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On the Town: Golden Girl

Thursday, December 8, 2016


Mariana “Mini” Hay created the Goldbug Collection in 2013, recently adding the “Love Train Bracelet” to its offerings. Photographs by (headshot) Olivia Rae James & courtesy of (bracelet) Croghan’s Jewel Box

December 8, 2016

Golden Girl
We caught up with Mini Hay—a jewelry designer and fourth-generation staffer at her family’s shop, Croghan’s Jewel Box—for our December Style Q&A. Find out what’s on her Christmas list and more


CM: Tell us about the latest pieces in your jewelry line, the Goldbug Collection.
MH: This year, we introduced the “Goldbug Crest Collection.” Carved into metal, the bugs look like fossilized creatures. One of my favorite pieces is the “Lovebug Heart Pendant,” because we donate 10 percent of proceeds to HEART, a local nonprofit dedicated to adults with special needs. The newest one is the “Love Train Bracelet,” featuring a boogie train of bugs!

CM: What do you look for in winter outerwear?
MH: I love bright or pastel-colored wool coats. They bring a little spring to the cold of winter. J.Crew has a whole rainbow of colors, including “soft mint.”

CM: Is there a garment you can’t live without this time of year?
MH: I always bring a colorful scarf that can adapt to the weather and be a makeshift wrap. I work with my mom, sister, and aunt, and we all have an obsession with scarves—people think it’s a uniform we wear. I collect them from all over, but my favorites are by Hermès.

CM: What are your own most treasured pieces of jewelry?
MH: All those that have been handed down to me, including the sapphire ring my grandmother gave my mom for her 16th birthday and that my mom gave me for mine. I also adore the bangle my dad gifted me when I left for college at Clemson; inside, it says, “Remember who you are.”

CM: Can you share a few Christmas-list items?
MH: Nicholas Kirkwood’s “Casati Pearl Loafers,” which are so fitting for my work at Croghan’s; Edie Parker’s “Trunk Clutch,” personalized with my name; and I always ask for a teacup pig, but I don’t really think that’s in the cards. (These are all big wishes, Santa!)


To find items to add to your own Christmas list, check out our 2016 Holiday Gift Guide here.

To view the Goldbug Collection at Croghan’s Jewel Box, click here