Meet the Maker: Camille Hay of Romy Studio

Today, we are excited to introduce you to Camille Hay, the maker + designer behind Romy Studio! We fell in love with her modern pieces and geometric designs, and picked up the Tall Arch Earrings + Diamond Drop Earrings for the shop. Get to know this talented maker below!

Take us back to the beginning, tell us the story behind how you got started in jewelry making.

I started Romy Studio in early 2019. I never really wore earrings but then I lost my job and cut my hair really short so I started wearing big, bold statement earrings. I eventually got a new job that was very corporate and not very inspiring so I decided to start making jewelry as a creative outlet. It was nice to take a break and learn a new medium and create something for myself. Eventually I started selling my earrings and what started as a creative outlet transformed into a side hustle and now a year and a half in I’m transitioning it into full time.

We love the minimalist + fun vibe of our pieces, what inspires your designs?

I love looking at modern art, architecture, furniture and object design. I’m a graphic designer so I spend a lot of time looking at different books and design blogs for shapes and color palettes and I think that definitely goes into the design of my earrings. Initially, I created a lot of simple geometric shapes and designs but lately I’ve been inspired by more organic shapes and a more natural look.

Any tips for how to get re-inspired when you’re feeling stuck?

When I’m in a creative rut I’m a big fan of just taking a step back and letting my mind focus on something else. If I’m not feeling it I try not to push it. Luckily I have the flexibility to just take some time to think through things because I set my own schedule. I try to stay off instagram and look to other sources for inspiration. Also, sometimes I look at my past work to get inspired. Reworking something that I’ve done in the past to rework my current color palette and aesthetic.

Tell us a bit about your process and behind-the-scenes of your studio.

Luckily I was already working on Romy out of my home so I didn't have to make any big changes. I usually start the day by doing any photography with some nice morning light. I'm working on a big launch in a few weeks so I've been splitting up tasks by day. So Monday and Tuesday I'll focus on sanding and assembling styles and Wednesday, Thursday, Friday I'll spend baking styles. I'm trying really hard not to work over the weekends but it's hard to stop when you do what you love!

Do you have a personal favorite piece to make?

I love working on terrazzo pieces! I always have some sort of terrazzo in every collection and I love that every pair is different and unique.

What do you hope people feel when they wear your pieces?

I hope people are able to get some joy out of wearing my earrings! I make every piece by hand and I put a lot of love into it so I hope my customers can feel that when wearing them! It means so much to me to have people support my small business right now.

Do you have any meaningful rituals that bring you joy?

This is actually the opposite of being a homebody but my favorite weekly ritual is getting out of the house and going on a drive. Every Friday my boyfriend and I hop in the car, put on a podcast and just drive around getting lost. It's the perfect way to end a hectic week.

What does ‘homebody’ mean to you?

I've always been a homebody even pre-quarantine. For me being a homebody means leaning into the warmth and comfort of being at home. I really cherish my time at home and spending quality time with myself and creating a home that brings me joy.  

You can pick up some of our favorite Romy Studio pieces in The Homebodies shop or browse more at Romy Studio. 

Keep up with Camille on the 'gram @camilleahay & @romystudio_!