Owner Eileen Lofgren Talks Jewelry Designs and Her Start in the Industry
Written By: Lauren Pettigrew
Photographed By: Michael Wesley
In today’s retail climate, we more often hear about retail locations shutting than a new store opening. Luckily, Eileen Lofgren, founder and designer of Child of Wild, is no stranger to going against the grain.
By opening the Child of Wild Shoppe, the company is once again going against the grain. Coming full circle, the business recently moved its headquarters from downtown San Diego to a new location near USD, featuring an attached storefront which opened in late August. With a massive celebrity and social media following (currently nearing 530K) and a huge digital presence in the industry, it might seem like a physical storefront wouldn’t be necessary. But Lofgren has a different vision for the Child of Wild Shoppe.
Located on Napa Street, the shop is intended to serve as a concept store and gallery. Lofgren has always had a passion for interior design and decorating, and the store is designed to present her clients with a curation. “The website is a curation of art, so it felt natural for the next step to be to physically showcase the merchandise in a similar fashion,” she says. When designing the store, the goal was to create art installations and an “Instagram-worthy” store to inspire visitors. So far, they’ve had a lot of international visitors or day trippers from Orange County and LA who come to take pictures, put it on their travel blog and simply to be a part of the experience.
“I think when you come here, you see our soul, and the [customers] feel a little more connected,” says Lofgren. Having the store allows Child of Wild to share story behind the brand with customers in person, and for those customers to take a memento away.
If you want to take part in this new wave where shoppers can be a part of the brand, we invite you to go experience it in person. Wander around the shop, touch and feel the merchandise, and ask the associates to share the Child of Wild story with you.
The Child of Wild Shoppe also has some can’t-miss events coming up! Rosé Wednesdays will be held once a month from 4-7 p.m., where you can sip rosé and shop specific merchandise for 15 percent off. The official grand opening party will take place on Nov. 5, when the entire back area of the warehouse and shop will turn into a pop up. Check out other brands that will be taking part, vibe out on tunes from the DJ, or enjoy the ample food and booze that will be provided. Grab more details on the Grand Opening event here.
MORE ON EILEEN LOFGREN
Born in Reno and raised in Las Vegas, Lofgren’s journey led her to San Diego to attend school at her parent’s alma mater, USD. She pursued a degree in humanities with a discipline in philosophy. After graduating, Lofgren moved to LA, where she found numerous jewelry pieces associated with various cultures that gave no acknowledgement to their roots. Fueled by her humanities degree, she began concepting a brand that would provide cultural representation and credit to the artist.
She recalled taking an art class from an inspiring professor at USD, who required the students to thoroughly research the subject and have a concept laid out before even picking up a paintbrush. That influential lesson resonated with her and would become a crucial element in her business. She began designing cow skulls that were heavily researched and inspired by art and culture. She also began searching for and selling authentic jewelry and putting pressure on companies who weren’t giving cultural credit.
Recognizing business opportunity in San Diego, Lofgren moved back and fully launched Child of Wild. The brand name was born from her life motto and favorite Shakespeare quote, “There are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of in your philosophy,” which touches on the importance of humility.
This strong sense of identity created a brand that’s made with love and soul and has sparked a change in the industry. Several years ago, fast fashion was the popular culture. Consumers were accumulating masses of cheap goods and discarding them in order to constantly possess the newest, trendiest piece. Now, consumers are more becoming more environmentally and culturally aware. Instead of cycling through mass quantities of jewelry or apparel, they’re becoming increasingly interested in purchasing a quality piece with meaning behind it; an heirloom that they can keep forever and pass down to their children.
“A child is always learning and always seeking to be educated, knowing there’s always more to learn,” Lofgren shares. She takes that approach with every piece she buys or designs for Child of Wild. It’s evident in the end result; there’s a thoughtfulness, attention to detail, and a strong sense of brand identity that sets Child of Wild apart from the rest.
Child of Wild
5376 Napa St
San Diego, CA 92110
Check out Child of Wild Shoppe, Your New Go-to Jewelry Destination in San Diego
Lauren Pettigrew is an experienced specialist with a demonstrated history working in the fashion, marketing, and media industries. She moved to San Diego in 2013 to pursue a Merchandise Marketing Degree at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising. She also earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Marketing from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. She holds a passion for all things music, travel, fashion, art, and culture. You can find her constantly engaging in anything that is artistic and expressive to better understand herself and the world around her. Follow her professional endeavors on Instagram at: @laurenashleypro.
