The sisters behind jewellery brand Otiumberg discuss their new store and their creative ambitions
The sisters outside their new boutique in Holland Park
Tell us a little about your background and how Otiumberg came to be
Christie: Otiumberg began as a personal project between us whilst living together in London, working full-time jobs in the creative industries. We had no grand plan – we were just two sisters sitting in our kitchen after our day jobs and dreaming up our ideal jewellery collection. We envisioned the pieces we’d want to wear daily, and the ones we’d gift to our closest friends that could symbolise our dearest bonds and meaningful memories.
Rosanna: Our first pieces were inspired by some diamond huggies and name necklaces that Christie had made whilst working in luxury fashion in the Middle East and gifted to us on her return. They were so beautiful and precious that our friends began to ask about them and the collection grew from there. That original signature name collection remains one of our most loved collections today.
What’s your brand philosophy?
C: Our philosophy has always been simple: jewellery as connection. We believe in jewellery that links us to the bonds that matter – daily energetic connections with others and with ourselves. As a sister-led brand, these unspoken bonds and authentic connections have always been a very natural guiding spirit and instinctual philosophy. We try to always thread this philosophy through everything we do, from the way we craft our jewellery, to the designs themselves and the way we operate as a business and as a team.
Where does your inspiration come from?
R: We are always inspired by the world around us – the style of our friends and the interesting people we see out and about in London, and the art, culture, and incredible architecture we are so lucky to have here on our doorstep. We also spend time searching through archival and antique references.
Otiumberg 9ct Yellow Gold Mint Quartz Domino Ring
Tell us a little about your creative process from concept to realisation – what do you enjoy most?
C: I have a very active mind so I’m constantly thinking about design, it’s a never-ending process! Sometimes an idea might start as a rough sketch from a morning thought or come through a process of mood boarding with my team. I try to get out of the office when I can to get inspired and give my thoughts some space to play with ideas. It’s really joyful when an idea starts to really form and come together with sketching. Although nothing beats the arrival of a perfect sample from our workshop – that’s incredibly exciting and rewarding.
Do you have a most treasured item in your personal jewellery collection?
R: We both still wear our Knocker Ring everyday, which is particularly sentimental as it was one of the very first designs that we launched on Otiumberg. The design remains a bestseller and reminds us of our shared vision for timeless and tactile pieces that stand the test of time.
Tell us about your new store
C: We were beyond excited to open our flagship store in Holland Park this October in a very warm, flower-lined street that instantly felt like home to us. As an independent brand, it has been quite the journey of eight years to get to this point and we’re feeling very proud and grateful.
More than just a place to shop, the boutique is an intimate and peaceful place where our customers can take their time, have a cup of coffee or glass of Champagne and enjoy themselves – such a rarity these days with the pace of life we all lead. Not many people know that the Latin word Otium (the inspiration for our name) stands for a sense of leisure that involves taking time out to do something that is artistically valuable or enlightening, and the store is an extension of this thought. We see the boutique as an open door to our community – a place for special events, intimate gatherings, and opportunities to come together in person. We are excited to welcome customers there!
Otiumberg Sterling Silver Pebble Drop Earrings £175
What do you think will be your big sellers this Christmas?
R: The Roscida Heart Earrings have sold out with every restock, with a waitlist that continues to grow. Their sculptural heart form perfectly suits gifting with love.
We also recently launched a new Sage Green version of our velvet jewellery box which is such a great gift for someone with a significant jewellery collection. It’s such a romantic and practical design that it will be a gift to be cherished for years. Other than that, our Wave Collection – as seen on Jourdan Dunn and Lucy Boynton – has received a lot of attention and offers a full look for the receiver, with the earrings and matching cuff.
How do you want people wearing your pieces to feel?
C: We hope our pieces add tactile and beautiful moments to the everyday and that they make our customers feel good and connected to themselves, whether that’s through a memory of a relationship, moment, or simply a reminder of what they care about most.
Is there anyone you’d really love to see wearing one of your designs?
R: Recently it’s been exciting to see women we hugely admire such as Olivia Colman, Rebecca Ferguson, and Anne Hathaway in our jewellery, however, more than anything, seeing women out and about in London wearing our jewellery brings us the most joy. Just the other day, walking in west London, we saw a woman in her sixties wearing our cuffs and she looked amazing. For us, that’s the biggest thrill.
Otiumberg 14ct Gold Vermeil Wave Earrings £135
Can you tell us about the role of sustainability in your business?
C: As a sister-led, B-corp certified business, we want to stand proud about what we do and with that desire comes an integral sense of responsibility. The term sustainability is somewhat at odds with our industry – an industry that thrives off newness and utilises natural resources. There is no denying that. That’s why we don’t shy away from our impact and instead work to be the most responsible brand we can be. Our focus has always been on growing slowly and consciously, as we learn from the mistakes we’ve made along the way and strive to do better year after year. We’re constantly evaluating our impact, the materials we use and the innovations in the industry that become available to us. Recent introductions we are proud of include our repair and restore service, use of Single Mine Origin Gold and our charity partnership with The Girls’ Network that supports girls from underprivileged backgrounds through professional mentorship programmes. It’s a constant conversation that lies at the heart of what we do.
What’s next for Otiumberg?
R: For the near future, we’re very focused on the boutique and look forward to welcoming our clients there – whether that’s for a trunk show with their friends or a personalised styling appointment. It takes a lot to make a store a success and as an independent brand we need to put all we have into the space to make it the success we hope (and know!) it can be.
