Cast Debuts at Nordstrom, Closes on More VC Funding
Cast, the startup venture co-founded by Rachel Skelly, formerly vice president of creative for Olly vitamins and Plum Organics baby food, and Eric Ryan, founder of Olly, Method, and Unilever-owned Welly bandages, was launched in 2021.
Cast co-founder and Chief Creative Officer Rachel Skelly with co-founder and CEO Eric Ryan
The self-defined “jewelry collective” offers collections exclusive to the platform, developed by Skelly in collaboration with design partners like Alice Cicolini.
It also features “guest brands,” a rotating curation of pieces handpicked by Skelly from designers such as Bea Bongiasca, available to shop for a limited time.
While customers in the Bay Area can shop in-store at Cast’s Corte Madera boutique, its newest partnership with Nordstrom expands its physical footprint to Oregon, Florida, and other areas of California.
Cast’s first StyleBar at Nordstrom includes a “shoppable capsule” of rings, necklaces, bracelets, and earrings for all occasions ranging in price from $275 to $8,500 with new item drops available at “a regular cadence,” the brand said.
No pictures of the jewelry were provided as of press time.
Similar to the feel of a beauty counter, the StyleBar is designed to invite shoppers to try on pieces with the same ease of testing out a new lip color, Cast said.
“Bringing the Cast StyleBar to the Nordstrom fine jewelry floor will be an entirely new shopping experience for the Nordstrom customers,” said Skelly, who is also chief creative officer for the brand.
“You’re invited to lounge at the StyleBar and collaborate with a Nordstrom salesperson to try on, play, and build out your jewelry wardrobe. With constant newness to discover and explore, it will be an exciting and playful destination in fine jewelry.”
The StyleBar’s design is inspired by the brand’s Cast Clutch packaging—boxes made of 100 percent recycled resin designed to be kept and reused.
“We’re committed to providing our customers an opportunity to discover the latest in fashion and design,” said Debbi Hartley-Triesch, Nordstrom executive vice president and general merchandising manager for beauty, accessories, and home.
“They look to us to introduce them to inspiring jewelry designers and curators, which makes our partnership with Cast a natural next step. We hope to drive curiosity through the in-store StyleBar experience as customers interact with pieces and look at ways to grow their jewelry collection.”
The Cast capsule collection is available on Nordstrom.com as well as at the Nordstrom stores in Portland, Oregon; Walnut Creek, California; Palo Alto, California; San Jose, California; Tampa, Florida; and Aventura, Florida.
Cast said it also plans to open two more of its own brick-and-mortar locations in California by the end of this year, one in San Jose and another in Palo Alto.
Last month, the company successfully closed its latest round of venture capital funding.
Lead participants in the round include retail- and consumer-focused investors such as True Ventures, Base Ventures, Fuel Capital, and LifeLine Family Heritage Fund.
“Cast is creating a welcoming space that invites everyone to be jewelry lovers and collectors. We were excited to be a part of something that was new and different in the industry,” said Humble Lukanga, founding partner of LifeLine Family Heritage Fund.
Tony Conrad, partner at True Ventures, added, “With the opening of their first boutique, the Cast team created an entirely new fine jewelry shopping experience that hadn’t existed before. We saw their unique and elegant vision and doubled down.”
