Heather Benjamin Unveils Art + Design Collective
Beloved jewelry designer announces hat partner Trovador Customs and expanded offerings at The Halles.
Heather Goldman of Heather Benjamin Jewelry.
Jewelry designer Heather Goldman of Heather Benjamin Jewelry expands her offerings beyond soulful, handmade hat jewels this fall, inviting an eclectic group of makers and artists to join her in a newly enlarged studio space at The Halles.
The Heather Benjamin Art + Design Collective showcases Heather’s largest collection of original hat jewelry to date. This season marks the designer’s eighth year in Round Top, and her vision is more refined and confident than ever. This fall’s one-of-a-kind hat jewels feature designs crafted with natural shells, bones, stones, horn and crystals combined with recycled sterling silver and gold plate.
“I’ve been designing jewelry for nearly 30 years and began creating jewelry specifically for hats almost seven years ago — well before hat jewelry became the category it is today,” explains Heather. “My intention has always been to offer something new and innovative while remaining deeply authentic to my work — using materials that feel soulful and beautiful, and creating pieces that become an extension of my clients’ own stories. I love helping people tell their story on their hat; where they’ve been, what they love, and what they want to honor and carry with them.”
Heather has paired her jewelry with a stream of quality hat brands over her years in Round Top. This season, she partners with Austin-based Ryan McGrath of Trovador Customs.
1
6
Ryan McGrath, Trovador Customs handmade hats
2
6
Heather Benjamin Jewelry
3
6
Crossbow Leather
4
6
Laura Jane Sato chain stitching
5
6
Tapsen’s Organics apothecary
6
6
Michael Stewart Metalwork (Photo Amy Adams)
“Ryan’s hats aren’t simply hand-shaped, or customized from purchased hat bodies,” explains Heather. “He makes his hats from the ground up, using traditional hat-making techniques and a hands-on artisanal process. That distinction is particularly important at Round Top, where there are countless options for hats, but relatively few traditional hat makers practicing the craft at this level.”
This fall, Heather Benjamin will carry a selection of Trovador’s handcrafted hats ready to be personalized with Heather Benjamin hat jewelry. Trovador founder McGrath also offers custom hat-making appointments during the show.
Heather’s studio at The Halles now encompasses the entirety of Halle 2, which has created space for the Heather Benjamin Art + Design Collective group of vendors. Heather’s vision for the collective is to create a layered, immersive experience as opposed to a collection of individual spaces.
“The collective is a gathering of art, adornment, and objects of desire, with richly layered offerings that feel soulful, sensual and deeply personal,” explains Heather. “A celebration and exploration of the stories that define our lives and the ways we honor them — on the body and in the spaces we create.”
“There’s also a larger idea behind the collective that is very important to me: we go farther together. I love what happens when talented people with distinct points of view come together. The collaboration creates a richness and energy that none of us could create in quite the same way alone,” Heather says.
In addition to Heather’s jewelry and hats by Trovador, the collective will offer chain stitching by Laura Jane Sato, hand-tooled leather pieces by Crossbow Leather, metalwork by Michael Stewart Metalwork, and elevated apothecary items by Taspen’s Organics.
Find the Heather Benjamin Art + Design Collective at The Halles this fall, October 17 – 31. Visit heatherbenjaminjewelry.com for more information.