Meet Kate Kirven of Brentwood

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kate Kirven.

Hi Kate, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Being raised in the South, I grew up on the stories of those that came before me. As a self-professed “antiquing-addict” (just ask my husband and kids!), I became fascinated with the idea that our belongings can become caretakers for these stories, stewards of our history and our heritage for the next generation. There is something magical in realizing the experiences and memories these pieces carry with them, and how they only get better and more special with time.

I created Willa Jean to celebrate my passion for family history and my love of meaningful heirlooms. Inheriting my grandmother’s antique jewelry collection inspired me to create unique, one-of-a-kind jewelry from these well-loved treasures. Just as my jewelry blends the old with the new, the name Willa Jean was inspired by thoughtfully combining something from my past (Willa, a nod to where I grew up), and Jean (my daughter’s middle name) .

I have since spent many years joyfully curating my own collection of vintage and antique pieces – I love that Willa Jean allows me to continue on their stories in a way that helps others feel beautiful and celebrated. Today, Willa Jean has evolved to become a curated line of bold, distinctive jewelry featuring antique and vintage heirlooms and treasures, where, as I like to often say, “every sparkle tells a story.”

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
What a great question – and the answer is emphatically NO! Is entrepreneurship ever smooth? I think most would say probably not. However, it has been one of the most rewarding and fulfilling experiences of my life. I’ve certainly faced the expected challenges that come with small business ownership, most especially the challenge of wearing all the “hats”. Running a one-woman shop is no easy task.

If I had to pick my most pervasive struggle, it would undoubtedly be marketing. There is something about self-promotion that feels really unnatural to me. I’m told many artists and creators feel this way. I have no hesitation in hyping up someone else’s work with abundant enthusiasm, but when it comes to my own work, I tend to slink into the shadows. I have become a bit more comfortable with this, but I imagine I will soon bite the bullet and outsource this to someone much more qualified and talented marketing-wise than I am. One of the hardest parts about small business ownership is knowing when to “let go” and trust someone else. It helps to know that doing so allows you to spend more time on what you ARE good at. For me, this would mean way more time to go antiquing… *ahem* – I mean, “product sourcing”. Let’s go with that.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I love this question, because my background and professional career has NOTHING to do with jewelry, or anything creative for that matter! I am a Finance major, and spent nearly a decade in a banking career that I loved. I even met my husband there! (That’s a great story, for another day). Banking-to-jewelry may not be the most conventional career path, but surprisingly I’ve been able to carry forward more than a few handy skillsets. After “retiring” from banking after the birth of my first child, and getting through the first few years of child-rearing, I found myself ready to take on a new challenge. As we talked about previously, I’ve always had a love for antiques, heritage, family history, legacy – and of course, like any proper Southern girl, sparkling jewels. I tend to be a bit of a self-starter and enjoy working with my hands, so I began to experiment with a collection of my grandmother’s vintage jewelry I had inherited. From that, a love of design and creation was born. I’ve spent years scouring estate sales and antique shops, and through experience and a bit of a knack for design, I’ve been able to hone in on finding the perfect vintage and antique pieces that I can use to create fresh, unique jewelry.

Trial-and-error has been the playbook for Willa Jean. I’ve created plenty of pieces that have fallen flat, and heartbreakingly, I’ve broken more than my fair share of vintage finds. I’m a self-taught jewelry designer and creator. I pride myself on high-quality craftsmanship and design, skills that I have literally cultivated through blood, sweat and tears. I love seeing how my style and aesthetic has evolved over the years along with my own personal journey and growth. I think I may be most well-known for the distinctiveness of my pieces and the creativity of my designs. I believe that people come to me looking for something different, interesting, beautiful and accessible. Between mass-consumption, fast-fashion, and trends that change quicker than the weather in Nashville (IYKYK), I’ve noticed how important it is for people to feel special, to have a sense of unique identity and style. Creating meaningful “modern-vintage” jewelry that allows others to express their true selves is something that I am immensely proud of.

One unexpected part of Willa Jean that has been pretty exciting, is helping to style numerous musical artists – we are in Nashville after all! I’ve created dozens of custom pieces for Lainey Wilson over several years, specially designed and created to complement her fabulous fits for album covers, performances, photo shoots, and awards shows. She’s something special, and it’s pretty amazing that I got to be a very small part of her journey. It’s not something I talk about much (again, that pesky problem with self-promotion), but felt right to share here. I’ve also helped style the AMAZING ladies of Chapel Hart (seriously, I spent the day with them and fell in love with all of them immediately), Grace Bowers (a 17 year old guitar prodigy who is currently exploding on the scene), Tiera Kennedy (remember that Beyonce country album? Yeah, she was featured on it, no biggie), just to name a few. These artists all have an amazing sense of style, and confidence in who they are, and it’s truly an honor to be able to create for them.

What makes you happy?
Antiquing! But seriously, antiquing. It’s simply fascinating to peruse well-loved treasures and imagine the stories and experiences they hold. I absolutely love that Willa Jean allows me to salvage and preserve jewelry that once was undoubtedly beloved by its owner. Carefully cleaning, repairing, designing, and creating these pieces into something new is such a rewarding process. I get to be a small part of a meaningful journey, and that’s pretty cool to me. One of the best parts of being a jewelry designer is being out and about, and seeing one of my pieces being worn ‘in the wild’ – it’s pretty surreal! The joy I feel knowing I created something beautiful, that someone else loves and cherishes, is simply unmatched.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.willajeanjewelry.com
• Instagram: willajeanjewelry
• Facebook: willajeanjewelry