Why the name Fearless Inventory?
Naming is hard in the age of the internet so it's fun when a name hits you like a bolt form the blue (and the internet domain is still available!) Even though we do not support or oppose one approach to self-care over another, the name was inspired by the 4th step of many 12 step programs: "Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves". The step is about rigorous honesty with one's self and I thought that was the kind of brand that I wanted to build, fearless and honest. I love the word Fearless since I think fear rules and confines many lives (including my own) so being fearless is something that I aspire to each day (with varying degrees of success ;-)) . I like the word Inventory since in addition to being a list it implies a shop or a store and allows us to make products in many categories.
Where is Fearless based?
We are based in Soho a part of downtown Manhattan in New York City renown for art, design and fashion.
Why did you start Fearless?
Fearless was born out of my experience with recovery from drugs and alcohol. I wanted to create pieces that would help keep people connected to their purpose and to give the wearer a sense of innder strength. Not long after I created the pieces my dearest friend was diagnosed with a rare cancer (leiomyosarcoma) and started to get strength from the jewelry. Then a friend who was coming out of difficult divorce started to get calm from the jewelry. So over time what started as recovery jewelry had broadened to other fields of survivor jewelry, being-a-better-parent jewelry, training for the triathalon jewelry and beyond. Fearless is now jewerly with a purpose, jewelry to help mark challenges and triumphs, and jewelry to make you feel better and connected to others.
Why are your pieces priced higher than similar merchandise?
Becuase we hand make everything in New York and use the finest materials (e.g. see Question about leather below). All of our pieces are made indivdually right here in New York City. Local craftsmen and women do all of the work from design to casting, polishing, and all the way through assembly and shipping. Each pieces is worked by half a dozen different people as it goes from raw metal to a beautiful shining piece of jewelry. We use fresh silver rather than silver that has been re-melted up to a dozne times as some other folks in the business do. We positiion ourselves as an affordable luxury brand rather than a mass market brand and our pieces reflect that as consciously design our pieces to be heavier and more substantial than most so that they feel good to hold. Each piece is a little different and will become more so as it's worn and starts to live in the real world.
Where is your leather from?
Our leather is well-traveled. The leather starts its journey in Texas. It is then sent to Japan where it is tanned and processed to our specifications on color, width and consistency. We tried many different options including buying our own skins (hides) and cutting them ourselves but ultimately we chose the precision and the beauty of the workmanship of the Japanese folks who have been doing this kind of work since the 1970s. Once the leather is made our specifications it comes back to New York where we cut it and form it into necklace, chokers, cuffs and rings. The whole proces is time consuming and adds expense but we do not wan to cut any corners.
