SF: Where did you get the inspiration to create Culture Shock?
Christine: When I studied abroad I would bring jewelry back to my friends and family, and eventually random people began asking me to bring items back to them and offered to pay me. That’s when I thought of Culture Shock! I thought it would be really cool to give customers a piece of somebody’s culture to wear.
SF: What countries have inspired you the most?
Christine: Honestly, I would say France and Costa Rica for very reasons. When I was younger my entire family took a trip to France to experience the cultural richness of the country. Although this trip was not my favorite international trip, it definitely made me appreciate my French ancestry and made me curious about the rest of my heritage. In high school I began to research the Native American tribe my ancestors came from and eventually found the tribe (Tunica-Biloxi Tribe). I also researched the countries in Africa that my ancestors came from and am still actively looking. Traveling to France made me appreciate who I am, but at the same time made me curious about where I come from in Africa.
SF: Tell me a little about the style and type of jewelry you create.
Christine: I began designing my own jewelry on a whim. When I imported items I would routinely think to myself, “If only they changed this, or added that color to it.” That’s when I thought that it would be really cool for me to create my own line within Culture Shock. I am also coming out with a fine jewelry line called Sona (Hindi for gold) that should launch this fall. I am doing a kickstarter campaign for Sona in late July.
SF: And you design your own T-shirts! You’re very busy! Tell me about the T-shirt line and the Creole-themed shirts.
Christine: Yes, I started designing my own T-shirts! I really liked the “Keep Calm” shirts and thought it would be cool to make one for Creole and Cajun people, because we all know that we’re far from being calm! The shirts became a hit and I sold out very quickly. A few of my customers began asking me to create more Creole shirts and that’s when I created the Creole flag shirt. This shirt was also a success, and that’s when I decided to create a line within Culture Shock called Naturally Creole. I thought it would be a neat way to honor my Creole heritage and my customers’ culture!
SF: With a company like Culture Shock, how important is it that you stick to your Creole roots?
Christine: My heritage encouraged me to learn more about other cultures. Lately, I’ve been fascinated with Arabic and Indian cultures and have been creating jewelry inspired by those cultures. Although I am a self-proclaimed cultural enthusiast, I never forgot where I came from and am so proud of my Creole culture.
Thank you so much to Christine for letting us get to know more about her and Culture Shock! I hope you’ll check out her site and you can follow Culture Shock on Twitter and Facebook.
