After leaving the luxury fashion world to venture out on her own, L.A.-based designer Reidie MacDonald founded Short & Suite, an uberchic jewelry collection inspired by travel and life’s little luxuries.
From the time she could talk, Reidie MacDonald was obsessed with all things beauty and fashion. When she wasn’t busy working at the imaginary clothing business she and her three siblings dreamed up, you’d probably find her talking animatedly on her pretend phone: “So sorry, we’re out of the LBD!” she’d say. With the big dreams of that little girl, we can only imagine it was some fabulous VIP on the line.
It wasn’t long before make-believe play turned into reality for MacDonald. After graduating from The University of Vermont, the Minnesota native ventured out into the designer fashion world, landing a position as a design assistant at Cobra Society. From there, she championed the industry, leading sales for top fashion houses like Valentino and Brock Collection. She spent her days jet-setting around the globe and taking in everything that each beautiful destination had to offer. It was these travels that would later inspire her breakout jewelry collection, Short & Suite.
“Once I realized it was time to branch off and build something of my own, I wanted it to be affordable without compromising quality, service and attention to detail,” says MacDonald, who began working on her new business concept in July 2019. “I created Short & Suite for those who love life’s little luxuries. … I imagine my customer doing everything in her ‘suites’; from date night to working out to Zoom calls, pretty things are meant to be worn no matter what you’re doing,” she adds.
Launched in late March, Short & Suite is an effortlessly chic collection of classic silhouette pieces designed using colors and stones inspired by the interior design, textures and glamorous people MacDonald discovered during her globe-trotting days. “I like to imagine Audrey Hepburn wearing her S&S while getting ready in her suite at Badrutt’s Palace Hotel in St. Moritz before heading down to the hotel bar,” says the L.A.-based founder.
From the single-drop gem earring ($75) and the heart drop gem earring ($75) to the gem lariat necklace ($165), lil gem hoop ($55) and more, each statement piece—boasting rich colors like Kyoto Red, Grace Bay Green and Bondi Beach Blue—was designed to function for both every day and for special occasions. As for MacDonald’s favorite piece? “The Suite 22 [multi-drop gem] earrings ($135)—my first design,” she says. “I throw them on without makeup and walk around feeling gorgeous—jewelry is meant to make you feel good,” she adds.
Wearing Short & Suite’s jewelry doesn’t just make people feel and look good: When the line launched, MacDonald also debuted Suite Giving, a program that donates a portion of sales to a given charity. “When starting a brand, I believe you need to stand for something. Backing up your values with actions creates a brand that your customers can be proud to support,” shares MacDonald, who’s donated over $2,000 to charities like In My Scrubs, St. Anne’s and Girl Powerful through Suite Giving. “When you buy something for yourself, you are also buying into a brand that’s creating change—and I love knowing that,” she adds. From an imaginative little girl to the founder of a breakout business, MacDonald never let her big dreams fade.
Photography by: Courtesy of Short & Suite
