Major: Psychology
Class Year: 2013
Residential College: Forbes
Eating Club / Sorority / Extracurricular Activities:
Cottage, Theta, BodyHype, Princeton University Ballet, and the Dance Program
Why did you begin SilverRush?
I’ve always wanted to design. I grew up with two architects as parents, so I guess design is in my blood. I tried designing a clothing line around the end of middle school, but I didn’t have the motivation to make that successful before I went to boarding school. At the end of high school I started jotting down ideas for a jewelry line. I thought I would make a line of charms that would be geared towards college students as a way for them to express their membership in different activities. When I joined Theta freshman year though, I had an even better idea. Sorority girls are among the most chic and put together girls I know, and I found it a little shocking that a jewelry line didn’t already exist that catered to their fashionable taste. I started sketching kites with my dad, because I wanted to make a kite to represent my own affiliation before branching out to others. It was a long process, but once I finally had the design finalized and started seeing tons of interest from girls in my chapter I decided to start selling SilverRush online. I have very limited technological abilities, but the summer after sophomore year I was able to set up a SilverRush PayPal, website, and Facebook page to bring in customers outside of Princeton. After advertising in the national Theta magazine one time, in less than eight months SilverRush sold in 36 states. Around January this year I released the Arrow and the Owl as well, and I can’t wait to work on new designs!
What are the challenges you face by being a Princeton student (and dealing with the academic stressors) while running SilverRush?
Well, I didn’t really expect SilverRush to catch on like it did at the beginning of my junior year. I worked all summer trying to get the word out about SilverRush, but it seemed like progress was slow. Once schools got back to campus in August-October though, SilverRush blew up. It was definitely too much junior fall, as I was also trying to dance around 25 hours a week preparing for three different shows in addition to being a main officer of BodyHype, but my parents and the girls in Theta helped me out a lot. I hired a second jeweler to accommodate for the huge number of orders I was getting, and when I was trying to package and ship 10+ orders a week girls in Theta offered to come to my room to help me wrap each individual box.
The two most stressful parts of SilverRush are trying to make sure I have enough inventory at all times, and answering customer service emails. Because my SilverRush email is on my computer and phone I have a hard time focusing on lecture when I’m getting emails from customers asking about chain size, pendant size, shipping information, group discounts, and more. This year I have more of a handle on the company. My mom took over SilverRush packaging and shipping and she’s always coming up with exciting new ideas to make the brand even more beautiful. My dad and my accountant help me manage my money and the two jewelers I have been working with know when my busy season is and are better able to anticipate what I might need. Now I have more time to work on advertising for SilverRush and expanding its presence on social media sites.
What makes SilverRush different from other Greek merchandise lines?
SilverRush’s handmade necklaces are artistic and abstract. They don’t have Greek letters stamped anywhere on them, because I think subtly expressing ones membership is extremely elegant, sophisticated, and fashionable.
What advice would you give to other Princeton collegiettes who are interested in creating a line — not specifically a jewelry line?
I would say try to do as much as you can by yourself, but don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it. Take it slow, and make sure you have established the quality of what you are hoping to create before you start selling. Don’t stop working! If you stop telling people about your product you could fizzle away just as quickly as you started. Make your line unique—you have to set yourself apart from all the other products already out there. With a great idea, if you’re motivated enough, you can make your line as big as you want it to be.
We at Her Campus Princeton can’t help but love Isabel’s pieces which, as she best describes them, are artistically abstract. Make sure to like SilverRush on Facebook!