Susan Alexandra’s Jewelry Collaboration With Baskin-Robbins Melds Fashion With Flavor for National Ice Cream Day

Ice cream evokes childhood memories for Susan Korn, founder of the cult accessories brand Susan Alexandra .

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“The goal for the pieces that I make is to create these very special feelings and moments,” the designer told WWD. “There’s nothing better than going to get a scoop of ice cream with friends or family. I remember summer nights where I grew up in the suburbs of Ohio, where getting ice cream is like your whole social life and your main activity.”

Now, Korn revives this nostalgia with help from Baskin-Robbins. The ice cream chain has lent its iconic branding to Susan Alexandra’s bestselling brass charms: miniature Cotton Candy cones, pink spoons and Cappuccino Blasts adorn the new Ice Cream Social necklace ($131).

“There was a lot of back and forth with the Baskin team and trying to figure out what items evoke summer ice cream treats,” Korn explained. “There’s an aesthetic element too, which is why we wanted to use the cutest, prettiest ice cream flavor possible. There were a couple of contenders, but Cotton Candy won out because it’s a beautiful ombré blue and pink.”

Following Susan Alexandra’s kitschy collaborations with Pebbles cereal, Handsome Brook Farms and Sweetgreen , Korn saw Baskin-Robbins as a natural addition to her label’s repertoire. After all, her connection to the storied scoop shop is personal — at 14, her father landed his first job at a Baskin-Robbins in their native Ohio.

“When there’s an opportunity to work with a brand that has any kind of food, I’m very excited, but when it’s like a legacy brand like Baskin-Robbins, I’m over the moon,” Korn said.

Charms, many of them food-shaped, have become an integral part of Korn’s business. While she hesitates to call herself a foodie (she prefers the label “food person”), the designer has mastered the art of shrinking edibles down to size. Handmade and enameled in New York, the Tiny Joys range comprises Susan Alexandra’s top sellers, including pocket-sized versions of pets, flora and baked goods. A resurgence in Y2K fashion trends — think Juicy Couture’s coveted charm bracelets — is partially to thank.

In 2021, Korn opened her first brick-and-mortar location in the trendy Dimes Square neighborhood of Manhattan. Its latest addition is the “Charmacy,” a buffet-style charm bar where customers can assemble their own necklaces, bracelets and earrings.

Susan Alexandra’s Tiny Joys are also the basis of the brand’s new T-shirt line, dreamed up by Korn and her friend, graphic designer slash “genius-at-large” Chris Chang.

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“We just started like riffing, and we made these ridiculous T-shirts with funny little phrases,” Korn explained. “We’re kind of just putting it out there seeing how it goes. I feel like they’re the new S.A. uniform, because this is what our team in the store should be wearing so people know that they are your charm experts.”

The Ice Cream Social necklace debuts just in time for National Ice Cream Day, July 21. Each purchase comes with a gift card for one free scoop at Baskin-Robbins.

“National Ice Cream Day is of course a very important holiday that we should have work off for,” Korn added. “It’s important to observe accordingly.”

As blistering heat waves continue to plague New York, Korn has made ice cream an integral part of her routine.

“We have a lot at the office from Baskin and I’ll just be sitting there and all of a sudden, I’m like, ‘I’m gonna have a cup of ice cream right now,'” she said. “It gets me through my day, and you know what? I’ll take anything that can make my day a little bit easier to get through.”

Following her Baskin-Robbins collaboration , Korn is gearing up for her next fashion show. Set for this fall, the joint presentation will see her team with designer Rachel Antonoff, whose playful prints and knits go hand-in-hand with Susan Alexandra’s whimsical aesthetic. Dogs — and likely, Korn’s vibrant line of beaded collars and leashes — will feature prominently on the catwalk.

“We’re basically doing ‘Best in Show,’ and we’re working with all rescue animals,” Korn said. “I’d say after this I could retire almost because it’s every celebrity I’ve ever wanted to work with plus rescue dogs.”

The Ice Cream Social necklace is available to shop now at susanalexandra.com or at the Susan Alexandra store, located at 33 Orchard Street.

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