Shop Meaningful, Handcrafted Jewelry From Our Spare Change
Names: Danielle Johnson and Hillary O’Modhrain
Job Titles: Owners of Our Spare Change Jewelry
How it started: two sisters wanted to embark on a mission of purpose, empowerment and sustainable change. How it’s going: six years and (almost) five kids later, Hillary O’Modhrain and Danielle Johnson co-helm Our Spare Change—a jewelry collection that’s about so much more than jewelry—from their office base in San Clemente. Their staff of nine includes an array of female artisans, each with a uniquely powerful story to tell.
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“We said, ‘What if we could create jewelry that was affordable but also could tell people’s stories?’” O’Modrhain explains. Our Spare Change Jewelry
During a post-college holiday road trip, with a handful of spare coins between them, the sisters were inspired to create a mixed-metal collection of statement jewelry centered around loose coins, encouraging customers to request custom words with personal value.
Hearing individual stories from buyers prompted the two to expand their outreach and hire craftspeople with a background of hardship—including their first employee, who was recently released from jail when hired.
“We love the idea that everyone has a story, and at some point in every story, there’s a struggle,” says Johnson. “It’s really important that we have people [working] here who have been through all kinds of hardship, so that we’re able to provide stability and a safe space for them to work.” Our Spare Change Jewelry
Never losing sight of their mission, the brand now includes capsule collections and pieces for children. “It’s about storytelling,” says O’Modhrain. “I always say, the day we start selling jewelry is the day we should all find other jobs.”
Our Spare Change
@oursparechange
Based in Los Angeles, Kandace has spent the past ten years in the fashion and lifestyle space, and recently in entertainment at Sony Pictures Studios. She has a Masters in Journalism from Emerson College and has studied in Paris, Firenze, and Washington DC, beginning her career as a style editor and tastemaker for NBC. She is an internationally award-winning filmmaker, having studied screenwriting for film and television at UCLA, and her work has been celebrated around the world, in cities like London, Nice, New York, and Montréal. Paying homage to her French heritage, she is also the creator of The Chic American--a style and culture editorial destination for Francophiles, dedicated to the art of living an elevated, French-inspired lifestyle.
