We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Leah Coonan a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Leah, appreciate you joining us today. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?
reVinyled’s mission is twofold: preserving our environment, and nurturing human connection through nostalgia and music. I am a proud Gen X bicentennial baby and was lucky enough to grow up in the days of landlines, photo albums, and yes, vinyl records. With the unprecedented development of technology our attention spans are shorter, and instant gratification is the norm. Fast fashion, song downloads in seconds, AI, lasers and 3D printers are replacing artists and tradespeople, leaving us with cookie cutter products and a lack of sustainable jobs for artisans. reVinyled is building not only a brand but also a community of eco-conscious artists and makers emphasizing collaboration, mutual aid, investing in the community, and other social responsibilities.
It is way past urgent that we in the 99% come together to overcome the climate crisis. This jeweler does not approve of this new Gilded Age, worsening the environment in so many ways for us all. That is the other main driving force behind reVinyled’s mission: there are millions of discarded records piled high in landfills, which will take centuries to break down. Their main component is PVC, and only a few facilities recycle the hazardous materials, which makes upcycling a piece of the solution. I have been collecting damaged 45 rpm and LPs for the last 14 years as well as accepting donations of unwanted unplayable vinyl. As my supply of discarded media grows, I have visions of a vinyl recycling program as well as vinyl record upcycling workshops.
As reVinyled grows, teaching and investing in people rather than machine production is essential for so many reasons: the originality of the designs, intentional product development, and sustainable manufacturing. It is important that each creation is hand-cut and fabricated by people, which contributes to each creation’s uniqueness. reVinyled and its collectors appreciate not only the vinyl material but also each label’s colorful musical information, which often brings nostalgia. Whether it be your favorite artist, band, your first concert or your wedding song, each piece tells a story about people and experiences that have shaped us.
Leah, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
Since 2009 I have been handcrafting upcycled jewelry accessories and art from damaged, unplayable vinyl records. Each piece is one of a kind, evolving, and impermanent. Just like each person wearing them, every person who made the music and the album art.
I was raised by an amateur record collector and a mom who got the dance floor started. Music has always been a huge part of mine and my family’s life. My Mom and I never missed a Soul Train Line Dance on Saturday mornings, and my Dad taught me how to play and care for vinyl records on his turntable. Some of my best memories are of laying by the speakers, marveling at the album cover art and getting lost in the sounds of Michael Jackson, Diana Ross and Rick James. I also had my very own prized Fisher Price Record Player with Sesame Street Fever, Disco Duck and some hand me downs in rotation. Albums, whatever media you choose to listen, have always been more than music, they are a culture of art, expression, freedom, dance, a community of makers and groundbreakers. As a skateboarding, BMX riding 80s kid, some of my fondest memories are of blasting Sugar Hill Gang, L.L. Cool J and The Beastie Boys on my Boom Box while breakdancing on cardboard with the neighborhood kids in the alley behind our houses.
When I graduated from St. Hubert’s High School for Girls in 1994 in Philadelphia, I had no clue what I wanted to do with my future aside from graduating. I continued my education at Montgomery County Community College, then at Kutztown University. Traditional learning never really clicked for me so, after I finished my second semester I got a job at a jewelry manufacturing company just outside of town. Right away I felt at home in this new element and knew I was on the right path. I was accepted to Moore College of Art and Design in 2000, and while attending I ventured to Jewelers’ Row, the oldest diamond district in the country, and knocked on shop doors until someone gave me a chance. I was aching to learn and make my aspirations a reality sooner than later. At my first apprenticeship, I made very little money but gained knowledge that I value to this day. I fell in love with hand carving wax models for fine jewelry. I picked up a second job where I learned the ins and outs of soldering, repairs, and everything else from a cadre of master mechanics, casters, polishers and setters. I made the tough decision to leave school to work and learn full time in the trade. Then as a full time mechanic, I eventually purchased my first jewelers bench from a retiring jeweler, and thus began my first custom jewelry business, Leah Creation Jewelry.
The recession changed my course and I created my first eco-conscious and sustainable jewelry line from damaged vinyl records. I like an eye-catching aesthetic, but hopefully the diversity of colors, songs, artists, and eras are what make my work more than an accessory, and a new piece of history, art and music. To me, the best part about making them is they make people happy. Sometimes I get to see memories flood through their faces when they pick up certain pieces, and it makes me so happy as an artist.
As reVinyled evolves, I’m returning to my Jeweler’s Row roots with custom fine jewelry design. My platinum, gold, and silver engagement rings, wedding bands, bracelets and pendants with lab-created diamonds and vinyl record inlay are eco-conscious, and they symbolize connection through music and love.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
Two very personal things shaped my life.
As a kid, I embraced my tomboy side. I was never in a dress, I wore tube socks up to my knees, cut off t-shirts, “boy short” hair, and forever had dirty scraped knees and bruises up and down my legs. My dad gave me the nickname Banana Legs in the summertime.
Growing up looking like I did in the 80’s, there were plenty of strange looks and that dreaded question from strangers: “Are you a boy or a girl?” I would cry, and my mom would comfort me and she said something that I carry to this day. “Do you like how you look, do you want to grow your hair and wear a dress for them? You are the coolest little girl and you do what feels good to you, and be proud of who you are!” Spoiler alert, no one was surprised when I brought home my first girlfriend. It was hard and lonely as a queer kid sometimes, but my mom definitely taught me to live my truth and embrace my unconventional style.
Unfortunately, a lot of LGBTQ people raised like I was, end up numbing through substances. I am lucky enough to have a supportive family. Unfortunately, after a traumatic event, I leaned on alcohol for years. It numbed my creativity and stifled my business. My drive was slowing and my day to day was about getting through until the next. I was on a path in the wrong direction, until my eyes were opened by someone I loved. Upon hearing my partner couldn’t take part in the lifestyle I was leading any longer I realized that love is more important to me than any substance. I had to start on a new journey, learning to love myself before I could know what love actually is. With the support of family, friends and a wonderful therapist things continued getting clearer every day. My worth and creative drive abounded, my love for myself grew, and my artist soul had been reignited. This spring, I will be celebrating 6 years alcohol free with my partner right by my side and cheering me on one day at a time. It has been a personal tradition to handcraft my own annual sobriety chip, it reminds me how far I’ve come and how far I plan on going. Surprisingly, I have not used vinyl yet. Maybe this year!
Have you ever had to pivot?
Since June 1976, when I entered the world in breech formation, I have been a pivoter. I like to say I did the Moon Walk out, my Mom likes to say I’ve been “ass backwards ever since.” Regardless, my parents knew they had an unconventional child on their hands and I have stayed on that path.
In 2008, my future as a self-employed jeweler was getting brighter until the Recession hit and the luxury market dried up. With materials increasingly expensive I wasn’t creating, and just surviving day to day. I felt like a piece of me was missing, and positivity and joy were increasingly harder to find; until one summer afternoon I came across an old broken vinyl record and my curiosity overtook me. That fateful day when I first put a saw blade through a scratched 45 rpm felt right. It was like a rebirth, I felt like an artist again, creating for the sake of creating, not selling.
The product you see today was not my first vision, and I couldn’t have imagined the impact the final design would have on so many people. My first instinct was to make the record grooves the focal point because of the unique way they reflect light, and I made a couple of templates out of discarded CD case plastic. But my vision changed when I returned to my bench after a quick break. When I sat down, one of the templates was on top of the vinyl record, framing a portion of both the label art and the vinyl. That was my Ah-ha moment. I made myself a simple two inch round shape with an orange label, which happens to be my favorite color. I hadn’t had that much fun in a long time, and it reignited a creative light that had gone dim. I was energized and excited again.
Later, I took them on a life-changing two mile stroll from South Philly to Jeweler’s Row. Three strangers stopped to compliment me on the way. So I stopped by Philly Aids Thrift for more damaged vinyl. Digging through that damaged 45 rpm bin, I didn’t realize that I was about to embark on something that would change my career forever.
I shifted courses and got to work. Obviously I didn’t stop at vinyl record earrings with my new medium. Crafting signature pendants, tie clips, vinyl art pieces and fine jewelry keeps reVinyled evolving. Custom orders also a play a large role in my business, and are selfishly my favorite part. I am a very sentimental person and it fills my heart when I am given the opportunity to connect with customers, hear some great stories, help honor a loved one’s memory, or just bring them joy through art. Collaborating and bringing a client’s vision to life by creating tangible pieces of jewelry and art is a gift that I am grateful for and eager to share.
Being a one woman show I have learned how to speak up, be patient, accept failure, be brave, and that blood sweat and tears is a real thing. Owning a small business comes with many sacrifices, but the reward of creating a product and brand from start to finish makes it easier to keep going even when it’s tough. reVinyled is more than accessories and art, it’s about preserving memories, celebrating music and being kind to the planet. I couldn’t imagine doing anything else with my days (and nights). I look forward to passing along the lessons I have learned, as well as the craftsmanship skills and tools of the trade to my future interns and staff. Someone(s) took a chance on me, and introduced me to the many facets of the jewelry trade; and I am looking forward to doing the same for others.
If you would like to see behind the scenes production videos, new releases, where to find my products, in person events and stay on top of the newest sales: Follow on Instagram @reVinyled_
I’d love to bring your custom visions to life: email me at [email protected]
Visit reVinyled.com to learn more or treat yourself!
Retail requests: Visit reVinyled on Faire Wholesale Market https://faire.com/direct/revinyled
Contact Info:
- Website: https://reVinyled.com
- Instagram: reVinyled_
- Facebook: reVinyled
