Style Icon: Laura Feldman
Producer Laura Feldman tells us about her jewelry style, especially how she mixes gorgeous heirlooms with contemporary bling.
Necklaces: Coordinates Necklace, Emerald Necklace, Gold Chain. Bracelets: Rose Quartz, Amethyst and Red Tiger Eye are energy healing bracelets from Sedona, Black beaded bracelet: gift, Watch: Laura’s great-grandmother’s, her bracelet: gift from Laura’s dad to her mom, Ring: Odette NY, Opal Ring: Elizabeth Rose Antiques, Ring: Shalha Karimi via (the now closed) OfAKind, and Ring: family heirloom, Opal earrings: Manaculture, Tragus and Conch piercings: NY Adorned.
Los Angeles-based producer Laura Feldman is incredibly vibrant in all aspects of her life, and the way she wears jewelry is no exception. She has inherited and received some incredible pieces from her family, but keeps them looking fresh by mixing them with a few bright, trendy pieces.
I photographed her at home in LA, and asked her to share all of her secrets to styling jewelry.
Tell me a bit about yourself – where you live, your work, etc.
I live and work in Los Angeles. I work in the entertainment industry as a producer focusing on production of integrated marketing campaigns for various shows and brands.
You grew up in Minnesota, went to college in Boston, have lived in London and New York and now have landed in Los Angeles. Tell me a bit about you and how you have lived everywhere cool.
Growing up in St.Paul was idyllic. I don't think most people know how much amazing culture, food, sports and music exist in the Twin Cities. I feel so fortunate and proud to be from Minnesota, however, I always knew I wanted to see the world and that I would leave when I had the chance (and college was that chance). My mom is from Queens and I spent a great deal of time as a kid with my grandparents in NYC, so the east coast felt like a good fit for me. I studied production at Emerson College in Boston, but spent my last semester interning in Los Angeles. It's funny because the minute I arrived in LA, I hated it. I hated the people, I hated "the scene" and I really hated the sprawl and traffic. So, after my internships ended, I decided to go overseas. I didn't speak any foreign languages so London was the obvious choice. I lived with seven people in a pretty gross basement flat in South Kensington, worked at the GAP to make and save money for pending European travel, and interned at a production company. I made so many memories during this time; I am so happy I decided to move to London on a whim and have that experience. Once my travels were over, I headed back to LA to really start my career in entertainment.
What was your path to becoming a producer?
I always thought I wanted to be a psychologist but, once I started college, it wasn't lighting my fire. My parents asked me what I was passionate about, what I loved, what really interested me. I told them "TV." I was fascinated with the storytelling and how shows came together via creative and logistical decisions. I'm not sure if this is the answer they expected but their response was "Great, find some schools that specialize in production and start applying.” I applied to Pepperdine, USC and Emerson and ultimately, chose Emerson. The coursework was really well-rounded and fun - I was able to direct and produce different types of shows (three camera sitcom, the news, etc.) and write and direct a music video and short film. I learned pretty early on that I was a huge fan of collaborating and being a part of the process from beginning to end. My goal was to end up as an Executive Producer on a long form drama (The Wire and Homicide: Life on the Streets were my favorite shows), but life had other plans for me. I fell into short form marketing and production as a fluke, and I've never looked back.
Lately you've been working on some beautifully produced pieces for clients like John Hancock and Toyota, where you've documented the stories of people's lives from Virginia to Alaska. In one, you introduced viewers to a woman living in a veteran's village of tiny homes, and in another, to the sisters who opened up the (delicious) bakery Four and Twenty Blackbirds. What is it like to spend a few days getting to know people, like the Salmon Sisters in Alaska? How does traveling around the world and learning their stories first hand affect you?
I really feel like I hit the job jackpot. There is an aspect of working with a team from ideation to film launch that is so satisfying. The added bonus is profiling ordinary folks who do extraordinary things with their lives - they are passionate, smart and so driven. The three or four days we spend with our film subjects feel like summer camp or a close knit family thrown together to create something amazing. I always walk away with so much perspective, I am inspired and I feel better for having met these folks who I otherwise would never have had the opportunity to cross paths with.
I bet you wear different jewelry at work than the Salmon Sisters do at work! Have you noticed a difference in the way your subjects wear jewelry around the country?
This is an interesting question. I don't think I noticed anyone’s jewelry while we were filming! From what I remember, most of our subjects had minimal, classic jewelry (wedding bands, stud earrings or hoops). But most of the women we were profiling have jobs where they would likely want a easy or "no fuss" look - especially fisherwomen or bakers.
Necklace: BaubleBar, Bracelets: Rose Quartz, Amethyst and Red Tiger Eye are energy healing bracelets from Sedona, Black beaded bracelet: gift, Watch: Laura’s great-grandmother’s, hear bracelet: gift from Laura’s dad to her mom, Triangle Ring: Odette NY, Opal Ring: Elizabeth Rose Antiques
How would you describe your jewelry style?
Classic and eclectic. I always wear my heirloom jewelry mixed with trendy/current pieces. I always have opals on (it’s a good luck Libra thing). All gold er’thang.
What jewelry do you wear on a regular day?
My earrings never come out unless there’s a special occasion (and then I’ll only change out the bottom two). Because I have crazy hair, big earrings tend to get tangled or lost so I learned a long time ago to keep them small and streamlined. For every day, I tend towards simple, classic, small earrings. I always wear two necklaces (I feel naked if I leave the house without at least one). I have a long necklace with a heart pendant that I wear under my shirt. My maternal grandmother gifted this to me when I was 11. I keep it close to my heart and it feels like she is always with me. I change out the shorter necklace daily based on what outfit I’m wearing, so it’s either a classic and simple piece or a statement necklace. I change out my rings every day as well, but I always make sure to mix classic rings with bigger, gaudier heirloom rings that I own. I wear a gold and diamond watch that was my great grandmother’s and several beaded bracelets that I purchased in Sedona.
On a special occasion?
For special occasions I pile on more jewelry than normal. I usually wear statement earrings (and pull my hair back), more rings and a different kind of necklace than the day-to-day ones I stick to.
Do you have any philosophy on how to accessorize? Do you plan the clothes first or the accessories first?
To me, jewelry does two things: adds a little bit of originality to any outfit and also keeps me connected to my relatives since most of my jewelry was theirs. I don’t think there are rules to how much or little you can wear.
What are your go-to jewelry brands?
This might be where I mention the fact that my great-grandparents were jewelers, so most of my go-to jewelry is from their “collection.” However, there are several current brands that I love (I’ve even found a lot on IG!): Catbird, Mana Culture, Upper Metal Class, Mejuri, J. Crew, Anthro.
I’ve also purchased some pieces on Etsy and OfaKind. And I’m a sucker for limited edition jewelry from small boutiques.
What is the most special piece of jewelry you own and why?
This is a difficult question! I would say my heart pendant from my grandmother and a pair of earrings that my father gave to my mother a long time ago (my dad has the BEST taste in jewelry).
Necklaces: Baublebar and J. Crew Factory, Gold Watch: Heirloom, Gold Bracelet: Heirloom, Domino Ring: Heirloom, Garnet Ring: Laura’s mother’s, Opal Ring: Laura’s Grandmother’s, Ring: Mejuri (limited collection).
Can you tell me a story about a time when you discovered an amazing piece (either at a store, flea market, your mom’s closet)? Tell me about the hunt.
This is going to sound crazy, but there is a vintage jewelry store in England that I follow on IG just because her pieces are so amazing. She posted the most stunning, enormous opal ring and I had to have it. We ended up going back and forth on price and I decided to take some time to think about it. A few days later I was still thinking about it so I contacted her - she told me she just promised the ring to someone else (NOOOO!) but she hadn’t received payment. I told her I would wire her money immediately if she would reconsider. Long story short, the ring is now a gorgeous part of my collection and every time I look at it, I am so happy.
Family heirlooms are so special. But sometimes they can feel dated, or just are not your style. How have you updated some of your personal heirlooms and made them feel more like you?
For some reason, my relatives had a LOT of pins. I’m not much of a pin person - there are a few that I'll put in the lapel of a jacket - so I’ve turned a bunch of them into necklaces that can be worn as everyday pieces. My mom and I have taken some gaudy necklaces and turned them into simple earrings as well.
You have this simple and lovely necklace with your mother’s geographic coordinates on it. Tell me about that piece.
Being a Minnesotan (and St.Paulite) is a really important part of who I am - it’s one of the first things I will say if someone asks me about myself. I loved growing up there, my family is still there and I have a ton of pride for Minnesota, so I wanted a necklace I could wear with the coordinates of my home in St.Paul. This is where my mom lives and she’s my first true love. :)
Necklace: TOMTOM, Earrings: Anthropologie, Watch: Heirloom, Gold Bracelet: Gift from Laura’s Dad to her Mom, Flower ring: Laura’s mother’s sweet sixteen gift from her parents, 2 Gold Bracelets: Gifts from Laura’s Dad to her Mom.
Favorite ways to store your jewelry?
I’m actually pretty horrible at this. I used to keep some jewelry in a safety deposit box but I would forget about it or be annoyed that I had to make the drive to the bank to get it. I keep my everyday jewelry out so it’s easy to access. I have all my necklaces hanging in one spot so I can easily grab and go. My rings are in little pots. My really good jewelry I keep in cool, dry places all over the house (which drives me a little crazy sometimes!)
Tell me about the piece on your bedroom wall where you hang your necklaces.
My very old and dear friend, Joel, has one of those unfair talents of being able to make something amazing out of nothing. He is so talented, and every year or so I get a surprise in the mail from him. This jewelry hanger was a piece of an old wash stand - something you would put a bowl and pitcher on. He recycled it into this beautiful hanger with hardware off of an old bathroom cabinet. I love all the work that Joel does because he sees something that most of us would think is garbage or no longer useful and he breathes life back into it. So, I have this handy place for my jewelry to live AND a little piece of Joel as well in my home. That is really special to me.
If something breaks, what do you do? Do you have a super special person/store that you can recommend to help with damaged jewels?
YES! There’s mom and pop jeweler that I’ve been going to FOREVER. They fix anything that’s broken. I go to them with my crazy ideas for modifying jewelry and they always work with me and give me advice for how to best realize my vision. SHOUT OUT TO MAROC CELLAR JEWELERS IN SHERMAN OAKS!
Necklace: TOMTOM, Earrings: Anthropologie, Watch: Heirloom, Gold Bracelet: Gift from Laura’s Dad to her Mom, Flower ring: Laura’s mother’s sweet sixteen gift from her parents, 2 Gold Bracelets: Gifts from Laura’s Dad to her Mom.
Thank you, Laura!
