Our Story
Violet & Brooks was built on a love of all things beautiful, and the knowledge that you don’t have to spend a lot to make someone, or yourself, feel good. I have always been drawn to classic feminine trends throughout the decades, and while they’ve all influenced my designs, Violet & Brooks is about more than just trends. The undercurrent that flows through each of our collections is an appreciation that accessorizing is meant to be fun, and is enhanced when shared with people you love. Through working in creative collaboration with my own daughter, Madisen Violet, I live this reality each and every day. We know that bonding over a shared love of fashion, design and beautiful accessories is a powerful antidote to the difficult times we’re living in.
I was raised in a big Connecticut family by parents who instilled in us some strangely specific values. Their demands were simple enough: Be creative. Be a problem solver. Work hard. Love all things antique and vintage. Make gifts from scratch. Be kind. Grow your own vegetables and herbs. Read lots of books. Collect things you love. Be a good hostess. Read Emily Post.
These values have stayed with me as I pursued a career as president of Maximal Art, a national brand known for its sophisticated modern vintage jewelry designs. While working with John Wind and Maximal Art, I managed operations, merchandised collections, art directed, sourced manufacturing and managed all private label product development. I developed a love of fashion that is easy, fun, wearable and feminine. Most importantly, I came to believe that how a gift (or a customer order) is packaged is as important as the gift itself.
I'm also a single mother to my two amazing children, Madisen Violet and Spencer Brooks. As they have grown, I have tried to instill similar values in them. They serve as my inspiration for taking this next step in my career– and for the name of this brand. I'm so happy that they are a part of this journey– working right alongside me to make the dream of perfectly precious presents come to life.
Violet & Brooks designs are sophisticated but fun, beautifully packaged and well priced, but my vision for the company is much more than product. It's about leaning into a new way of working that’s truly collaborative and relies on many creative visions in order to produce collections that are truly unlike anything else out there. Our designers and creative professionals come from different walks of life and their unique perspectives are incorporated into how we share Violet & Brooks with the world.
I'm so thankful for the chance to start this next chapter and hope you enjoy being a part of our journey.
Robbin