Fragile What Collections

Fragile What Collections: Our Newest Line

As passionate Fragile X advocates, we made a choice: if we were going to put something new into the world, we wanted it to stand for what matters most to us.

Fragile X is deeply personal to our family. Our son lives with Fragile X Syndrome, and my wife Autumn, is a carrier along with a dozen family members. Despite affecting so many, it remains severely under-recognized and under-diagnosed.

Approximately 1 in 150 women are carriers of the Fragile X premutation, a genetic change associated with a range of health risks. Carriers have elevated levels of FMR1 RNA, which can cause a toxic gain-of-function effect in the body. This may contribute to a spectrum of outcomes, including infertility, neurological symptoms such as Fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome (FXTAS), and other health challenges. Female carriers are also at risk of having children with Fragile X syndrome, a condition that can involve intellectual disability, significant speech delays, and lifelong support needs.

After a year of giving away 15,000 of our "X" earrings, we noticed a consistent pattern—most people had never heard of Fragile X. Once they learned about it, they truly cared. For some, the lack of awareness is heartbreaking because it is something they should have been tested for years ago.

This line stands on its own as a collection of beautiful, one-of-a-kind earrings made from recycled paper. However, we chose to integrate them with Fragile X awareness because, frankly, why wouldn’t we? If something beautiful can also help people learn, connect, and change lives for the better, then it has fulfilled its truest purpose.