The Read | Product Design Years in the Making: So Pretty Cara Cotter x Poppy Barley November 08, 2022 4-minute read Women-owned? Check. Founded in Edmonton, Alberta? Check. Ethical production? Check. Beautiful products? Check. A new jewelry collection to share with you? Check and check! Cara Cotter (Founder, So Pretty Cara Cotter) and Kendall Barber (Founder, Poppy Barley) are friends of 15 years. Growing their businesses in tandem, this collaboration is years in the making. Dive in behind the scenes with Kendall to learn about our first foray into jewelry in collaboration with So Pretty Cara Cotter. Kendall, Justine, and Cara celebrating the launch of our jewelry collaboration. Beautiful Beginnings In 2006, Cara and I met while working at Eveline Charles Salons Spas (Cara in product development and myself in marketing). We shared lunches together and post-work glasses of wine. Cara was fashionable and fun, and so creative. She was designing a house and making jewelry that she sold casually at farmers’ markets. She had it together… and I was a little all over the place at that point in life. When Cara had her eldest son, she decided to pursue her jewelry business full-time. Over the years, we stayed friends and grew closer when Justine and I started Poppy Barley. Having business friends is essential as your world becomes full of things most people do not understand. Cara and I commiserated our failed ideas and celebrated big wins. It’s been so fun for our businesses to grow together. We always dreamed of doing something together. At Poppy Barley, we’re celebrating 10 years and we dreamed of something golden. Gold like jewelry. Our co-branded jewelry box! Cara looking over the Poppy Pod Necklace. Behind the Design With our sights set on jewelry, our sights were also set on a collaboration with So Pretty. The Poppy Barley team has long been a fan of So Pretty–the jewelry designs, the beautiful prices, the intention behind each piece, and Cara’s commitment to similar values. To convince Cara, I made a lunch date. Our product team sketched into jewelry ideas, including a Poppy Pod necklace. Armed with sketches, I met Cara with a folder tucked into my tote bag. I remember saying “Poppy Barley would love to collaborate with So Pretty”. Cara immediately said “Yes, let’s do it”. We spent the next three hours pouring over ideas for a collaboration with Cara generously sharing all her knowledge about jewelry. For the next nine months, our teams met frequently. We explored a lot of ideas. We sketched, Cara perfected. Together, we created two collections. The first to celebrate 10 years includes the Poppy Pod Necklace and Ten Signet Ring. The second is still top secret! Early concepts and sketches that became our 10 Year Collection. Shared Values When starting a collaboration, Poppy Barley exclusively works with like-minded brands. If we hold the same values at our core, we can create something wonderful together. Here are just a few areas where So Pretty Cara Cotter shares our values: Product Excellence Beautiful, luxury items made with progressive materials, designed for longevity. The 10-year collection exclusively uses nickel-free precious metals including sterling silver & 18K gold vermeil and comes with a 1-year warranty. You’ll love wearing these pieces daily knowing they’re made to last. Business for Good Ethical factory selection, transparency, and accountability. Each piece of jewelry is made lovingly by hand at So Pretty’s studios in Jaipur, India. Cara personally travels to Jaipur to walk factories, build relationships, and hand-pick ethical, family-run factories to make each piece of jewelry. The 10 Year Collection, featuring the Poppy Pod Necklace and Ten Signet Ring. Inspiring Connections Empowering others and celebrating connectivity. The first pieces to come from this collaboration - The 10-Year Collection - were designed to empower you with the reminder that your ideas come to life with a simple action—the planting of a seed. With consistent watering and loving attention, the dreams you plant deepen their roots and begin to bloom. Kendall and Justine wearing the 10 Year Collection. Shop the So Pretty X Poppy Barley collection on November 15th. Shop Poppy Barley The Universal Pouch Large Black Pebble $88.00 CAD The Large Shopper - Nylon $3.00 CAD The Small Shopper - Nylon $2.00 CAD The Leather Kit $25.00 CAD Older Post Newer Post
