From Piercer to Jewelry Stylist: How Marilyn Mena-Scott began her journey to Ear Styling.
Marilyn Mena-Scott photographed by Orlando Pelagio 2024
by Kaden Elliot
KE: Hi Marilyn! Thanks so much for joining me today. To start, can you tell me a bit about your journey in the body piercing industry?
Marilyn Mena Scott: Of course! I started body piercing professionally in Miami, Florida, back in 2002. At that time, there were very few options when it came to body jewelry. You were pretty much limited to steel rings and steel balls. If you wanted to get fancy, you might use a steel spike or something like that. Over the years, more options became available, and I found myself really drawn to gold jewelry—especially high-end pieces with precious gemstones. I started wearing those kinds of pieces myself, and every studio I worked at, I was pushing for them to carry more of it.
KE: It sounds like you had a clear vision early on. How did people in the studios respond to your push for higher-end jewelry?
Marilyn Mena Scott: I was always told the same thing: that there wasn’t any demand for gold jewelry. But I believed otherwise. It wasn’t until around 2010 or 2011 that things began to shift. I had a series of brides-to-be come to see me. They noticed the jewelry I was wearing and saw how fancy and pretty it was, and they wanted to switch out their own piercings to something more elegant, like a wedding set.
KE: That’s fascinating! Why do you think brides, in particular, gravitated toward this idea?
Marilyn Mena Scott: These brides were often heavily modified, with lots of piercings that they felt were a core part of who they were. But they didn’t want to walk down the aisle with, say, a wood spike in their nose. At the time, we were so limited on fancy jewelry that everything had to be special-ordered. But I was so excited to create these wedding sets for them! I’d ask about their wedding colors, their engagement rings, and all the little details. Then we’d collaborate to put together a custom set.
KE: That sounds like such a creative process! How long would it take to get the jewelry ready for these brides?
Marilyn Mena Scott: Since everything had to be special-ordered, the jewelry would take about three or four months to arrive after it was made. But once it did, I’d put it all in, take pictures, and just geek out over how beautiful it looked. I remember thinking, “Gosh, I wish people would just come to me for this! I wish I could be a personal stylist—but for piercings!”
KE: That sounds like the start of something special. How did you take it to the next level?
Marilyn Mena Scott: Well, that’s where it really started. I began posting pictures of the creations I was doing for people, and that’s when interest started to spark. Eventually, people began reposting those pictures on Pinterest. That’s where I experienced my first viral moments—photos being shared thousands of times. New clients started coming in, showing me pictures of someone’s ear and saying, “I want something like this.” And I’d be like, “Wait, that’s my client. That’s my work!”
KE: That must have been incredible! So, it sounds like this was a really organic evolution for you?
Marilyn Mena Scott: Absolutely. I feel like every piercer who considers themselves a jewelry stylist probably went through something similar in their own way. But for me, it all started with brides, and it grew from there.
KE: That’s amazing, Marilyn. It sounds like you’ve created a whole new niche in the piercing world. Thank you so much for sharing your story with me!
