“The Retrouvaí woman has a collector’s mentality and believes that ‘everyday’ jewelry doesn’t need to be basic. She mixes the old with the new and takes chances in fashion, without ever taking it too seriously. I like to say that my line embodies a ‘whimsical eccentricity’ — a dose of fun that still maintains an heirloom-quality — that helps a woman tell her unique story.”

Retrouvaí (Reh-tro-v-eye) is derived from the French proverb ‘Retrovailles,’ defined as the joy of reconnecting with something from one’s past. This notion of wistful affection for time gone by speaks to Kirsty’s love of vintage treasures, but also to the idea that jewelry is passed down through the generations, picking up lifetimes of stories along the way.

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Brent Neale Winston is a New York City-based designer whose love of jewelry started when her mother would bring her to gem shows near her native Baltimore. After graduating from Johns Hopkins University (where she made jewelry by hand as a hobby), and with the encouragement of the late jewelry historian and InStyle editor Penny Proddow, Winston was accepted to the Fashion Institute of Technology, where she received an associates’ degree in jewelry design.

There she honed her design and rendering skills studying under esteemed professors such as the late Maurice Galli of Harry Winston. Winston then formally started her jewelry career at Kara Ross New York, working directly under the eponymous designer, eventually becoming the jewelry director. Here, she oversaw the design and product development of over 25 collections, including fine jewelry, costume jewelry and runway collaborations with Tory Burch, J. Mendel and Naeem Khan, among others. After eight years, Winston left to concentrate on her growing family and make her own mark in the jewelry industry with her namesake line.

Today, Winston spends her days on 47th Street, intimately working with a small group of gem dealers, cutters and bench jewelers to create and build every piece in her collection. Her choice to keep production in New York City is an homage to the craftsmen she was taught by. Brent lives with her husband and three children in New York City.

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