From jailer to jeweller

Kellie Sutton will be the first to tell you that she’s no fashionista.  So how did this former RCMP jailer break into the fashion accessories industry?   

“I had never even thought of making jewelry,” admits Sutton, calling from her cell somewhere in Langley.  “But a few years ago, I was away on a trip with some friends.  And one night, one of the girls said, ‘ We’re gonna make some jewelry tonight.’  And I thought, ‘ I didn’t know you could make jewelry.’  “I had honestly never given it much thought.” 

It turned out, she had a knack for it.  Whenever Sutton wore a piece from her personal collection, people would stop her and ask where she bought it.  So she started making base-metal jewels during her shift while the inmates slept.  But it wasn’t until she took some classes in California that things really started taking off.  She started working with sterling silver and semi-precious stones.  As she got better, the demand for work increased.  Conversely, her spare time decreased.  “I was doing four 12-hour shifts {as a jailer}, and then working my business, which had expanded to 60 stores across Canada,” she reacalls.  “So I really didn’t have any life or get much sleep for a couple of years there.  I had to make a choice.” 

With that, she decided to turn in her cell keys and work fulltime as a jeweller in her Maple Ridge studio.  But she maintains her time as a jailer served her well. 

“Working in that environment taught me how to keep my eyes open,” she says.  “I’m always watching what’s going on out there in the fashion indutstry, watching what colours are popular for the upcoming seasons and what the trends are.  I always had to be aware of what was going on back then and I guess I still do.”