By Guest Writer Erika Renfrew
As
the founder of Social Experiment, Georgia Heraty designs cocktail
rings with West Coast spirit
Georgia
Heraty is the quintessential Vancouver gal; a girly-girl with long,
blonde hair, who came to our meeting in rain boots. She doesn’t
enjoy wearing make-up on the weekends, and thinks the best way to
de-stress is to sweat it out. Georgia loves Vancouver for its
rough-around-the-edges beauty: mountains, ocean, sand and snow. With
a seashell tattooed on one ankle, and a snowflake on the other, the
West Coast lives within her. She is the founder of Social
Experiment, designing one-of-a-kind cocktail rings. The stone’s
irregular shapes and imperfections are tied to Georgia’s West Coast
spirit; nothing is perfect in nature.
Georgia
asked to meet at Coco et Olive, an adorable fine foods café. We sat
on mismatched chairs around a scuffed-up table, and sipped from
teacups that could have come from my grandmother’s china cabinet.
This charming café, with its beautiful imperfections, was a fitting
place to hear the Social Experiment story. With a need for something
new,
Georgia enrolled in a simple ring-making course and began giving her
creations away as birthday gifts. With a nudge from her friends, she
became a one-woman assembly line and reached out to local boutiques.
Like Vancouver’s wild weather, Georgia never expected this hobby to
become a business; Social Experiment evolved organically. “It
starts out of nothing,” says Georgia, “but it can fall into
place”.
Social
Experiment has a very literal meaning. Georgia wanted to test the
waters, and considered selling rings at beaches and parks. Voila! A
social experiment. Social Experiment has only really gotten on the
Vancouver map within the past year or two. Using semi-precious
stones and gold wire, no two rings are the same; everyone might own
one, but no one will own the same one. Georgia’s favourites are
the sea foam green Chrysoprase and the Peruvian opal cut at different
angles, but every stone she picks is something she herself would
wear. Dubbed by her girlfriends as Type
A Hippie, Georgia
balances an always-on-the-go city life with West Coast living:
“Nothing about my personality is in the middle”.
Georgia
is a personal trainer, French student and aspiring gym teacher by
day, and jewellery designer in all the times between. What exactly
can’t she do? Not much it seems. Georgia attributes happiness and
success to positive thought. “I really do believe you can manifest
what you want”, says Georgia, and while she never anticipated
Social Experiment, she refuses to let this opportunity slip away.
Over the past year, Social Experiment has blossomed thanks to her
fearless approach to business. She calls herself impatient, and
isn’t afraid to be aggressive when there is something she really
wants. But sitting across from Georgia, smiling wide in her pink
scarf and Mala beads, she was a perfect sweetheart.
She
may be learning French, and have a dual citizenship for Europe, but
Georgia’s body, heart and soul is in Vancouver. Inspired by
nature’s imperfections, she designs for the classic West Coast gal,
and women who just appreciate beautiful things. Georgia lives every
day in the moment, whether it’s outdoors, at school, or in her
apartment making rings and watching awful TV. Sore hands and all,
Georgia appreciates life’s imperfections.
Social
Experiment is popping up in all sorts of places. You can find
Georgia’s one-of-kind cocktail rings featured on numerous style
blogs. Purchase your own from select boutiques, such as Barefoot
Contessa, Muse Social Fashion House and Violet Hill Boutique, or from
Etsy online: http://www.etsy.com/people/SocialExperiment
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