Women Who Create: Craft, Expression, and Choice
Rayne Schloss
Interview By: Carolyn Gray
March 2026
A few flights up in a Brooklyn walk-up, Rayne Schloss has built a world that feels unmistakably her own.
Before a word is spoken, the apartment begins telling you about the person who lives inside it. The space is calm but layered with objects placed with intention, shapes that feel handmade, pieces that look as though they were chosen slowly rather than collected quickly. It smells woodsy and soulful, something reminiscent of a Byredo fragrance lingering softly in the air. The effect is grounding, almost meditative.
Rayne greets us with the same quiet clarity her space carries.
Her hair is sleek in a silk press, brushed cleanly away from her face. Her makeup is minimal, skin first, almost bare, allowing the details of her styling to speak. She wears a soft gray sweatshirt paired with a silk midi skirt with cargo pockets, the kind of unexpected combination that feels both effortless and deliberate. Black leather sandals layered with matching leather socks create the illusion of a tall boot, while jewelry from her brand, Only Made, quietly punctuates the look: pearl pieces stacked along her ears, two silver cuffs on each wrist, and a pearl anklet worn just outside what I later realize are Celine boots. It is a look that could easily feel overthought on someone else. On Rayne, it feels instinctive.
Simple is a word she later uses to describe her style, which is interesting because she is far from simple. Rayne carries clothes with ease, layering subtle but thoughtful details that add depth to otherwise minimal silhouettes.
Inside her apartment, a cozy oasis perched a few floors above Brooklyn, the same philosophy appears everywhere.
Rayne is someone who will quite literally make a way out of no way to create what she wants. In her living room, sits a bean-shaped glass table she designed herself, its soft curves revealing the imperfect line of the original drawing she sketched to bring it to life. The piece feels both functional and sculptural, which is a quiet reflection of how she approaches design.
Only Made, the jewelry brand Rayne founded during the pandemic, began with a similar spirit of experimentation.
What started as a $200 investment and an overnight business plan quickly evolved into a brand that resonated with women drawn to jewelry that feels personal rather than performative. At the time, pearl necklaces felt both affordable and unexpectedly chic, a material that could move between classic and modern depending on how it was worn. Rayne leaned into that possibility.
Today, Only Made has grown beyond a pandemic project into a brand defined by intentional design and instinctive styling. For Women’s History Month, AoD sat down with Rayne to talk about building Only Made, the women who shaped her perspective, and why jewelry remains one of the most personal languages in fashion.
AoD: Your brand name is Only Made, which already feels intentional. What does that name represent to you, and what philosophy sits at the heart of the brand?
Rayne: Only Made represents the act of simply making things. I’ve always loved creating, whether that’s jewelry, objects for my home, or other small ideas that come to mind.
When I started the brand, the name felt right because it was broad enough to grow with me. Jewelry was just the beginning. I eventually want Only Made to expand into other areas like interiors, furniture, and art; anything that feels natural to create.
It’s really about the idea that everything within the brand is something I made with intention. That philosophy is even permanent for me now. I actually have “ONLY MADE” tattooed on my finger as a reminder of that commitment.
Rayne speaks about creation with the calm certainty of someone who has always trusted her instincts. While Only Made is still a young brand, the mindset behind it feels long-established. Creativity for Rayne was never confined to one medium, jewelry simply became the most immediate place to start.
AoD: Jewelry can often be the most personal element of someone’s style. What first drew you to designing jewelry, and when did you realize it could become a language for individuality?
Rayne: Growing up, jewelry honestly wasn’t something I prioritized. I wore earrings and nameplates, but that was really it. What changed was realizing how simply I like to dress. My clothing tends to be very minimal, sweatshirts, simple pants, clean silhouettes. At some point I realized jewelry could completely transform those pieces. You can take the same sweatshirt and pants, add the right jewelry or embellishment, and suddenly the entire look feels finished. It became that final touch that perfected the outfit. I’ve always loved working with my hands and making things, so jewelry ended up being the perfect way to combine that creativity with personal style.
In an era where algorithms constantly suggest what is “trending,” jewelry remains one of the last areas where people can still develop a personal relationship with style. Rayne understands that deeply.
AoD: Many designers speak about inspiration through aesthetics, but I’m curious about the people behind your inspiration. What women (past or present) have shaped how you think about style, strength, and self-expression?
Rayne: My mom is my ultimate muse and inspiration. Growing up, I honestly resisted becoming like her. She loved shopping, and I remember being dragged into stores for hours thinking, I never want to be like this. But as an adult I’ve realized I’ve become exactly like her, scrolling the sites for hours and just with my own personal style.
My mom had an incredible fashion collection. I remember pieces from Tom Ford’s Gucci era and watching her and my aunt get ready to go out. Those moments really shaped how I understood style.
Even though our personal styles are different, the importance of developing your own taste definitely came from her. My family in general had a big influence. My mom’s side is Belizean and my dad’s side is Jamaican, and in Caribbean families there’s a real focus on presentation and style. Even my dad was very particular about tailoring and how clothes fit.
And then of course Rihanna. Her confidence is unbelievable. She can wear the most unexpected thing and make it look incredible simply because she carries it with so much confidence.
AoD: Fashion can sometimes push women toward conformity rather than individuality. How do you see jewelry, and your work specifically helping people reclaim their personal style and sense of choice?
Rayne: In the current digital age, it often feels like we’re constantly being told what’s chic, what’s cool, and what brands we should be wearing. Jewelry is one of the few things that still allows people to discover what they like on their own.
Building Only Made actually made me realize how essential jewelry had become in my own life. Now every look feels incomplete without it. The right accessories can completely transform an outfit, even if two people are wearing the exact same clothes.
When I design, I start with myself. If I wouldn’t wear something, I’m not going to make it. Designing from that place has naturally connected me with women who see style in a similar way. What’s interesting is that they still end up styling my pieces in ways I never would have imagined. That’s one of my favorite parts, seeing how people interpret them.
My hope is that the pieces encourage women to experiment more and trust their own instincts when it comes to style.
The conversation turns toward the realities of building a brand and the quiet persistence required to sustain something personal in an industry that often rewards speed over substance.
AoD: As a woman building a jewelry brand, what has your journey as a founder taught you about resilience and ownership within the fashion industry?
Rayne: I’m completely self-taught.
My background is actually in marketing, so I understood the basics of building and selling a brand, but everything else (product development, operations) I had to figure out on my own.
Only Made is still very young, and there’s so much more I want to build. One of the biggest lessons so far has been the importance of consistency. Consistent branding, consistent messaging, and creating something your customer can trust. When I started the brand, I didn’t have a large following and I wasn’t known for jewelry at all. I had no idea if anyone would buy what I was making. But I did have a small group of people who trusted my taste and my perspective. That trust translated into them feeling comfortable supporting the brand.
The fashion industry changes constantly, and sometimes there’s a lot of outside noise. What helps me is giving myself permission to step away from that.
Recently I went through a phase where I felt creatively uninspired. My core products were still selling, but I had the urge to create something new and I didn’t know what that looked like yet.
Instead of forcing it, I gave myself time. Eventually the spark came back, and now I feel excited to create again.
Being a smaller brand has allowed me the flexibility to move at that pace. My customers trust me and my vision, and I never take that support for granted.
AoD: When you think about the future of Only Made, what do you believe you need most to scale the brand?
Rayne: Funding would obviously help because having capital opens doors, but knowing how to use it wisely is just as important.
Lately I’ve also been thinking about mentorship. I’ve been considering taking jewelry-making classes because while you can learn a lot online, I’d really like to deepen my technical knowledge and learn directly from someone with experience.
Beyond that, I’m very focused on making sure the foundation of the business is strong.
From the beginning I wanted Only Made to be treated like a real business. Making sure the tax structure, licensing, and overall setup were done correctly was just as important as the creative side.
A lot of young founders focus on appearances early on. But when their brand starts growing, the structure underneath isn’t strong enough to support it.
For me, building a solid foundation now is what will allow the brand to grow sustainably later.
AoD: Looking ahead, what do you hope Only Made represents for the next generation of women and creatives trying to carve out their own paths?
Rayne: I hope it represents true creative expression.
I intentionally chose the name Only Made because it allows the brand to grow beyond jewelry. Jewelry is just the starting point.
Eventually I want to create home objects, furniture, and other things that feel meaningful to make.
At its core, Only Made is about creating with intention and making things that feel missing.
If it encourages other women and creatives to trust their instincts and build something from their own point of view, that would mean everything to me.
After the interview ends, Rayne admits something quietly surprising: she had been anxious about the entire experience; the photos, the conversation, the idea of new people stepping into her personal space.
It’s hard to imagine that nervousness when you’re sitting across from her.
Rayne speaks with calm intention, the kind that only comes from someone who understands themselves and the direction they are moving toward. Photographer Amy, who joined me for the visit, moves thoughtfully through the apartment capturing Rayne in her element with the jewelry, the home, the small details that reveal how closely her life and creativity are intertwined.
Spending time in Rayne’s space makes the philosophy behind Only Made feel obvious.
Nothing is loud, but everything is intentional.
Her apartment moves the way her jewelry does: subtle objects shaping the atmosphere around them. And if Rayne Schloss continues following the same instincts that led her to start Only Made with $200 and a spontaneous business plan during the pandemic, the brand’s future likely stretches far beyond jewelry and into whatever objects, spaces, and ideas she feels compelled to make next.
Quietly, thoughtfully, and entirely her own.
PRODUCTION
Curation
Carolyn Gray
Photography
Amy Anaiz