We were lucky to catch up with Lili Tanner recently and have shared our conversation below.

Lili, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. One of the things we most admire about small businesses is their ability to diverge from the corporate/industry standard. Is there something that you or your brand do that differs from the industry standard? We’d love to hear about it as well as any stories you might have that illustrate how or why this difference matters.

Every piece I make is hand-sculpted with its perfect imperfections. So even though rings might be in the same style, like the Ezra e.g., they are all individually different from each other. My customers love picking out their perfect match. Also, I make everything first and foremost for myself. If I’m not wearing it, it’s not happening. My customers recognize and love that personal take on style that has nothing to do with what’s hot in the marketplace at any given time.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

This year my jewelry brand Lili T. California is 11 years old. I work from my studio in the middle of the Mojave desert in Twentynine Palms. I work mainly in bronze – each piece is individually hand-sculpted from precious metal clay, then fired and hand-polished. Even pieces in the same style are different from each other as they’re all handmade. My customers love that as much as I do and they love going through my trays of rings and bracelets and necklaces to find their favorite pick. I am always open by appointment. I love welcoming people to my studio and working with them at finding their perfect piece. Here my customers get the immersive experience and see the whole collection and all the sizes. I’m also represented in selected stores throughout California and I sell online at LiliTCalifornia.com.
I enjoy the organic shapes that the rock formations and nature outside my window in the middle of the Mojave desert – they inspire my work.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

I’m originally a writer but ever since I was a kid I loved working with my hands. About 12 years ago I started making jewelry and leather bags for myself. People wanted to buy it from me in the street. The first such encounter was in a reeking parking lot elevator in Santa Monica at night. I’m standing in the elevator with a simple fold-over clutch in my hand. The elevator stops and a woman is standing there waiting. She’s not even in the elevator when she asks what is this bag and where can I buy it? She asked for my card – I had nothing. It was just a bag I had made for myself. But it gave me the idea that I might be on to something. Today I concentrate more on jewelry than on leatherworks.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

I’m sure it’s the strict adherence to my personal style together with the imperfections in my pieces that people are drawn to. They are and they look like they’re handmade. If they would look like cast they’d loose their character.
People get to know my work through stores who carry it, through word of mouth and through instagram. Each fall there is a big open studio event in the high desert called Highway 62 Art Tours. My studio is open during that time and it pulls in a lot of people from all over.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://lilitcalifornia.com
• Instagram: @lili.t.california