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Doing Things Her Way: A Conversation with Tommy Dorfman

In collaboration with Jenna Lyons, we designed three new pieces that symbolize autonomy, strength and individuality, bringing together four boundary-breaking women showing the world just what it means to do things your way.


From using fashion to make her own statement or to get into character, the focus for storyteller Tommy Dorfman has always been on the narrative that needs to be told. The actress, author and soon-to-be director knows that the common thread through everything she creates is storytelling. What we’d learn by casting her in our International Women’s Day campaign is that the same can be said about the way she styles jewelry as a means to express herself: “Jewelry, especially, has always been a form of armor…also self-affirmation and declaration.” (She loves our newest signet ring and she also happens to love french fries, so naturally, this was the perfect collaboration.)

Jewelry, especially, has always been a form of armor…also self-affirmation and declaration

We caught up with Tommy at our International Women’s Day campaign shoot to talk about what it means to choose the path less traveled, the women that have inspired her along the way and the mutually inclusive mindset that she aspires to bring to the table.


How do you use fashion and style to get you in that headspace of feeling the most powerful?

Fashion and style is a way to give life to how I'm feeling, day by day. It's harder to define my style in any clear terms because it's constantly evolving and changing (and very dependent on the weather). I've grown into comfort and cozy over [being the] most fashionable person.

We talk a lot about timelessness and I've had some of the most important photographs taken of me last year in my personal life and also professional life. So much of the focus in kicking off this next chapter for me, my career and everything else has been about... Basically I just say, "Am I going to be embarrassed by this in five years or not?" I know I'll look back at the photos Cass [Bird] took today and in 20 years [I’ll] be like Wow, we could still be wearing that.

You teeter between the fashion and acting worlds, which is almost spawning a new generation of hybrid talents and ambassadors of style. Which do you feel more yourself in?

I think a lot about storytelling as a whole, and where [I’m] best of service —whether that's just in front of a camera collaborating with a brand that shares ideals with me (fashion, jewelry—what have you), or on a TV show or directing a movie. It just varies on what story needs to be told. But I think it's all inclusive and expansive in that way. Walking down the street in a certain outfit is just as much of a story as doing a movie that goes to Sundance.


What does International Women’s Day mean to you? Who are the women that you’re thankful for on this day?

I think any woman in fashion and in Hollywood and in any profession is a trailblazer of sorts. And to be brought into the circle as a trans woman is incredibly meaningful.

Tommy wears Diamonds Open Ring, Diamonds Line Ring, Jenna Lyons Signet Pinky Ring and Jenna Lyons Onyx Signet Pinky Ring

Was there ever a pivotal moment in your life in which you followed your gut, were true to yourself and truly did things your way—even if it meant breaking the “rules”?

I made a really conscious decision to get sober at a very young age. I don't think I'd be alive today if I hadn't done that. There were a lot of women and people who helped me along the way. I sort of attribute everything in my life to making that decision at the age of 21. There were a lot of reasons for that, but ultimately [I’m] really grateful that I woke up on a random morning in June and said, "I've had enough.” I think it takes a certain amount of courage to choose a path less traveled.


What does gender equality look like to you?

It's really interesting because I'm at a different intersection with gender equality and I also have a lot of questions, like, “What is gender and does it matter?” And of course it matters. I think anything you need to define yourself and feel planted on Earth is important and being able to speak that truth or not speak that truth in whatever capacity feels right to you. As a trans woman, I think less about equality and more about respect and safety. So, of course equality is important if you're looking at the world in a binary sense. 

Universally, though, what I aspire to bring to the table and the stories that I tell [are]: “Respect me like you should respect her and them and him.” There should be [equality] and respect. And that to me is also in how we're paid, how we're treated, how we're not misgendered on set, how we're taken care of and how we show up for one another, as well. I think to be of service to those less privileged or more disenfranchised or endangered and to talk about equality in a mutually inclusive way is incredibly important.

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