Leigh Plessner and Rony Vardi
Kristin Tice StudemanÂ
Founded over ten years ago, Catbird in Williamsburg has become a mecca for covetable, dainty jewelry. Girls (and guys) flock to it for wedding bands, midi rings (a signature of the brand), pieces from the house label, as well as items from a variety of interesting designers. Rony Vardi and Leigh Plessner are the masterminds behind the brand, and we had to hear more from the creative forces driving it.
What do you love about style in New York City as a whole?
Rony: It’s casual and effortless. We are a city where everyone walks, and you start your day in the morning and continue late into the night. It’s about having that casual, cool ease.
How do you approach dressing on the day-to-day?
Leigh: We have a wonderfully casual and expressive workplace. I never have to think about what I’m wearing for work versus what I would wear to hang out at home; it’s pretty much the same thing. It’s all about comfort, nothing fussy.
What spaces or people in New York inspire your style and brand?
Rony: I live and work in Brooklyn, so I’m inspired by that feeling, where no one ever looks like they are trying too hard. I also ride my bike a lot, so that dictates what I wear.
Leigh: There’s a real personal narrative you can feel from people in Brooklyn … It feels special.
What are some of your favorite hangouts in Williamsburg?
Leigh: Isa has a great neighborhood vibe; we love St. Mazie for wine and hanging out in the garden (it feels secret, as much as it could); Aurora; Five Leaves (if you can ever get a table).
Do you have a piece of jewelry you never leave home without?
Leigh: My pinky ring, engraved with my mom’s and brother’s initials combined. It says L.A.M.B.
Rony: My wedding ring, but I guess that’s a very boring answer. I switch things around a lot when it comes to jewelry though. I will wear things for years at a time and then suddenly switch it all at once. It’s like a long-term, polyamorous jewelry relationship.
