Behind the Brand: Founded by Lifelong Besties Jackie Little and Katie Fritts. Sustainable Fine Jewelry Brand Petite Frites Celebrates Anti-Milestones and Is Inspired by the Iconic Neighborhood Bistro - Spa and Beauty Today
Prior to founding their brand, Fritts worked in investment banking, where she developed a foundation in strategy and finance before pursuing her MBA at UC Berkeley with a focus on entrepreneurship. Since then, she has been a serial entrepreneur, first launching the intimates company, Underclub, and now Petite Frites.
Little has built extensive experience in the luxury and fashion industry, with a focus on creative strategy and brand development. Over her career, she has collaborated with iconic brands such as Chanel, Ralph Lauren, Reformation, and Violet Grey, as well as leading publications like Vanity Fair and InStyle.
Designed in New York, Los Angeles, and Austin, all Petite Frites pieces are ethically hand made in India by RJC-certified artisans. Focusing on cheeky, irreverent and playful designs, each piece is crafted with SCS-certified recycled 18K gold and high-quality, lab-grown diamonds with glossy and sturdy hand-poured enamel that can be customized to fit your color preferences, adding a personalized twist to every design.
“At Petite Frites, we strive to push the boundaries of what’s expected from traditional diamond jewelry, drawing inspiration from the dynamic worlds of fashion, art, and cuisine,” say Fritts and Little. “We have created vibrant post-modern pieces that transcend trends to become timeless emblems of celebration and self-expression.”
We chatted with Little and Fritts, who shared the inspiration behind their jewelry designs, favorite pieces, future plans, and more.
Each Petite Frites piece is crafted with SCS-certified recycled 18K gold and high-quality, lab-grown diamonds with glossy and sturdy hand-poured enamel that can be customized to fit any color preferences.
We just launched this year. For our name, we wanted to pay homage to the magical neighborhood bistro, which we consider a place of inspiration, conversation, and stimulation, where problems are left at the door and the pursuit of joy persists. If you’ve been to even one French restaurant, you’ll likely have guessed that Petite Frites literally means “little fry.”
And while we do relate to being the symbolic little fry, our name is actually derived from our founders’ last names—(Jaclyn) Little and (Katie) Fritts—but in true bistro fashion, our name just had to be French.
Designed in New York, Los Angeles, and Austin, all Petite Frites pieces are ethically hand made in India by RJC-certified artisans.
We have both always had a love for sparkly baubles, but over the past couple years, we started paying closer attention to the diamond industry (both mined and lab-grown)—the market, the customer, the designs, the prices—and saw opportunity.
We learned about the control a couple mined diamond companies have historically held over mined diamond prices, the ground-breaking marketing campaign that changed the demand of the entire bridal industry, and the horrors that mining precious gemstones can wreak on the environment, communities, and human lives.
In a society that is increasingly thoughtful about our impact, the absence of conversations and lack of understanding around lab-grown diamonds just didn’t add up. If there is a chemically, structurally, and optically identical alternative to mined diamonds that has far fewer negative social and environmental implications, then why do they not have a more prominent reputation and place in the market?
With innovative takes on classics like the tennis bracelet, paired with show-stopping and revolutionary interchangeable clasps, and customizable options, Petite Frites brings a fresh energy to fine jewelry.
Petite Frites pieces were made to celebrate the anti-milestones and are also inspired by the iconic neighborhood bistro.
On our website.
Expanding and sharing our Vow-Free pieces with the world!
For more information about Petite Frites, visit their website and follow on Instagram: @petite_frites
[Images courtesy of Petite Frites]
Kamala Kirk is a University of Southern California graduate and has been an editor/writer for more than a decade. She has written for E! Online, Total Beauty, TravelAge West, Malibu Times Magazine, and many more. She resides in Los Angeles and is a proud pug mom. Follow her on Instagram: @kamalakirk
