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Tell us about yourself
I am half-American, half-Northern Irish, originally from Lexington, Kentucky, and moved to London after 5 years of living in NYC. I founded RODEN (@roden), a social media and content agency, in 2018, and founded amie (@drinkamie), a wine for friends, during the first Covid-19 lockdown in June 2020 with my husband, Will. -
You launched amie during lockdown - what inspired you to start the brand?
Will's Dad works in wine (he owns The Oxford Wine Company), so he was helping his dad at the wine warehouse during Covid, as they had an influx of online orders due to lockdown. We were living with his parents at the time in Oxfordshire; he came home one day and texted me 'come downstairs, I have an idea.' I totally thought he had an idea for a new walk that we should go on, but I walked downstairs and he said 'let's start a rosé brand'. The idea was 100% his from the start.
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Why was incorporating a charitable element into amie important to you?
Will and I both read Scott Harrison's book, Thirst. Scott is the Founder of charity: water, and the organisation is really close to both of our hearts. We knew immediately that we wanted to have a charitable element, and drinking wine to give water seemed like the perfect idea. We donate £1 for every order placed on drinkamie.com to charity: water, and we have very proudly raised enough money to build our own amie well in Western Uganda; works are beginning this year. -
If you could only wear one thing ever again, what would it be and why?
A dress - they're just so easy to throw on and you're good to go. Or a pair of my FRYE white cowboy boots; I always feel a little bit more like I'm at home (in the South!) when I have them on. -
What is your first jewellery memory?
My mom gave me a gold ring, in the shape of a rose, when I was a teenager; she received it from her parents for her high school graduation. I still wear it every single day, I never take it off. -
Is there a piece of jewellery that is particularly special to you? If yes, why?
I have three very special pieces of jewellery: 1) a gold ring, shaped like a rose, that my mom gave me -- her parents gave it to her for her high school graduation. I wear it every day and never take it off. 2) my engagement ring -- it was my husband, Will's, great-grandmother's ring -- it's exactly as it once was 100 years ago, we just had to get it resized to fit my finger! I love it. I love old things. 3) my late grandmother's cross pendant -- I feel like I'm wearing a piece of her when I have it on. -
How would you describe your style?
I'm definitely a colourful dress lover, but I also still love throwing on a good pair of jeans, a white tee, and some cowboy boots. My closest friends would call the latter my 'uniform' -- they know me best!
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When you think of Daphine what comes to mind?
Your gorgeous, chunky rings! I feel like I see them everywhere.
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What are some of the lessons you have learned over the last year?
Life is too short to work with people who aren't nice, and who don't appreciate you.
