my dream job every day! I moved to Philadelphia shortly after that and partnered with several small boutiques that helped shape SC to what it is today.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My business was started because of my deep love of adornment, especially jewelry and the meaning and history behind it. I’ve loved creating and wearing jewelry for as long as I can remember and have always appreciated the act of ritual adornment: wearing something to symbolize meaning. I started Stone Cooper not only because I love the physical and creative acts of designing and making the jewelry, but because I love how jewelry can make someone feel. I love that my jewelry can empower someone, or make them feel more beautiful or badass or confident.

After graduating college and minoring in metalsmithing, I returned home to manage the bead-store I had grown up going to / working in, while applying to graduate school (for social work). I had spent one summer interning in NYC’s diamond district, which I think is where the seed to start my own line was planted. People had always told me I should sell my jewelry creations, and I realized starting a small side business would be a way to keep my creativity alive as well as an excuse to keep making jewelry and treasure-hunting.

I loved combining unique chains with natural gems and antique charms – something that I didn’t see happening that much. There were a few brands that I knew of, but not many, and certainly none in my price-range. A friend of mine made my SC logo in her basement and helped me launch my website at the end of 2013. I began doing craftshows the following spring, where I realized quickly that my style was unique in the industry, and my people were really drawn to my pieces. I merged the worlds of traditional jewelry-making and ritual adornment with my eye and talent for collecting unique treasures, while keeping them on trend and youthful.

My success and passion for what I was doing made me question if graduate school for social work was the right decision, and after three years of postponing it and working part-time, I decided to make SC my full focus and career. I moved to Philadelphia shortly after that and partnered with several small boutiques that helped shape SC to what it is today.

My mother instilled the love of antiquing and appreciating the history of objects in me from a young age. I was also an avid collector of all things, which has aided tremendously in fostering my skills as a treasure-hunter and curator. Many of the chains and components I use in Stone Cooper are antique, vintage or deadstock – which keep pieces unique (everything is made in limited quantities) and also sustainable, since reducing our environmental impact is something I care deeply about. I source all of my stones in-person, by hand, mostly direct from the people involved in mining them – which enables me to support other small businesses and companies I believe in. I owe a lot of my success to the relationships I’ve developed over the years, and am really proud of how I source our materials.

One lesson I’ve learned is if you stay true to your passions, and open, things will find a way of working out. I never thought I would have a job where I could combine so many of my passions – creating jewelry, treasure-hunting support companies I believe in, connecting with other creatives as well as customers – and making people feel beautiful and empowered while doing it – and for that I’m so grateful!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
When I think about my business, and how far it has come, I can’t help but think about all of the friends, family and even acquaintances who have supported me since day 1. Some of my first orders were from college friends or family members — or even friends of friends; the word-of-mouth referrals and pride that my network took in Stone Cooper was instrumental in shaping both the company – as well as my own confidence in what I was doing. Not to mention all of the friends and family who have helped sell jewelry with me at shows, model for photoshoots, or help design my logos.

Website: https://stonecooper.com/

Instagram: https://instagram.com/stonecooper

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katherine-sliclen-64716677/

Facebook: https://facebook.com/stonecooperjewelry

Other: tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@stonecooperjewelry

Image Credits
Brit Reed Jessica Lynn Terkowski Ryan Besse