When it comes to collaboration, I am quite particular. When a brand comes my way I think through a myriad of things before sharing it with all of you (I am very protective of this beautiful community!):
- Is this a brand I already own or from which I would like to own pieces?
- Does this company’s mission resonate with my personal values?
- Would my readers find the story behind the products + the products themselves valuable?
- Would I be proud to be associated with this brand?
I don’t move forward unless the answer to all of the questions is an unequivocal, “YES!”
When I had the opportunity to collaborate for a shoot with Parker Clay (all shot by the disarmingly talented photographer Carly Mask… follow her on Instagram for mega daily inspiration), I did my due diligence (reminder for those who don’t know… I’m an Active Member of the California Bar… laymen’s terms: that makes me a lawyer).
Being a Santa Barbara native, I already knew that Santa Barbara based Parker Clay carried absolutely stunning handcrafted pieces for both men + women. That answered question number 1… but I still needed to make sure they were a fit for criteria 2 through 4…
As I learned more about the story behind the company (+ after talking with one of the founders), I was moved beyond belief. Normally, I like to tell the story in my own words… but their story is so powerful… I’ll let them tell it in their own words: