When Twana Marx started making jewelry for herself in 2008, she never expected
to gain national exposure. However, a celebrity stylist took notice of a ring
Marx posted on Twitter and eventually used one of Marx’s
pieces for a client.
 
“I was in the middle of making some earrings when she inquired about the ring,”
Marx tells JCK. “I asked her if she’d
like the earrings for herself and she said, ‘Oh, I love them.’”
 
The Gulfport, Miss., resident, thought nothing of it until she received a text
message from the stylist on Dec. 23 saying the earrings were used to style Tina
Campbell, a member of the gospel group Mary Mary, for The Tonight Show With Jay Leno.

Earrings worn by Tina Cambell on The Tonight Show (Photo courtesy of Twana Marx)

“We watched it and everything but it wasn’t really a big deal because they
didn’t mention it on the show,” Marx says. The earrings didn’t get recognition
until later that night when Mary Mary posted a thank you message to Marx on
their Facebook page.
 
“My phone was going crazy. I was getting a lot of e-mails and friend requests.
I realized that they had tagged me in a post on their fan page and that’s what
drove the masses,” Marx says.
 
“People from all over the place are contacting me now,” she continues. “My
sales have increased locally but my web sales have not. I have a lot of
inquires but no sales. It’s definitely helping me to network.”

Tina Cambell on The Tonight Show (Photo courtesy
of Twana Marx)

Marx’s Facebook fan page, “Creative Marx Handmade Jewelry” also saw an 80
percent increase of fans the night Campbell appeared on The Tonight Show.

Marx says she began making jewelry because she wasn’t seeing what she wanted to
wear in the stores. “I would wear some of my pieces to work and people would
ask where I got it from, then people asked for the pieces I was making for
myself. It evolved into a business,” she says.
 
A radiology technician by trade, Marx says she doesn’t know if she’s ready to
launch into the jewelry industry full time. “When I started I had no idea it
would go into the fashion industry,” she says.  “I’m already getting calls to possibly style other high-profile personalities. Now that that connection is open, I’m hoping that will
eventually get me into that arena.”

JCK