Zoe Einbinder may appear a tad loony if you spy her meticulously inspecting produce in your local supermarket. She's probably there conducting field research for her accessories line. Einbinder's line of mouth-watering (but inedible!), handmade accessories, Real Fruit Jewelry, is crafted from real fruit slices, and attracts attention at local boutiques and bazaars throughout the city. Here, Einbiner tells The Feast how she makes her jewelry, and how this all came to be in the first place.
How did you get the idea to make fruit jewelry?
My friend had gone to South America and came home with some earrings made from real, laminated lemons. I drooled over them, and made such a fuss every time I saw her wear them! Fast forward to a year ago when I suffered a job loss, and I started to brainstorm creative ideas for emergency cash. Suddenly, I remembered my friend's earrings and I spent the next couple months discovering a technique to make fruit jewelry. Now it has me busy full time.
Where do you find inspiration for your designs?
I see the world through the eye of a photographer, noticing beauty in places where it may be overlooked. I used to love going to farmer's markets and the Italian Market, just to look at how beautiful the produce was. I'd photograph piles of string beans and hot peppers, cross sections of purple cabbage, and those funny-looking heirloom tomatoes. My jewelry is sort of like a snapshot of produce—an orange slice frozen in time or a kiwi framed on your finger.
Can you give us a little insight into how the jewelry is made?
I carefully select each fruit—folks who see me in the produce department must think I'm a little nuts. I cut the fruit into thin slices, preserve it by drying it completely, then I seal it in with a clear resin. I don't add any colors to the finished piece, so it looks just as nature intended.
What is the typical customer reaction to your jewelry?
When people see my booth at a show, they usually do a double take, then smile; some people laugh out loud. Everyone wants to know if the fruit is really real, and they always ask me how I do it. Little kids and their parents like to play "guess the fruit."
How have you adjusted your designs based on customer feedback?
I've added some fruits to my line that I wouldn't thought to add before hearing feedback from customers. Apples, starfruit, and strawberries were all done because I had so many people asking for them. I also offer special orders for magnetic necklace clasps for my customers who have arthritic fingers.
What's your most popular piece?
Right now, blood oranges seem to be the big seller. They have a deep red color that is so striking and gorgeous. As the light reflects through the translucence of the blood orange slice, it appears like a wine-colored stained glass. Blood oranges are only available in the winter months, so when I saw how beautiful they were, I worked on them like crazy, anticipating that they'd be a big hit.
Which piece is your personal favorite?
I'm partial to the orange slice necklace. It's the first piece that I ever made, and my business cards are designed after it. When I wear it, it brightens my spirit and makes my feel happy!
Tell us about some of your newest designs.
I've added vegetables to the mix recently. I now have pieces available made from butternut squash, beet, carrots, and tomatoes. I don't keep up with trends, but so far, customer response had been positive. There are now more than a few people walking around out there with tomato slices dangling from their ears and necks! And now that it's fig season, I'll be experimenting with those as well!
Besides Etsy, where can readers purchase your jewelry?
I'm in several local boutiques: Melanie's Place, VIX Emporium, Nice Things Handmade, Square Peg, and Joyefulart Boutique in Elkins Park. I'm also in Firefly Gallery over in Jersey. Most of my sales occur during Philly-area craft sales on the weekend.
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