At just 19 years old, Rose Landry, a wildlife ecology sophomore,has brought a unique style to the Baton Rouge market with herjewelry line Rosey Eve.
Landry said she currently sells Rosey Eve independently andthrough Bead Attic on the corner of Perkins Road and Siegen Laneand at Earthly Concerns on Lee Road.
“No company is doing what Rose is doing,” said AslynDaigle, the jewelry buyer at Earthly Concerns.
Daigle said that Landry does “excellent work with wirewrapping and uses good materials, with semiprecious and sometimesprecious stones.” She said that Landry’s work withpearls and high-end Swarovski crystals makes sparkling,eye-catching earrings that sell really well.
Daigle also said that she has been buying Landry’s workfor about five months, ever since Landry brought her work to thestore. Since then, Landry’s work has “only been gettingbetter,” and customers keep returning to see the Rosey Eveline.
She said that her prices can be as low as $15 for earrings and$10 for rings, but an intricate necklace can go for around$150.
Daigle said that Landry’s products run from $40 to $80 ather store — a “really good price for the materials andtechniques she uses.”
“The worst part of her work is that not enough people knowabout it,” Daigle said.
Pam Crane, co-owner of Bead Attic, said that Landry makes”very beautiful” jewelry, and that “people areabsolutely satisfied with her work.”
Crane hired Landry two years ago, after she noticed her buyingbeads and saw her work. She said that Landry is “absolutelyvery talented,” that she has good technical skills and”gets better all the time.”
“There’s so much to do with earrings, with length,style and beading,” Landry said of her best-selling item. Shefocuses on chandelier and stiletto earrings, “the really,really long and narrow ones the celebrities wear now.”
She said she also designs necklaces, anklets, bracelets andrings.
“A lot of it’s stuff I like — dramaticstuff” and sometimes people are shy to wear it, Landrysaid.
Landry said she uses “nothing but the bestmaterials,” such as gold-filled wire and high-end stoneswhich can make prices higher although she wants to make herproducts buyable for her young target audience, and particularlyfor sororities.
Daigle said that Landry also does custom work — she catersto everyone from “older, rich ladies to collegefreshmen.”
Landry’s business grew from a humble beginning. Thingsstarted at age 12, when she “bought some beads at Wal-Martand started playing with them.”
Landry said she started selling her jewelry in high school, whenshe would do shows with her teacher’s wife. After graduating,she began selling to Bead Attic, and then Earthly Concerns. Sherecently got her own label, Rosy Eve, so she could get her tax IDnumber and buy wholesale materials.
“I’ve always been artistic,” Landry said.”You get an idea, and you have to make it, or you’ll gocrazy, and this is how I express myself.”
Landry said right now, the art side of the business is moreimportant than the business side. She said that it is hard for herto see people look at her products as just accessories.
“It can be offensive because it is my artwork, and how Ican express myself,” she said, but it is just part of thebusiness.
But, “after a day on campus, to work on my passion is anawesome, relaxing way to earn money,” Landry said.
Landry said her main business focus now is home shows, which arewine and cheese parties where women can buy her products.
Landry said she is considering taking time off betweenundergraduate and graduate school to enhance her business.
“I’ve been playing with the idea of aself-sufficient business, so I can design in my spare time andwon’t have to work through grad school,” Landrysaid.
The business is “all about connections andnetworking,” Landry said.
Her business is just taking off, and she does not have manyconnections now, but Crane and Brower agree that Rosey Eve has achance to succeed because of Landry’s talent, unique styleand eye for the fashion industry.
To learn more about jewelry making or about Rosey Eve products,e-mail Landry at [email protected].