Office Ambush: Brent Neale

What seems to be so apropo, the jewel-like crown of the Chrysler Building is the ever-present and inspiring architectural masterpiece in perfect view at jewelry designer Brent Neale’s bright and bold office. Whimsical, fantastical, and full of deep rich hues, each piece Brent creates begins with a watercolor as imaginative as the finishing piece. Her collections transcend us to a playful world that we can wear like talismans in our everyday lives.

Brent’s career started after graduating from FIT’s esteemed jewelry design program, and then worked as Kara Ross’ jewelry director. After eight years, lucky for us, she started her own line.

With an incredible shout out from Anna Wintour this season saying it is the top young designer collection “she is looking forward to seeing,” Brent’s original creative designs to repurposing family heirlooms and designing new pieces is sustainable and geniusly gorgeous in person. We were lucky enough to play dress up with Brent in her beautiful jewel box office space using our bath accessories as her office supplies. In this month’s Office Ambush, we sat down with Brent and asked her about what inspires her, best colors to keep in the office, and words to live by as a young and established designer.

• Kassatex: First thing you do every morning when you get to the office:
• Brent Neale: Come in and get all my sketching stuff out.

• Kassatex: Any superstitious items you must have in your office?
• BN: Probably all my stencils because I’ve had them since I was in FIT. They’re so old and falling apart now, but I feel like they’re good luck.

• Kassatex: First item you purchased for your office when you started?
• BN: Oh, easy. My lamps!

• Kassatex: Organized chaos or Marie Kondo would be proud: How do you like to keep your desk?
• BN: A little bit of both. Some days it’s organized chaos. And then some days we go on a cleaning binge.

• Kassatex: Where do you do your best thinking in the office?
• BN: Probably just at my table.

• Kassatex: What colors are a must in your office to keep the creative vibes flowing and sanity in check?
• BN: I wanted as many colors as I could that looked friendly and good together, but then I kind of wanted to keep the walls white so that you had something that was a clean slate.

• Kassatex: Any special momento from a mentor?
• BN: I probably have some of my favorite pieces that I worked on when I was working for Kara Ross, who was another designer.

• Kassatex: Difference between home office and city office?
• BN: My home office usually has tons of kids stuff, and they’re always in there, and messing things up. Here, they’ve been here before but this isn’t where they are all the time.

• Kassatex: Most prized possession in the office?
• BN: Probably my stencils. Everything else can burn down but that I would feel sad.

• Kassatex: Desk Beauty Must Haves:
• BN: Flowers

• Kassatex: Your work uniform always includes:
• BN: I’m usually in either a dress or jeans.

• Kassatex: A post work cocktail: Where is your watering hole and what is your beverage of choice:
• BN: My watering hole, maybe Majorelle. And my cocktail, depends on the night, either tequila or red wine.

• Kassatex: Three words to describe your brand?
• BN: Bold, Feminine, Unique

• Kassatex: Best Spotify channel for the office?
• BN: I listen to pop or Fleetwood Mac.

• Kassatex: Finish this sentence: Every day I find inspiration __________.
• BN: In the world around you. You are always inspired by what you are seeing that day.

• Kassatex: Words to live by:
• BN: To try and not get too worked up about stuff, and just have some perspective about things.