Our Story

Welcome to C'est La Brie's!

C'est La Brie's is an ever-changing collection of vintage jewelry, artisan goods and unique finds, based in Scottsdale and Prescott, Arizona. Our story is rooted in a shared love of creativity, craftsmanship and beautiful things from the past.

How It All Began

Creativity and entrepreneurship have always been part of our family. My mother, Annamarie, was a lifelong maker whose interests included sewing, embroidery, crewel work, macramé, rug hooking and stained glass. While raising my sister and me, she continued her education, ultimately earning her bachelor's degree in Fashion Merchandising from Rosary College (now Dominican University) in 1983. It was a goal she had pursued for 20 years, determined to graduate before I finished high school in 1984!

I inherited her love of making things. Growing up, I enjoyed baking, sewing and cross-stitch, and by my teenage years, I was helping with her growing accessories business Ric-Rac. During the early 1980s, she designed ribbon hair accessories, belts, and other fashionable creations for local boutiques. I contributed braided barrettes and scrunchies, and what began as a shared creative interest gradually became a mother-daughter business.

In the early 1990s, we expanded our creative pursuits to include handmade jackets and hats. I still remember working on them in the basement of my home in Vernon Hills, Illinois. We continued participating in craft shows, experimenting with new designs and materials and sharing our creations with customers.

Eventually, our interests turned toward jewelry making, and in 1995 we established Windy City Jewelry. That marked the beginning of a new chapter that would ultimately lead to the realization of our longtime dream: opening our own retail store.

A Tradition of Making and Supporting Makers

From 1995 through 2015, we created and sold jewelry under the Windy City Jewelry name. Vintage glass beads, crystals, and other carefully selected components were central to our designs. We especially enjoyed giving beautiful materials from the past a new life in pieces that were both distinctive and wearable.

Our appreciation for handmade artistry extended well beyond our own creations. We loved discovering the work of other talented makers and believed in helping independent artists find an audience for their products.

In 2004, we formed Flower Girls Gifts, an artists' group that brought together local makers to offer boutiques and galleries an expanded selection of floral-themed gifts alongside our jewelry.

Supporting fellow artists became an important part of our business philosophy, and it's a tradition I'm proud to continue today.

From Brie's Gift Gallery to C'est La Brie's

In 2006, we realized our dream of opening Brie's Gift Gallery, a brick-and-mortar shop in Mount Prospect, Illinois. The store brought together our handmade jewelry, the work of an expanded group of independent artists, vintage home accessories and small furniture pieces offered on consignment by local residents.

The name Brie's has a special meaning. It combines the first three letters of my name, Brigid, with the last three letters of Annamarie's name. My father Ray affectionately called my mother Rie.

Brie's Gift Gallery was a place where we could share our love of creativity, craftsmanship and vintage treasures with the community. We expanded twice, with our first two locations in Mount Prospect and our third in my hometown of Park Ridge, Illinois. As Brie's Estate Sales grew, we made the decision to close the retail store in 2014, but our passion for jewelry and artisan-made merchandise never went away.

In 2022, I rebranded Brie's Gift Gallery as C'est La Brie's, a playful twist on the French expression c'est la vie, meaning "that's life." C'est La Brie's means "it's Brie's" and reflects the spirit of our original business. My mother adored all things French, and I have French heritage on both sides of my family.

C'est La Brie's Today

Today, I'm proud to carry on the tradition we began together.

Jewelry remains my specialty, with an emphasis on vintage Native American jewelry, Mexican sterling silver, artisan sterling silver, and distinctive vintage pieces. I'm especially drawn to jewelry that reflects exceptional craftsmanship, interesting design and the artistry of its maker.

I'm also looking forward to bringing our own handmade jewelry back into the spotlight. I still have a collection of pieces we created over the years, many incorporating vintage beads, crystals and other materials. With our jewelry-making history dating back to 1995, most of these creations are now vintage treasures in their own right! Although jewelry making has taken a back seat in recent years, I look forward to returning to the creative process myself.

Just as we did at Brie's Gift Gallery, I remain committed to supporting independent artists and makers. As C'est La Brie's continues to evolve, I'm expanding the collection to include artisan goods, accessories and carefully selected vintage home décor, with plans for occasional pop-up shopping events in Prescott, Arizona.

C'est La Brie's is an independent business, separate from Brie's Estate Sales. I source my inventory through my own buying relationships and private connections, rather than from the estate sales we conduct.

Whether you're searching for a special piece of jewelry, a handcrafted treasure, or something wonderfully unexpected, I hope you'll enjoy exploring the collection.

Thank you for visiting C'est La Brie's!

Brigid McAlpin