Peggy Li is a San Francisco jewelry designer with an unusual trajectory. A Chemical Engineering major at UC Berkeley, Peggy took her skills and her passion for screenwriting to Los Angeles, where she worked as a reporter while also churning out some television spec scripts.
In her own time, Peggy had been making jewelry for herself. She was also a fan of the show Buffy the Vampire Slayer. She decided to combine the two interests, and sent some of her original pieces to the Buffy production. To her surprise, they wanted to use her jewelry in the show.
Since then, Peggy Li creations have also appeared on Grey's Anatomy, Medium, and Without a Trace -- and in Oprah's O Magazine and Lucky among others.
See the Peggy Li Creations website for online purchases and store locations.
Q & A With Peggy Li
by Ingrid Taylar of About San Francisco
1) In an interview with Pogo.com, you mentioned how your jewelry-making career began after you sent some sample pieces to Buffy -- and they used them on the show. How did your life change after that exposure?
My life changed in two ways -- the immediate change was that I had to build a web store and a way for people to purchase my designs. I never thought I'd be starting my own business, but when the opportunity arose, it seemed like the natural thing to do.
The long-term change was that I've been able to grow that business into something I'm really proud of. You might have expected me to answer that I suddenly had a huge business and a phone ringing of the hook but -- I don't think it's usually like that. At least, it wasn't for me. It was a great gift, but it was up to me to turn it into a business. It marked the beginning of a great adventure, and some very, very cool "Hollywood" moments, but it is a constant work in progress. In many ways, you really are only as good as your last piece of press.
2) What brought you back to the Bay Area after your media immersion in Los Angeles? And, how has the change of location affected your artistic sensibility?
I was unhappy with my day job in Los Angeles and a friend of mine wooed me back to the Bay Area with tales of stock options and Internet riches. I got a job with Electronic Arts, of which Pogo.com is a part. I still work part-time at Pogo.com.
My family is in the Bay Area, so that made the return a little easier, however I was very sad to leave Los Angeles behind. The Bay Area definitely changed my artistic sensibility. I loved LA, the vibrancy, the hunger for the next new thing, the desire for creativity and success. The Bay Area moves at a different pace and is driven by different needs. It fosters artists, but it doesn't have the same opportunities as a city like Los Angeles, for those of us who don't want to be starving artists.
3) What are your personal San Francisco or Bay Area favorites? The places or events you tell others not to miss.
The new Barney's New York store in Union Square is really a treat. They showcase young fashion talent and have a very nicely edited selection of clothes and shoes and (of course) jewelry! I love to browse and get caught up with the latest fashions, which do seem to take an extra 3 months to go from East to West Coast.
Britex Fabric store is also a great source of inspiration -- floors and floors of beautiful fabrics. My favorite floor, however, is the Notions floor, with tons of vintage ribbon and buttons and doo-dads.
If you're looking for local designers, check out the seasonal Appel and Frank shopping soirees. There are a lot of Bay Area designers as well as designers from all over the country who attend. I'll have my table there at the Summer and Holiday events.
4) I saw an interview once with David Lynch where he was asked how he "got his ideas." He said something to the effect of -- one minute you're sitting in a chair and you don't have an idea. And, the next minute you do. Is that how you see your own creative process, as a mysterious infusion of inspiration? Or is it more deliberate than that? Who or what inspires you in your life and in your art?
I think people can have very different creative processes. I am inspired by art, fashion, film, nature, but mostly the materials I work with. Sometimes I sit with my sketchbook and think about the stones and materials I have available and just start drawing ideas. But I think those ideas are distillations of things I've seen, or something I've heard someone say, or I'm trying to capture and express a feeling.
Sometimes I try and challenge myself to design something different than what I've worked on before, to change up the look or to try a new technique. Sometimes, let's be honest, I've seen a gorgeous design that is way beyond my price range, and I will do my best to recreate it (or at least the feel of it) for myself.
It's a challenge to stay inspired, but I think the best way to do so is to just be a consumer of life! The more stimulus and learning, the better.
5) You must have special affection for certain items in your collection. Care to show any favoritism?
I always have the most affection for my latest designs. I recently created an elaborate Good Luck Charm necklace (click link to view). I really like how my ID Necklace turned out -- choose your own letters and I will hand-stamp them for you.
6) Your jewelry incorporates a variety of elements and ideas -- from the dog-tag style of the peace tag, to delicate pieces like the sapphire clusters. How do you characterize your own design style?
I don't wear a lot of jewelry myself, so my designs tend to be simple, feminine, whimsical pieces that are very wearable and timeless. I think jewelry is very personal, and the wearer chooses pieces to express their personality or their mood. I try and provide a range of looks because women are multi-faceted, complex creatures. And I don't like to be idle, so I'm always creating new designs.
Keep reading on page 2: Peggy's X-Files spec script, wedding designs . . .