Where In the World Is Thomas Mann?
This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.

Since 1988, jewelry designer Thomas Mann has headquartered his workshop and retail space – I/O Gallery – in New Orleans. From there, he has sold his own work, along with that of other artisans, and served as mentor to a generation of young metalsmiths. But in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, this pillar of the industry has seen his business hit hard – despite a forward-thinking disaster plan he had in place.
When Katrina was looming, a barebones staff of three I/O employees secured the operation. They sent the corporation’s management data, which included wholesale orders and receivables, to Mamou, La., home of one of the staff members. They moved critical equipment to a high floor and boarded windows and doors. The plan worked as it was designed to, and the neighborhood was not among the most severly affected. “We had no damage. We had no water,” Mr. Mann said. “We could walk back into the building and open it again if we wanted to.”
But reopening in this uptown location (1810/1812 Magazine St.) seems a vague dream at the moment. New Orleans is not yet the tourist destination it was. As a result, Mr. Mann is temporarily moving his retail operation to the town of Lafayette in the heart of Acadiana, 120 miles southwest of New Orleans. The question is: How fast can he get his artists working again?
After the hurricane, his 14 employees – designers, marketing staff, and office personnel – dispersed to places as far-flung as San Diego, Boston, and Canada. And in order to start production again, Mr. Mann needs his core group of eight metalsmiths (the apprentices and artisans who craft and finish the jewelry) to come back to town. And not just any craftsman can substitute. “We have a huge investment in their knowledge base,” he said. “I don’t want them to slip away. So before they have to go out and find other jobs we’re either going to turn them into subcontractors or bring them into the operation in Lafayette.”
But returning to New Orleans after Katrina isn’t so simple. “This is a highly emotional time for people,” Mr. Mann said. Two of his employees lost their homes. (And the boss has offered space in his.) Others are faced with the cleanup process and decisions that will affect their families for years to come.
Mr. Mann, however, is likely to be successful in luring his team back to work. To many, he is a figure who inspires loyalty. Brooklyn silver jewelry designer Sarah Mann (no relation) feels she learned the tools to run her own business – Mann Studio – in his shop. “I started working for him as a smith, then I worked for him as a studio manager. I learned both ends of the business through him,” Ms. Mann said. “His jewelry is really accessible, so it draws people in. But his personality is what people keeps people with him.”
For those who sell Mr. Mann’s jewelry – such as Mark Milliken, proprietor of Mark Milliken Gallery (1200 Madison Ave., 212-534-8802) – the respect is just as abiding. “He creates mini sculptures with every piece. He’s an architect, a sculpture, and a designer all in one,” Mr. Milliken said. “He takes it all very seriously. And he has mentored tons of people.”
Though Mr. Milliken has a variety of Mr. Mann’s work for sale, collectors might be hard-pressed to find what they’re looking for in the near future. The inventory of his one-of-a-kind works that fetch as much as $2,500 (as well as the items in the $25 to $65 range) are in stock, but until Mr. Mann can revive his design and production studio, that’s all there is.
Now that there’s no such thing as business as usual in New Orleans, the designer is relying more heavily on the Internet to encourage sales. His hope for the Lafayette store is that it will be fully operational before the holidays, the period during which he normally grosses 60% of his annual sales, which average about a million dollars.
Meanwhile, Mr. Mann has found inspiration from the storm and will soon unveil a pin – dubbed NOLA Rising – that captures both the intensity of the hurricane and the hope for the future. Mr. Mann is optimistic about being able to sell them for about $10 each and is pledging all profits from the sale of NOLA Rising to the Craft Emergency Relief Fund (CERF). The money will be used to aid members of New Orleans’s large crafts community. “We all love New Orleans,” he said. “We’re committed to being part of the renaissance.”