She Co-Founded The Row. This is Her Next Act.
Fine jewelry designer Danielle Sherman chats summer reading, entrepreneurship, and vintage Levi's.
I tapped Danielle Sherman for an interview after buying one of her pieces and experiencing its heft and beauty IRL. The chalcedony locket on a long, generous chain felt special around my neck, but not too precious for everyday wear (and I do wear it near-daily).
Even though the brand was then-new to me, Danielle has quietly rippled through the fashion industry since 2005, when she co-founded The Row with Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen. She went on to become the Design Director for Alexander Wang, continuing her work as Creative Director for EDUN, the celebrated brand founded by Ali Hewson and Bono to promote trade in Africa.
“Now I’m drawing from my family history and relaunching Sherman Field,” she says. The brand, originally founded by her grandparents and focused on tailored womenswear, was a beloved staple of London’s Hanover Square in the late 1960s.
Fast forward to today, Sherman Field is a fine jewelry collection built on Danielle’s reputation for refined craft. Fashioned from solid 18k yellow gold, the line is deftly distinguishable to its admirers by its signature hand-linked chains and colorful stone lockets.
But it’s not just any gold.
“Incorporating recycled pure gold and a unique mix of alloys, we developed our signature Sherman Field 18K yellow gold,” Danielle shares. “Our yellow gold has a warm, rich hue that resembles the antique jewelry I inherited from my family. Many of our pieces combine 18K yellow gold with 18K rose or white gold, a process that can only be produced by hand. Our prideful attention to detail creates an assured feeling of proportion, weight, and scale. It’s comforting. It’s balanced. It just feels right.”
The feeling of history resonates through every aspect of the brand — Sherman Field’s jewelry is heirloom by intention, and the lockets even open up for placing photos of a loved one. The company itself? “Maybe one day it will be passed down to my daughters,” she says.
You can shop Sherman Field online at Net-a-Porter, Bergdorf Goodman, or the brand’s own website.
JG: What’s the last piece of art or decor that you bought for your home, or a piece you're eyeing? DS: Erin Chaplin’s “Bones”. I found this artist on one of my favorite ceramicist’s Instagrams (Jade Paton) and started following her work. My husband bought me the piece for my 40th birthday.
Have you seen any inspiring exhibits lately? Any great live shows? Any great TV or movies? Yes, Tim Walker at the Getty. Loved seeing his photographs printed at such a large scale and his incredible sense of color.
Who is your current Instagram girl crush? Who makes great recommendations online? Always love Laurel Pantin’s recs from
. They’re always practical mixed with a bit of whimsy and somehow always reflect things and pieces that have been on my mind or things I’ve been desiring.Looking ahead, what's on your travel docket for the rest of 2023? What are you packing? We’re going to Aspen with Sherman Field for a trunk show. Packing some High Sport pants, vintage Levi’s, and my favorite T-shirts from Velva Sheen.
What's in your cart right now? Some Dries Van Noten pinstripe pants that Laurel told me to buy and always vintage Calvin or Giorgio Armani or Prada from The RealReal.
What should be in my cart right now? A vintage Cartier watch, either the Gondole or Centure watch.
How does your design background personal style and the design decisions you make in your line? I’ve always been fortunate enough to work for brands in the past that I can directly relate to. That said, all designs go through this barometer of “Will I wear this?” and if they do not pass, then I edit that specific design or concept from my collection.
I need to relate to each piece we create for Sherman Field. So, in this sense, everything I design goes through this lens. And, the beauty of creating jewelry, I can mock up a chain link concept with clay (which is how I begin every new link design) and quickly work through an idea or concept.
Who is the ultimate Sherman Field woman? You! And many others who share a deep appreciation for well-made products. Since all of our new chain links and collections take six to eight months to develop before we launch them, our ultimate woman is one who understands this and is not expecting to see newness from us every few weeks. We take time so [our pieces] can both function perfectly and have a balanced weight and proportion.
How do you like to see your jewelry styled? I still love my pieces with a great cotton button down whether it’s an oxford or cotton poplin, striped or solid, I think shirting pairs the best with my pieces. And, a solid-fitting tailored jacket worn with nothing under or a V-neck Prada fitted cardigan sweater. I may be partial, but these are classic styles I tend to wear every day with Sherman Field.
When launching your business, what is the area you had to get the scrappiest/most creative? Everything, really. I think one of the most important things to do when starting your business is to try to do all aspects yourself from initial design, sourcing, building a website, taking photos, etc.
What's the last beauty product you bought that actually worked? I really love the Supernal Illumine for nighttime oil and their Cosmic Glow Oil for the day.
What's the last thing you read that you really loved? I am reading two books right now - The Purple Cow by Seth Godin and Mattie Kahn’s book Young and Restless.
What's the best business advice you've received from another female founder? If it’s something (an idea, concept, or design) you’re really excited about, then others will be too. This really resonated with me as it supports the idea of following your intuition which is something I strongly believe in.
What's your advice for someone that finds entrepreneurship difficult or lonely? We all find it difficult at times, and lonely. When I’ve worked for other companies and have held high positions, one of my best friends who happens to be a CEO of Leatherology and I used to talk about how it’s lonely to be at the top. So being lonely whether you’re starting something on your own or experiencing this feeling when you’re in a high-powered position, is a very common emotion for many.
I do think it’s important to remind ourselves that our friends and family (for some of us) are there to lean on when we need that support. And, it’s important to reach out to them when we need them. That said, if you start your own business and people respond to your work, you will build your community. And, with that, these difficulties and these feelings of loneliness tend to dissipate.
What do you collect? Why? I used to collect vintage Kimonos but I collect more art and photo books now, and have started collecting art.
Describe your perfect Sunday: Wake up, make myself my cup of tea, go to the farmer’s market, get fresh fruits and vegetables for the week, pop by the fish market (time permitting), come home, and have friends over for some pool time and an early dinner. Very domesticated, I know, but it’s a chance to be with my family and friends and have a relaxing Sunday before the week begins.
