A lot of collegiettes dream of making the world a better place, so it’s always inspiring to hear about young women taking action and making a difference. Toby Milstein, Barnard student and founder of Wear It: Don’t Bear It, has done just that. Milstein created Wear It: Don’t Bear It, a fabulous new line of jewelry available online, as a response to the distressing number of school shootings in recent times.
Besides raising public awareness with regard to gun control issues, 100% of the profits go to Bereaved Parents of the USA, a non-profit that offers support to grief-stricken family members attempting to rebuild their lives after the loss of a family member. The Wear It: Don’t Bear It pendant, the enterprise’s website states, is designed “to promote gun control conceptualized in a fashionable way.” Jewelry with a social conscience? What more could any collegiette want?
For this week’s Catwalk to Campus, we were lucky enough to speak with Toby Milstein herself to hear all about what it’s like to be head of a social enterprise before your 21st birthday.
Her Campus: What are you currently majoring in, and how has it influenced your work through the Wear It: Don’t Bear It line?
Toby Milstein: As an American history major at Barnard, I have an understanding of our country’s longtime struggle to curb gun violence and cope with great tragedy. These past five years have been riddled with mass shootings and deadly killings. But, like the adage says, history repeats itself, and we’ve seen just how true that statement is. I recently learned that the earliest known U.S. mass school shooting occurred in 1764 where a teacher and ten students were killed by four Lenape American Indians in Pennsylvania. And about two hundred years later in 1963, President John F Kennedy was assassinated by way of gun–a day in history Americans will never forget. It’s clear to me that the United States government has yet to find a promising solution to ameliorate the violence. I hope our darkest moments can teach all of us a lesson so we can close this chapter of violence for good.
HC: Judging by your recent success, this is clearly a very professional project. How did you get started as an entrepreneur, and what’s the hardest part of running your own organization, especially as a college student?
TM: The hardest part of running a social enterprise as a college student is exactly that. I’m a college student running a social enterprise. I take five courses a semester, I intern, and somehow try to squeeze a little living into that mix. Time might not be my biggest ally, but youth is. Being twenty-years old enables me to have immense energy and drive to do all of this.
HC: Do you have any plans to expand the line? Are there other political or social causes you would consider supporting?
TM: I do have plans to expand the line. It seems like every day, someone else is pitching an idea. My brothers routinely ask for a t-shirt, a Columbia alumnus requested a lapel pin, my fashion-forward friends ask for a blinged-out, studded Wear It: Don’t Bear It piece. I’m listening and taking all of these great ideas into consideration. Rest assured, there’s a lot more to come.
In terms of supporting other political causes, I am ready to do more. I hope to do more. Fashion is a great vehicle for social change and it’s the easiest way to express your opinion. I love statement jewelry as much as I love jewelry that makes a statement.
HC: What accessories (besides your own designs) do you never leave home without?
TM: In terms of my other favorite accessories, I love a good, chic tote bag. Between running around for Wear It: Don’t Bear It meetings, school, and internships, I need something that can carry the contents of my life. When I shop for a great bag, I analyze it carefully. Could this fit everything and my kitchen sink? The answer to that most definitely should be yes.
HC: And, do you have a favorite designer?
TM: Favorite designer…good question! I’m interning for Kenneth Cole Productions. Kenneth actually recruited me after reading about Wear It: Don’t Bear It. He was the first in the fashion industry to marry the idea of doing good while looking good. He’s an absolute icon, a talented designer and most importantly, he has a heart that overflows for social good.
HC: What would be your dream career? Are you hoping to stay in the fashion world?
TM: Hard to say; especially because I value the idea of taking everything a day at a time. I realize how important that has been when I consider how things for Wear It: Don’t Bear It happened so fast and unexpectedly. But after speaking to my friend who works at Google, she recommended I explore Google Org. That’s what I’d call a real dream career.