This month, I'm so excited to bring another interview to you, this time speaking with Haley Seidel, Vice President of Design and Development for The Citizenry. In my eyes The Citizenry is one of the leading artisan brands in the field today. They design and curate a thoughtful assortment of items for the home, made by talented artists around the globe. It’s been such a joy to watch this company grow over the years. I met the founder Carly in Guatemala eight years ago when she was just brainstorming her dream. Then a year later, I reconnected with Carly and her business partner Haley in New York, and their concept was already coming to life in such a strategic and beautiful way. They saw a place in the market for their vision of artisan goods, designed exclusively for their brand. Years later, they now have not only a leading home decor brand creating real impact for the artisan sector but also a newly opened shop in the heart of SOHO. They continue to inspire the field and their consumers.

This week, I am excited to continue my promotion of talented enterprises exhibiting at the New World Crafts online fair, a wonderful sourcing opportunity for those interested in working with artists from Guatemala and throughout Central America. The work of these two vendors – La Casa Cotzal and Topis Ceramica – really stands out to me so I wanted to share a bit more about each of them.

As many of you know, I have partnered up with New World Crafts, an online fair and sourcing platform featuring the work of artisan producers and brands from Guatemala and throughout Central America. This week, I’d like to share the work of Itza Wood, an enterprise that is featured on the New World Crafts online platform and that I am very proud to represent personally.

This past winter I ventured to Morocco alongside my sourcing partner and friend, Frederic Alcantara. We had an incredible journey exploring the craftsmanship of southern Morocco together. The trip is one I will hold near to my heart as Frederic recently and unexpectedly passed away. I feel honored to have spent as much time as I did with him, to see him in action doing what he loves. For those who knew him, Frederic was a special soul. He had a kind heart and a true passion for the artisan sector. He put his all into opening opportunities for artists in Morocco and beyond.

This month, I'm delighted to present an interview with Kelsie of Driftless Style. I've had the pleasure to work with Kelsie over the months as one of my mentorees, and I've been so impressed with her drive, and quick ability to learn the tricky in's and outs of running an artisan-focused retail shop. That said, Kelsie has been kind enough to share her lessons learned running a retail shop, as well as revealing what has been working best for her, and other best practices when buying from overseas artisan groups. She also speaks about how to juggle working directly vs when to simply buy wholesalers from retailers based in the US. She touches upon tips, how to overcome specific challenges, worthwhile business investments, and more.

This month, I'm delighted to present an interview with Kristen Caron. She’s Creative Director of Raven + Lily, a women-led brand offering handmade jewelry, accessories, and items for the home. All goods are handcrafted by female artists. I feel quite lucky to have such amazing colleagues like Kristen to go on walks and chat about the sector with. Like me, she moved to Paris a few years ago. During our most recent walk, Kristen was kind enough to share some interesting insights on her approach to advertising, how she keeps Raven + Lily competitive, impactful referral websites that have led to sales, along with some of her favorite shops in Paris.