We recently connected with Julia Edelman and have shared our conversation below.
Julia, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Alright, so one thing we think people don’t talk about nearly enough is investments – either time or money. What’s one of the best or worst investments you’ve made and what did you learned from the experience?
The best investment I have ever made for my business (other than essential equipment) is hiring a branding company to create a comprehensive branding design package for Edelman New York. Being able to show internal sources this, along with new hires, etc., has been invaluable – a visual presentation of Edelman New York, our story and what we look like across the board. Thank you Ro and Co Studio!
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
My name is Julia Edelman and I am the founder of Edelman New York.
Edelman New York (ENY) is a multi-disciplinary luxury design firm specializing in interiors, custom furniture, and leather goods. Our long-established heritage remains devoted to quality, craftsmanship, design, and sustainability.
The smell of leather is my childhood – running through Edelman Leather warehouse, my grandparent’s company and playing hide and seek with my cousins is a pivotal core memory. I was particularly close with my grandfather, who would tell me the stories of their life and legendary career on our trips into Manhattan from the family farm in Connecticut.
My parents, now retired, are both artists who met at SUNY Purchase Art School in the ’80s. They owned a metal fabrication company Edelman Metalworks while I was growing up in CT, where I learned how to weld and use a blowtorch. They specialized in intricate, structurally complex, luxury metalwork throughout the East Coast.
At the age of nine, I started interning for my uncle, Sam – he had just started his shoe company, Sam Edelman. It was just him, his one designer, and me that first summer. The experience changed my life – it fostered my inner entrepreneurial nature, fueling my dream to carry on a legacy.
Growing up in a world where fashion and interiors always collided, the emphasis on expression was told through stories everywhere I looked. I developed this need to express myself through personal objects/interiors/design from a very young age, and that never stopped.
Can you talk to us about manufacturing? How’d you figure it all out? We’d love to hear the story.
Best advice is, it is never too early/late to learn how something is made!
I majored in product/industrial design at Parsons in NYC with a concentration on furniture, shoe design & construction and accessory design.
I took a course on handbag pattern making/construction in Florence, Italy in 2017 where I was taught by a master third generation leather artisan in the heart of Florence. We had a view of the Duomo from our shop and I thought to myself, this is how luxury should be made. Exactly 3 years later, I started my own line with my former professor, now business partner/manufacturer.
In addition to bags, ENY is currently involved in various interior design/custom furniture projects overseas. Language barriers are tough, but learning how to communicate is essential. Choosing the right manufacturer will save you a fortune in the long run.
When working anywhere other than the US, I always produce two separate documents – one document in inches/sf and one document in cm/m. I avoid putting the conversions right next to each other to keep details clean and visible (less room for confusion). Always review! No detail is too small to be recorded. If it helps, ask a colleague to look it over.
If I had one piece of advice to give – it would be to create foolproof tech packs with every single detail explained. These can be evolved with your manufacturer over time. Create an organized folder and back it up in 2 different places. This will be your lifetime working database system. If you are in the accessory/shoe world, I highly recommend the Fashionary series for more details!
If you have multiple revenue streams in your business, would you mind opening up about what those streams are and how they fit together?
Absolutely – I think that is so important for all small business owners! Edelman New York is a multidisciplinary design firm – from interior design for private clients and commercial spaces, to our own product lines that are made to order.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.edelmannewyork.com
- Instagram: @edelmannewyork
Image Credits
NELA KEKIC NELAPHOTOGRAPHER.COM (1st photo with brown pants)