CUSTOMER STORIES: Bespoke Vintage - Deb McGrath
CUSTOMER STORIES: BESPOKE VINTAGE
April 5, 2019
We recently had the honor of crafting a custom piece for a longtime Lulu Frost client, Deb McGrath. Using a precious family heirloom, Deb worked with Founder & Creative Director Lisa Salzer-Wiles to create a stunning one-of-a-kind necklace (with a removable pendant that can also be worn as a brooch) sure to be cherished for generations to come.
Interested in creating your own Bespoke Vintage piece? Learn more here.
We caught up with Deb to talk about the significance of family heirlooms, our shared love of vintage jewelry and her plans for the future of this special piece.
Q: Tell us about the history of this special piece and how did you decide to give it a new life?
A: My Dad came from a large family of ten kids. It was during the depression and although he wanted an education so badly, he had to work, to help support the family. He became an accountant thanks to doing jobs like taxi driving, as he could earn money while taking his high school and accountancy course through the mail. He always kept this silver taxi badge in a little tin box with his other keepsakes in appreciation of the opportunities it afforded him. When I discovered it after he died, I wanted to honour it in some way. So I came to Lulu Frost.
Q: What is it about vintage jewelry that resonates with you?
A: I love vintage jewelry because it feels to me like acquiring someone else's joy... I always wonder about the places it's been and I'm more than happy to take it on more adventures. A loved piece with history is not meant to sit in a drawer.
Q: Now that you have the finished piece, where and how will you wear it?
A: I have already worn it many times. On a beret, on a lapel and as a necklace. It attracts so much attention with its unique beauty. Everyone asks about it and they love when I tell them its history.
Above: Deb, wearing the finished necklace, with her husband and daughter.
Q: Any plans for the future of the piece? Will you pass it down to the next generation?
A: I will pass the necklace down to our daughter. She loves it so much and her Papa adored her. Also, because he never knew her as a girl, it will connect them in a lovely way.
Q: If your father could see this necklace, what do you think his reaction would be?
A: If Dad could see the necklace he would cry happy tears. He was a very sentimental guy who loved family traditions. This was only one of his treasures, some of which carried their secrets away with him. He would be especially happy to see me as the pearl to his treasure. The pearl was one of Lisa's wonderful ideas and makes it so precious to me.