In true comeback fashion, Chandra Michaels, the artist known as Sugarluxe, rediscovers her roots by combining technology and art to create her new collection. Offered as NFTs aptly titled Pretty Smart Art, proceeds will help support Path Forward’s mission to empower people to restart their careers. In celebration of jewelry mogul Kendra Scott’s 20th anniversary, the new Sugarluxe art incorporates illustrated versions of designer accessories from the Kendra Scott line.
Known for her collectible characters and admired for her ability to build a community, Sugarluxe quickly found fans and high-profile clients. “Chandra Michaels didn’t just create an audience of customers, friends, and followers for her Sugarluxe Brand – She created a movement!”, says Mark Schaefer, author of bestselling books, ROI, Return on Influence and Known: The Guide to Personal Branding in the Digital Age.
Rising to fame after Miley Cyrus was featured on the cover of Life Magazine in front of “Fabulous” – the first large-scale piece ever made by Sugarluxe, her career was cut short when she gave birth to twins who suffered a series of medical complications.
Long-time fans of the brand have anxiously awaited her return and with this NFT collection, she aims to help women recover from the career setbacks of COVID-19.
COVID-19 left millions of women without a job. According to research from McKinsey, 1 in 3 mothers had to leave the workforce or downshift their careers. Only months into the pandemic, Michaels’ husband went out one evening…and never returned. As a newly single mom without any income, she went to work learning all she could to catch up on technology to support her kids.
Explains Michaels, “Time spent dedicated to caring for my twins has been the most rewarding time of my life. But I was also in an unsafe relationship, exacerbated by the stressors of COVID. Like so many mothers who give up their careers, I became financially dependent on my spouse. My ex-husband’s unexpected departure, while highly stressful, was a blessing. Although few people were aware of my situation, those who knew did all they could to support us – including friends who encouraged me to research NFTs. So, I did a deep dive into all things crypto. Cryptocurrency can be a polarizing topic, but bottom line: financial freedom is a key priority for those involved in this space. Women around the world today are looking for ways to control their financial well-being. I am one of those women.”
Titled, Pretty Smart Art, the new Sugarluxe collection features hand-illustrated, fashion-forward girls, with select characters highlighting gorgeous accessories by Kendra Scott. The Sugarluxe brand’s broad appeal is more than a pretty face. Beneath the surface, its purpose is to create conversations around the fact that females aren’t solely objects of desire; women are key developers of the future.
Says Michaels, “My first art studio was on the well-known 6th Street in Austin, Texas, just a few doors down from Kendra Scott’s studio. To fund the launch of Sugarluxe, I worked as a brand development consultant. Kendra hired me to create her collateral in preparation for her entry into retail giant, Nordstrom. Since that time, I’ve worked with many women who’ve gone on to accomplish great things. These are the women who inspire my work and motivate me to showcase the power of beauty and brains.”
Dropping this month, the Pretty Smart capsule collection has been kept top secret minus a few hints on social media. Series 1 highlights 30 beautiful Limited Edition characters (and 3 rare VIP creations) with more than 1200 illustrated features. Token holders also gain access to exclusive NFT airdrops, members-only content and merchandise.
A portion of the proceeds will benefit Path Forward. As Michaels knows first-hand how tough it is to start over, her goal is to create awareness and raise money to help Path Forward’s mission of empowering caregivers to restart their careers after time spent caregiving, primarily through returnship programs.
—> Sugarluxe is America’s Sweet Art, a lifestyle brand centered on kindness and empowerment created by Chandra Michaels. She is a fan-favorite pop artist, passionate about socio-economic equality and building a creative platform to bring more diversity to the male-dominated space of art + technology.
