Jewelry designers (and sisters) Danielle and Jodie Snyder of Dannijo have teamed up with “it” blogger Leandra Medine, better known as the Man Repeller, on a capsule collection of jewelry -- Mr. Dannijo. The line, which takes its cues from menswear, and male style icons like Hamish Bowles and Salvador Dali, includes collar necklaces, Swarovski crystal shoe clips and brass cuffs ranging in price from $38 to $318.
We caught up with Medine and Danielle Snyder to learn how the collection came together.
How did you two meet?
Leandra Medine: [PR firm] Alison Brod was actually the connecting force. I was working with them over February fashion week and they were telling me about the brands that they represent and they mentioned Dannijo. I said, “Oh my god, I love their jewelry, can you email them and ask them if they’d want to work with me?” And then it turned out that Danielle was obsessed with my blog and was doing dramatic readings of it at home with her dad.
Danielle Snyder: [Laughing] Leandra, we are like a married couple reenacting how we met! So we met officially at the Tumblr party soon after, and we both squealed. I like to say we got married in June.
So how did Mr. Dannijo come to be?
LM: After we met I was like “Let’s do a collaboration!” Then Danielle said, “Yes, why don’t you design a collection for us?” So we had lots of meetings at the Standard [Hotel] over really good drinks.
DS: We came up with Mr. Dannijo -- taking Mr. from the initials of Man Repeller, which led us to do something menswear inspired. And this girl loves mustaches. So it just organically happened.
LM: It was really seamless. We came up with the concept of doing this menswear stuff. We thought ok bow ties, collars, mustaches.
Why do you think menswear is such an enduring trend in women’s fashion?
LM: I think it’s always been a trend because androgyny has always influenced designers. I think it [menswear] has always been a very feminist statement and I think fashion, at its root, is sort of feminist. Because fashion, high fashion, is sort of this call to embrace womanhood.
Who are you dying to see wear Mr. Dannijo?
LM: We really want Kristen Wiig to wear it.
DS: We actually named two pieces in the collection after her -- Kristen (a cowboy inspired necklace) and then the Wiig (a cuff bedecked with bows).
After working on this collaboration with Danielle, do you consider her a Man Repeller?
LM: Well, she’s like too cute and thin in her leather mini skirt, but her personality is another story. Just kidding!
Do you see this collaboration continuing?
LM: From the beginning Danielle was like, “Let’s have this be the capsule!” And I was like, “You want to work with me again?” Typically people are like, “Okay, that was fun one time but this girl is crazy.”
DS: I’m definitely excited to keep working together.
