Yahoo Finance Robyn Blair Davidson is making pop art for the Instagram generation
Even if you haven’t yet heard of Robyn Blair Davidson or her brand, by robynblair, your favorite influencers sure have.
Davidson is an artist for the Instagram generation. Her clientele includes the likes of Charli D’Amelio, Addison Rae and Jake Paul, and she credits a lot of her success to social media.
“Social media has been a huge asset to helping me grow the brand,” she explained to In The Know. “My Instagram channel has exposed me to new potential partners, expanded my consumer base and [it] allows me to directly engage with my collectors to hear their feedback.”
Enter here for a chance to win a $500 Uber gift card.
Davidson was working in the fashion industry up until she created her first piece, the Dubble Bubble-themed “In Case of Emergency, Break Glass,” which she really just made for her own apartment. As she writes in her Instagram bio, “It started with a craving…”
“I designed my first piece in 2018 as a treat to myself,” she said. “Inspiration struck as I noticed some candy in a bowl on my coffee table. It hit me then and there that I needed to put candy on my walls. It seemed so obvious to me at the time, like, ‘How did I not think of this sooner?!’ and in that moment, I knew exactly what I wanted my first piece to be.”
The unique handmade piece was made up of real Dubble Bubble gum pieces in a custom-designed acrylic plexiglass shell. Davidson intentionally designed the case to be thick enough to hold the candy, but thin enough to easily hang on her wall.
Her friends and family went nuts over the piece pretty much immediately.
“Friends and family were constantly asking if I’d make one for them out of their favorite candies,” Davidson said. “Everything took off from there very organically. I started getting custom orders, at first by word-of-mouth and social media, and with my background in marketing and branding, I quickly turned it into a full-time business.”
It’s unusual and unique to our times that an artist like Davidson can engage with followers for ideas and feedback on her pieces. No two pieces are alike, and everything is handmade.
“It generally takes around a month to create — from ideating the text and figuring out the exact candy my client wants, to actually creating the pieces and getting the design just right,” she said. “Each piece is custom made by hand — I’ll arrange the candy then it gets held in place by a special epoxy-resin mixture.”
Since her first “craving” in 2018, Davidson has had a whirlwind of an art career. She’s collaborated with brands like Christie’s, Saks, Harry Winston and Bergdorf Goodman and has expanded into making candy dishes and other home accessories.
“I am definitely looking to expand,” she said. “While also trying out new mediums for my original artwork.
As Davidson continues to grow her brand, her mission still remains simple.
“I want my pieces to make people smile,” she said.
Of course, we couldn’t not ask Davidson, basically the internet’s queen of candy, what her favorite candy is.
“Sour belts are my absolute favorite to eat,” she said. “And I love using movie theater-style candy boxes in my work.”
Check out our guide to the best gifts for under $25:
In The Know is now available on Apple News — follow us here!
If you enjoyed this story, read about the 26-year-old diehard tea fan who landed a spot on Oprah’s Favorite Things.
More from In The Know:
Nyma Tang is championing representation and inclusion in the makeup industry
More than 5,000 Amazon shoppers love Magna-Tiles for kids — here’s why
There’s so much comfy, cozy loungewear on sale for less than $25 at T.J.Maxx right now
Nordstrom’s new markdowns include lots of winter dresses on sale for less than $50
The post Robyn Blair Davidson is making pop art for the Instagram generation appeared first on In The Know.
