Kingston-made jewelry inspired by New England's coast
KINGSTON — The bright colors, soft leather and nautically-inspired bracelets of the Allison Cole Jewelry brand can be found in nearly 200 stores across New England.
They've been spotted on the wrists of travelers on their way to Washington D.C., shipped to eager customers in Louisiana and featured in hundreds of beautifully-curated Instagram posts — and every single one of them was handmade in Kingston.
"I think that's something that surprises people, that all of this is still done by me," said Nicole Recomendes, the owner and sole employee of 5-year-old Allison Cole Jewelry.
Recomendes has turned an upstairs bedroom in her Kingston home into a pristine jewelry-making studio. Her workspace is bathed in natural night, meticulously organized and filled with materials like the cotton rope she dyes herself, thin strips of leather and wax cord.