Why I Launched JJ Caprices...

It is the eve of the day I meet with a local magazine fashion editor**. To be honest I am nervous. The thought of the meeting conjures up images from the movies; shiny corporate offices, enlarged glossy magazine covers on the walls...and Prada :).

My intrepid PR guru sent me a list of questions to be prepared to answer in the meeting like, "What was your favorite trip?", "What life lessons has travel taught you?", "What are your top 3 travel tips for women?", and "Why did you launch JJ Caprices?"  All easy for me to answer, but indeed interesting talking points and not known by all...perhaps even those that already love JJ Caprices.

So in that spirit, I am going to tackle an important one right here, right now... 

Why did you launch JJ Caprices?

Short answer, it was a dream.

My dream was to have a small business...be an entrepreneur. For years I had a vision of what my buisness would look like - a collection of beautiful fashion discovered during my travels that would be loved by other like-minded women. I kept lists of designers or artisans that I encounter during my adventures. Those who made the list created work that particularly enchanted me and had talents that I felt needed to be shared.

The iterations of my business plan over the years evolved from a bricks and mortar boutique called "D. Madison" (named after the USA's first fashion icon, First Lady Dolley Madison) to what you witness today.

JJ Caprices is a union of two of my intense passions, travel and discovery. And I created it to have the opportunity to share the exquisite handmade works of talented, creative artisans and designers I found while exploring the globe. This small corner of cyber space allows me to showcase their talent, their story and their land so that their craft can be appreciated by others who may not have otherwise had the opportunity to admire it and who too will find inspiration through it and by wearing it.

JJ Caprices also exists because I want to delight YOU. I want to capture your curiosity, imagination and sense of discovery. I want to present riches you have never seen and share their magic through the story of their creation, history or country. My goal is to bring each piece alive through its individual tale so that each time you wear it you feel how special it is. 

Discover. Delight. Dream. Indulge.

That's why I launched JJ Caprices.

Now go on. Go Indulge :).... 

PHOTO BY CHRISTINA MALLET PHOTOGRAPHY

** My meeting with the editor had to be rescheduled due to a sick child.  In her words, "I would much prefer be looking at jewelry than cleaning up barf." But alas duty called!  Keep you posted on the outcome of the next meeting!