Handmade in Cincinnati

Have you ever met someone and decided after about 30 seconds that maybe you’d like to live their life?

Not in a creepy way (though I know it sounds kind of weird).

Just in a way where you’re thinking, “this person is really cool, they’re doing something they CLEARLY love, and they’re really freaking good at it.”

That’s what happened when I met Megan Fenno of FENNOfashion at the Girl Boss Events Holiday Pop-Up. (Details on another awesome Girl Boss here.)

For starters, she’s prepared.

Megan is a graduate of Savannah College of Art and Design, where she majored in Fashion and Accessory Design. In 2007, she created FENNOfashion. Although she worked in other professional roles over the years (any other Cincinnatians remember “One Chic Mother to Another” on Q102?), Megan’s desire to create jewelry remained.

In the last year, Megan decided to focus on exclusively on FENNOfashion. She reads business books and hired a business coach to increase her knowledge and understanding of how to best run her own company. She looks at the market to understand trends and optimize her supply chain. Her brand identity is clear. She’s ready to do this.

She is inspired.

Megan’s passion for accessory design is apparent. Despite the other opportunities she’s had—hosting a radio show, covering fashion and lifestyle topics for a local news station, interviewing celebrities—FENNOfashion is where her heart is. You can see it in the items she designs, all of which she makes by hand. She uses her skills to benefit the community as well. She hosted a fundraiser at her son’s school and donated profits to help build a playground. Megan also donated jewelry to patients at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital and Medical Center.

When you think about innovation in the jewelry market, does anything immediately come to mind? Imagine your favorite food truck (shoutout to Marty’s Waffles), but picture it full of jewelry instead. Megan bought a 21-foot truck over the summer and has plans to launch a mobile fashion boutique in spring 2019. You can read the crazy story of how Megan acquired the truck here.

Also, she has great taste.

We can agree that’s important, yes?

I love that Megan is using trendy materials like tassels, marble and druzy, but in ways that feel like fresh updates to classic looks. My favorites are below; you can click the images to go straight to the appropriate page on FENNOfashion.

 

I bought these cheetah print earrings at the Pop Up and #cantstopwontstop wearing them. They’re so light and comfortable, and I’ve already collected a handful of compliments on them. They instantly make any outfit more stylish. I wear a lot of neutrals and they add such a bang—must have!

 

 

This is the Momma Bird necklace. Megan can customize it to include up to 6 birthstones of your choosing.

FENNOfashion items are available at Lou Lou’s Boutique and Studio Lush in Cincinnati. You can also find Megan at the West Side Holiday Market on Saturday, November 24. Future events are listed here.