Meet the Maker: Rachel Compton of By.Ren
The Sable Collective is all about celebrating our makers since they're the main core of our brand and values. The ‘Meet the Makers’ series is about telling the stories of the people behind some of your favorite Sable brands. By.Ren is a local Women owned business based here in Philadelphia and sells beautiful jewelry & accessories that can be found at Sable. We had a chance to speak with Rachel Compton, owner of By. Ren to learn a little more about the woman behind the brand.
1.) What is currently your favorite song?
I‘ve been in a bit of a music funk, but I recently found ‘Nite & Day’ by Syd B. I’m loving it a lot. Her voice is, oof, so good.
2.) What is your creative process in the studio?
It comes in waves. I’ll start with sketching. Usually, when I put pencil to paper a theme begins to emerge pretty quickly. Lately I’ve been experimenting with negative space and layered organic shapes. I like to lean into imperfections rather than avoid or try to manipulate them. After sketching I sit at my bench and start fabricating the designs in either metal or wax. The designs either come out exactly as I imagined or they’ll begin to take on a life of their own. Either way is fine with me. Sometimes you’ve got to trust the process and see what happens.
3.) How are you currently coping during COVID?
I’ll be honest, it’s been hard. Managing a small business is a lot of work in general, especially one where the product depends on my creativity and capability. I think a lot of my motivation and inclination to design came from the creative community here in Philly as well as the community I’ve created through my business. When COVID took all of those day-to-day interactions away, it became really isolating. Leaning into my support system and my online community has been helpful. I feel extremely grateful to still have my health, my business, and to have been able to continue working throughout the pandemic.
4.) Name one way you practice self-care?
Yoga is my go-to. I look forward to that one hour where I get to focus solely on my mind, body, and spirit.
5.) What is your favorite product from your brand?
Oh, this is difficult! My favorite changes depending on my mood, but it’s usually a hoop. ‘Big Ass Hoops’ when I’m feeling feisty. ‘Passage Hoops’ or ‘Mini 12 Gauge Hoops’ any other time.