Vancouver is home to many talented creatives and entrepreneurs who see the world a little differently. Among them is Lauren Coutts, founder of the fun and furry jewellery line CherryPom. All creative and business ventures (big and small) begin with an origin story, so we sat down with Coutts to learn more about how these fluffy little wonders came to be.
1. How was CherryPom born?
When I was travelling around Europe last year, I came across a pair of pom-pom earrings in a boutique. I fell in love with the concept. Once I was back in Canada, I decided to create something similar with more colours and variety, so I went to a craft store to scout out the perfect pom-poms. I spotted some small red ones and came up with the cherry idea. My initial start was very personal—I didn't intend to resell—but after posting the finished earrings on my Instagram story, I was flooded with questions about where I was going to be selling them. What started as a few DM’s led to me launching my own business!
2. Your branding is rad--who did it?
It was me! When I am not slinging earrings, my main career is actually design and art direction. CherryPom was a great opportunity to fully build a brand from start to finish. (Check out more of Lauren’s creative work here).
3. You have a very distinct aesthetic and sense of style. How would you describe it and do you have any style muses that you look to for inspiration?
I think the best way to describe CherryPom's style would be unapologetically eccentric—we bring a little fun and play into street style. My muses and fashion inspirations are always slightly outside the box and CherryPom aims to cater to that kind of audience. I've definitely received some strange looks and a few offhand comments when wearing my large pom-pom earrings, but I’m ok with that!
4. Which Vancouver creatives inspire you the most?
That’s a tough question! Vancouver has such an incredible creative scene. From publications like Contrast Collective, music collectives such as Chapel Sound, and a variety of tattoo artists—it’s hard to pinpoint all my sources of inspiration. One creative I always look to is Tierney Milne—the variety of platforms that her work covers while still staying consistent and true to her style is so refreshing.
5. What is next for CherryPom? Any future collabs up your sleeves?
I have a short art film coming out in the next month or so that was directed by my talented friend, Lola-Lou. I've been so grateful for everyone who has helped in collaborations to date. It's been humbling and amazing to see how many people are willing to help out and grow my vision.
