THE POPUP SHOP



THE POP UP SHOP

 COLLABORATIONS & CREATIONS


Discover homegrown brands and distinct designs at the annual Pop-Up Shop.


Join our independent design community for a day of shopping, style and creativity.




Wednesday November 27th 2013 For one day only, ‘The Space’ in Sheung Wan will be transformed into a hive of creativity and one stop shop. Hong Kong’s creative community will come together in a curation of the finest in contemporary lifestyle and fashion.

Meet the creatives behind the brands; and have the opportunity to find the perfect gifts from homegrown and International creatives.

Collaboration is at the heart of what these talented designers do – whether it’s bringing together cultures, influences or inspiration. This unique experience showcases the a fusion of design, music and fashion for an indulgent day of artistic appreciation and of course, a touch of retail therapy.

Sponsored by Belvedere, join us and mixologist John O’Toole, for a cocktail master class, whilst treating yourself, or shopping for your Christmas gifts. There will also be a milliner workshop by Awon Golding.

The day wraps up with drinks, nibbles and dialogues with a party from 5pm.


Other Programs:

 
Millinery Workshop by Cordelia Bradley : 2pm


Hong Kong-based milliner Cordelia Bradley presents an introduction to hat making. After a brief talk about the history and traditions of millinery, participants will be invited to make their own headpiece. (Materials will be provided) Please reserve your spot at cordelia@hatwoman.hk

 
Gin and Tonic Masterclass by John O’Toole : 3pm


An interactive chat and class about the history of the drink, different styles of tonic, garnishing, making one at home, etc.  A self-described “booze geek,” John O’Toole has spent the better part of a decade making and serving drinks. Tending bar, running wine lists, and providing training and consultation, there are few aspects of alcohol that have eluded him in his travels around Asia and the world. Based in Hong Kong, you can usually find him behind the stick at Wyndham the 4th, or on his favorite stool at the Globe.


More about our designers:



Cecilia Ma


Cecilia Ma Couture is an emerging designer brand, which debuts the first Ready-to- Wear collection in Paris in 2011. With the great passion towards fashion, Cecilia launches Jewelry line in 2012. They present at Paris fashion Week and international tradeshow every season. The brand is soon very discovered by buyers from high-end department stores and select shop.

Inspired by Tribal culture, designer Cecilia Ma fabricates a very unique jewelry collection by combining unconventional mix of materials and colors along with crochet techniques. The striking fusion of Neon color and vintage assortments is the signature of the Tribal Collection. More information at www.eshop.ceciliama.com

Cordelia Bradley

CORDELIA BRADLEY MILLINERY is all things hat related! From headbands to occasion pieces, theatrical hats to high fashion, CBM covers it all. Entirely designed, sourced and hand-crafted by Cordelia Bradley, each piece is treated as a work of art. It’s Cordelia’s belief that the right hat can balance an outfit and make it - and the wearer look more beautiful, more intriguing, and more confident. More information at www.facebook.com/CordeliaBradleyMillinery


Daydream Nation

Daydream Nation is a Fashion Arts House founded in 2006. Aside from being an international fashion label, Daydream Nation is celebrated for its cross-disciplinary collaborations with other art forms including theatre, dance, music, film and visual arts. With the opening of it's flagship store in October 2010, Daydream Nation is set to become Hong Kong's new creative hub. Alongside its own collection of clothing and accessories, it features the work of local artists and indie bands, and runs a program of creative workshops, events and happenings. Capturing hearts with its inspired designs and whimsical spirit, Daydream Nation has dressed international stars such as Ke$ha and Juliette Binoche; collaborated with a range of brands including Peter Jensen,

Shangri-la, The Old Curiosity Shop and Urban Outfitters; and even caught the eye of CHANEL, whom selected pieces from our AW09 collection to inspire Karl Lagerfeld’s work.

Its work has received awards such as Vogue Italia’s ‘Vogue Talent 2010’; Hong Kong’s Ten Outstanding Designers Award 2009, 2011; Perspective/Cierre Italia’s ‘40 under 40’ Design Award, 2009; and White Milan’s ‘Womanswear Inside White Award’, 2008.

Daydream Nation is currently selling to over 10 countries, stocked in over 80 shops around the world. More information at www.daydream-nation.com


J.J. threads


Creativity, customization, and community are the principles behind the online shirting company J.J. Threads.  By providing a range of fabrics, customization options, and fits, J.J. Threads is the online equivalent to bespoke tailoring. Customers can browse a comprehensive database of the finest cloths from the world's most respected mills, including Thomas Mason, Monti, Albini, and Liberty of London.  Using an interactive design interface, customers can choose the fit, design details and finishes that best reflect their personal style. Unique in the industry, J.J. Threads strives to bring together people from all over the world to share their designs and collaborate on new ones via its online community.  More information at www.jjthreads.com


La Petite Caravane


A French children's clothing company, La Petite Caravane celebrates childhood through a rich palette of unexpected prints and vibrant colors. Made with care and in limited edition, our designs are vintage-inspired and use quality fabrics hand-picked from around the world. We design clothes to do cartwheels on the beach, pick berries from hedgerows and climb up trees. Elegantly.


MARIJOLI

Marijoli is jewellery that plays with the tension between contrasts. These are beautiful wearable art pieces that embody a philosophy and lifestyle espousing simplicity yet richness, that borrow from history as much as modernity, and are delicate as much as they are avant-garde.

Having launched her collection in 2006 in Tokyo where she was based at the time, the young, dynamic, Swiss-born jeweller, Marielle Byworth, rapidly created a cult following for her unique easily identifiable signature Elema collection and its organic shapes.

Since then she had pushed the boundaries of jewellery design with her unorthodox combinations of precious and semi-precious stones and modern materials, which have made her pieces highly coveted staples for women internationally- from her home city of Hong Kong, to the red carpet of Cannes. Diamonds are combined with black vinyl, rubies are paired with wood, and coloured stones are layered atop leather to create a look of modern elegance. Fusing influences from her childhood in Switzerland, the urban environment of her former home in Tokyo and elements of Asian spiritual philosophy, each piece of Marijoli jewellery is a work of inspiration and imagination.

Trained at the Graphic Art School of Swiss Romande (ERAG) and the University of Art and Design of Lausanne, Switzerland (ECAL), Marielle has an eye for detail and technical perfection while always maintaining functionality and emphasizing the beauty of design.

Since relocating to HK from Tokyo, Marielle has redirected much focus to creating special bespoke pieces for men and women. All pieces are produced in either her atelier in Hong Kong or Switzerland. More information at www.marijoli.com

 
MISCHA


The MISCHA label originated as an expression of founder Michelle Lai’s aesthetic aspirations and love of vintage Japanese kimono and obi.  In 2004, her penchant for the ancient embroidery arts inspired the designer to debut her work of handmade clutches, crafted from her personal collection of treasured fabrics. Embracing Asian aesthetics in a uniquely Western context, the pieces soon developed a cult following, and by 2008, they were coveted in cities around the world.

In 2010, the brand launched a line of luggage featuring its signature monogram, inspired by ancient Japanese geometric motifs. Embodying chic simplicity, the interlocking hexagon pattern has become the brand’s iconic mark. Designed with a globetrotter’s lifestyle in mind, the line of coated canvas and leather-trimmed totes and accessories have become a staple of the jet set and are found in multi-brand boutiques, luxury department stores and online retailers worldwide.

MISCHA was selected as one of eight brands to represent Hong Kong in a collective known as Fashion Guerilla, during Paris Fashion Week 2013.  In the same year, MISCHA became one of the first brands to be part of a new retail model, Shop Elsewhere, pioneered by Ogilvy & Mather, winning a Bronze medal at the 60th Cannes Lion Festival.


Mary Ching

MARY CHING is a British-Chinese designer brand of opulent footwear and desirable objects.

Alison MARY CHING Yeung had a vision for a world where she could fully embrace her mixed heritage: a contrast of East and West. This resulted in the creation of MARY CHING, a brand that thrives on the Tension of Opposites.

MARY CHING became China’s first luxury shoe and accessories brand in 2009, with every collection featuring provocative stilettos, elegant flats, indulgent leather and cashmere slippers available in tantalizing textures and materials. The collection has since expanded to include luxurious pashminas and rich cashmere travel sets. More information at www.mary-ching.com


niin

niin is positioned as an International 'affordable-luxury' brand, which through its ethos and use of unique materials presents one-of-a-kind pieces where the basics of nature become luxury with a conscience.

n i i n built its name on its passion for design and raw creativity with a penchant for the chic and wearable. Its commitment to natural beauty and environmental responsibly inspires its unique aesthetic. Relying on natural finds for materials, you'll discover simple pieces of nature transformed by hand into inspiring treasures.

Jeanine Hsu’s background is from Central St. Martins and after spending a number of years in London building the brand, relocated to Hong Kong where she now has a showroom on Wyndham Street in Central.

Numerous International celebrities can be seen wearing niin such as; Kate Moss, Poppy Delevigne, Nicole Scherzinger, Amanda S, Rosemary Vanderbrouke, Karen Ma, Claire Hsu, Lady Lucy Tang etc. www.niinstyle.com


Ox & butcher


Ox & butcher shoes are created to make men stand out in a crowd, with classic designs complemented by bold, stylish colours.
The shoes are designed in collaboration with a fashion model who understands what makes a man look good, a designer who sees the importance in detail, and a Spanish shoemaker who has been in the industry for more than half a century.
The concept of our brand is to make a new statement in footwear by blending the old and the new, and adding unique details.
Each and every pair of our shoes is carefully handcrafted in Spain. The shoes are made with the highest quality suede, using traditional shoemaking methods with contemporary, colourful designs that allow you to create your own personal footprint. More information at www.oxandbutcher.com


Orplay

OR is a design collaboration between two French Canadian designers, Nadine Ouellet & Maxime Rheault. Bringing their experiences in design, education and parenting to the task of designing objects that can be extended to play, reading, art objects and even clothing accessories.  OR is inspired by childhood and traditions.

For the families resolutely contemporary & creative who cherished history!
More information at www.or-atelier and www.or-play.com


Por Do Sol


Por Do Sol is a collection of swimwear and resort wear pieces for women which embodies the glamour and playfulness of its founder and creative director Wendy Puyat.

Por Do Sol designs are adorned with semi-precious stones, embroidered appliques, hand beading and much attention to detail. All swimwear is made from Italian-grade fabric that has passed all UV and chlorine testing and comes in a wide array of colors and finishes. Even the most daringly cut swimsuits can be worn for intense water activities.

The resort pieces are made from 100% silk, tulle and intricate embroidered appliques to bring richness and volume to the dainty yet thoroughly attention-grabbing designs. They are the perfect compliment to the swimwear collection transitioning seamlessly from day to evening.  More information at www.pordosolstyle.com


Seventy Eight Percent


Seventy Eight Percent is a Hong Kong-based brand focused on creating high quality functional bags and fashion accessories for creative professional men. The brand was founded by Shai Levy, an award-winning Israeli designer, who moved to Hong Kong ten years ago and has made it his home.

Having years of experience designing outdoor bags, Shai adapts the performance and functional qualities of outdoor gear to the urban environment. He does so by melding functional features with the edginess of sophisticated street-style and the craftsmanship of haute couture.

The brand was launched in Lane Crawford, Hong-Kong, in October 2009; It was immediately featured by a long list of global design and style publications, who nominated it as one of Asia’s noteworthy emerging designer brands. It became popular among trend- setting urban professionals worldwide, gaining recognition for its innovative designs, sophisticated style and quality.

Seventy Eight Percent is now being sold in over forty high-end fashion, luggage and design stores in Hong Kong, Japan, North America, Australia, Singapore, Korea, Taiwan, and Indonesia.

Thyvane

Thyvane is dedicated to ties, bow ties and special collaborations. Launched in August 2013, Thyvane was founded by Australian Roger Thyvane Ouk out of a desire to create luxurious neck pieces that spoke to the contemporary gentleman. Drawing inspiration from the diverse histories and cultures of the contemporary man, Thyvane's neck pieces are evocative and laden with meaning. They feature different cuts and folds and are made in exquisite lace, leather, wool, silk and other sumptuous materials. Select styles are available on Thyvane's online store and at Kapok in Hong Kong and Fokus in Melbourne. Alongside the collections, Thyvane is also working with inspiring people from art, technology, design and other creative fields on special collaborations beyond the traditional sphere of fashion, with the first premiering at the brand's launch a short film Promise and Power. More information at thyvane.com



X-Mas Sale at Kee Club



On Monday, November 25th, from 11:00am – 8:00pm, join us at KEE Club 
(6/F, 32 Wellington Street) for KEE Club and Dim Sum & Then Some’s 5th Annual Holiday Bazaar, 
a full day of fabulous festive season fun featuring holiday grooves, mulled wine, mince pies, Christmas cakes and cookies, and all day free flowing dim sum. 
Featuring 20 of Hong Kong’s best brands 


 Pendant MAKRA 9ct gold with aquamarine

From holiday cards and wrapping, to beautiful organic foods for your next dinner party, to accessories for your table and gorgeous gifts for the home, to stunning candles and spa products, to glittering jewellery, plush cashmere and sparkling kaftans, to adorable children’s wear and toys this is one of the most show-stopping shopping event of the season! 


 ring MACTOR silver goldplated with ruby




Entry is complimentary and all guests are welcome, including children, for this very special one-day-only festive fair. 

Campo de color - Venezia Bienale 2013








The spices installation Campo de color by Sonia Falcone
gave us the joy
of a deep fleeting nature of life in Venezia.


They know what they want!


 
What a fun private sale last Wednesday 10 April at Pravya Copin's residence.
By 5.30pm sharp the first ladies arrived and were all over the place looking for the special piece.
The stavorites earrings with crystal de roche was already been pre-reserved on instagram as well as the Mandi silver gold plated multi function accessorie. It was a great evening serrounded by amazing ladies - They know what they want!...that is for sure!!!



By 6 pm not much was left and and champagne start flowing so we could finally catch up on gossips and exchange our summer plans. 


Elema bracelet | Elema earrings - silver rhodium plated






Rings with Rie | Bespoke  DOF earrings with tsavorites and crystal de roche





 DOF ring with rubies and onyx | Matreck earrings and diamonds rings on white gold 18k


No worries for those who couldnt make it at the end as we will have an other one soon.
Be patient and keep in touch with Marijoli's Facebook page

Michelle Lai


Rowma Bracelet with Michelle Lai on the 4th anniversary of MISHA


Having just celebrated her brand MISCHA's 4th Anniversary, 
Michelle Lai is living the dream as a Hong Kong designer.
Michelle first created the MISCHA label back in 2004, when her passion for vintage finds led her to create a line of luxe handmade clutch bags made from reclaimed Japanese obi and kimono.
Those gorgeous clutch bags quickly developed a cult following and now, MISCHA's Travel Collection of globetrotter inspired totes and travel accessories with the brand's signature print of interlocking hexagons is instantly recognisable on the streets of Hong Kong and beyond!

Bespoke cuff



This private order is made of sterling silver 
and gold plated. Jewellery that explores the natural world.
Simple and elegant with an emphasis on recycled metals.






Bespoke information to info@marijoli.om



Pop-Up & Fundraising @ T9M

Over two days, The9thMuse Pop-Up Shop displayed select good from six renowned designers: jewelry from the edgy and ethical Edge of Ember; the avant-garde stylings of Marijoli; modern and architecturally inspired clutches and jewelry by New York designer M.C.L; whimsical and luxurious pieces by Hong Kong’s niin; the daring and bold accessories of Pretty Dangerous; and adventurous handmade necklaces and more by local favorite Tangram.




 This event was a great for browsing beautiful and innovative accessories, learning more about Foodlink’s charitable work, and of course having a lovely visit at The9thMuse! Beyond the fun of trying on this and that, The9thMuse gave its first Pop-Up Shop even more festive flair with an end-of-event party.





Marijoli would like to thank all for the silent auction fundraising sponsors: Chicha, Chuan Spa, The Chinese Timekeeper, Camerastore, baked., SIGLO, Wine Shop Asia, Peter Panda Win and The Four Seasons. Thanks also to our food and beverage sponsers: Delicious Catering, LYV, la Cantine by French Gourmet, baked., Hungry Bear Popcorn.

Spirit of X-Mas

Thank you to our 600 Christmas shoppers coming on the 6F of Wellington Street!!! We had a blast seeing everybody as Real Christmas spirit cannot be found online!
Laur Meyrieux was in the mood for sipping mulled wine meanwhile Leyla Bouzouba
enjoy some Dim Sum... Even Mabel Wong came to help me out while fixing her flat.  We all got our Christmas gifts done while presenting Marijoli's collection.
Thanks to Neveen Aziz, Kelly Berlin and Marc-David Nathan to look after all of us on this Happy Shopping day!

with one of our favorite stylist - Tina Leung

Even Joel Robuchon managed to stop by before heading to Noodle Me

Private Sale

Hoohohoooo!

Christmas parties are always a ton of fun. Celebrating the holiday season is something that most people look forward to all year. Getting together with family and friends, enjoying the winter white surroundings, getting warm and cozy by the fire, and enjoying with relish a variety of treats and delicious dishes. Come and celebrate with us a hot chocolate or a glass of wine during our private sale. Marielle will guide you to find the most exquisite XMas gift for your special one or just for yourself.



 
Location : Kee Club
Time : from 11-8pm
Date : 26 of November




Why girls engage those terrible friendship wars?


 Mothers of daughters often dread the advent of the friendship wars. "Uh oh, here it is," they often think as they see their daughter come home crying from school for the first time because another girl called her "a name". Most mothers don't want to remember the pain of those years, and if they do, they certainly want to protect their daughters from what they suffered; so they try to minimize it for their daughter. "So what?" they may say. "What do you care what she says? Don't let it bother you." Yet mothers find themselves often quite helpless in this situation it's one of the first signs that they cannot control the world for their growing daughters. "Should I call that horrible girl's mother?" they ask themselves. They would love to protect their child from the exclusion of being the one girl who is not invited to the popular girls' party. And they may ask, "What do I do if my daughter chooses girls who I think are undermining her confidence?" And, "Why is my strong-minded daughter so influenced by her friends?"

 Girls' friendships are passionate, but they are also painful

Why is it girls' friendships that are so often troubled that teachers and school counsellors note that much of their non academic work with adolescent girls is about friendship struggles dilemmas that they also feel perplexed about how to handle. "Girls are in my office all day complaining about each other," said one middle school principal. "One day one's feelings are hurt. The next day it's another. I wish I knew how to make this easier for them." A school counsellor remarked, "The girls aren't violent as often as boys, but they take their fights more personally, and argue more, and come to us constantly about their problems with other girls. It's really hard to help them."
Well, what I say about girls' and women's friendships may also be true of many male friendships: certainly, in the early years, for both boys and girls, play with other kids is a major social enterprise. But friendship is clearly experienced - and performed - differently for girls and for boys. By the age of four, girls and boys segregate themselves when they play with peers and when they form friendships. Girls choose girls; boys choose boys. If boys try to join a group of girls, they usually mean to cause trouble. If a girl tries to join a group of boys, she is very likely to be rejected. This segregation seems to be universal - across culture and class, and occurs - especially in a school context, even when the adults try to mix the children. Boys and girls like playing with different things, and they also have very different play styles, and distinctive cultures emerge in all-girls groups and in all-boy groups. Boys are more "physical" in their play that girls, and engage in a good deal of roughhousing. They form more obvious, and more stable, hierarchies, and engage more directly in competition with one another (fifty per cent of the play time, versus one per cent of girls' play time). Girls sustain long, turn-taking conversations more often than boys. More often than boys, girls express agreement with a friend's suggestions. When they make suggestions of their own, they often add a tag question (shall we? should we?) Boys are more likely to use direct imperatives: ` give me, put it there', or prohibitions: `don't do that', `get away from that'.


Gold memory from Cannes Festival

Conflict in girls' groups can also go unnoticed because it is usually indirect: the competition is for the more nebulous good of popularity (not, as in boys' games who can throw furthest, who's the strongest); but who is best liked, who's most likeable, or popular, or who is closer to the girl whom everyone likes. The chief commodity in the girls' community is intimacy. Girls monitor their friendships for subtle shifts in alliances, and they seek to be friends with popular girls. Popularity is a kind of status, but it also brings problems. Popular girls were often disliked because they can be envied, they can be the target of gossip, and they can be considered stuck up. Because the most important thing in girls' friendship is intimacy, they cannot have masses of friends, and so a popular girl, who attracts lots of other girls, must reject some of those girls in order to preserve the intimacy in the relationships she has. This makes her seem to others stuck up.
Popularity is dangerous, too, because it is transient. Girls' hierarchies are much less stable than those of boys', and so girls' are acutely aware of subtle nuances of inclusion and exclusion. Girls' emphasis on closeness and intimacy and understanding - does not always lead to nice and thoughtful behaviour. Such concern about intimacy arouses envy and anxiety. Alienating tactics - excluding someone from play, and spreading negative gossip about a girl, increase sharply with age, and such tactics are almost never mentioned by boys. This buried conflict causes girls' enormous pain - yet friendships are too important to give up, just because they often hurt. Learning to negotiate the pitfalls of friendship begins to seem the core of existence to the growing girl: the potential for rejection, alongside the dependence, makes friendships both powerful and dangerous - but few girls, or women, would give them up: many say, "I don't know who I'd be without my friends."

Interview for Kee Club Magazine






1. Your jewelry caught my eye at the Liberatum Arts Festival when you were wearing a simple necklace and bracelet.  You mentioned that you started production because so many people liked the pieces you created as gifts for your friends. Can you tell me how you turned the idea of Marijoli jewelry into reality?


As you mentioned, I was already producing the pieces for myself as I struggled to find jewellery that I really adored and were affordable. So it was really a case of scalability; and therefore finding a production partner that I could trust. I worked with factories in Japan initially, but surprisingly it was a challenge to achieve the level of quality that I needed with Japanese producers. I then used a family contact to launch production with a factory in Thailand. Once production was organized I set about trying to grow the brand recognition, I did a series of launch parties in Japan with other designers I respected, and worked with Miss Universe Japan, as a stylist…. [smiling] Obviously my jewellery was always top of my recommendations… 



2. You were born and educated in Switzerland and moved to Japan to start your atelier in 2005 where the brand Marijoli was created.  You are also a tremendous traveler and avid diver.  What influenced you to relocate to Japan and how have your travels and diving experiences shaped your jewelry?


Japan was an opportunity offered to my husband with his work. He wasn’t keen, but I motivated him to go as it felt somehow part of our destiny to be there. We married late and moving to Japan meant that we were able to start afresh as a new couple. When I arrived I worked out of our apartment which had an amazing view of Mount Fuji and the Tokyo skyline. I also started training to be a yoga instructor. As a result, my first work was very zen and the theme of simplicity has been maintained throughout my later creations. Diving became a part of my life on our honeymoon in the Maldives and later in Palau which is one of the seven wonders of the diving world. The underwater world had a large influence on what I did, as I drew on natures wonderful and basic architecture witnessed in much of the plant life, particularly coral.



4. What are your favorite materials to work with?

A stone is always a very personal thing, and I really enjoy working with clients to find the stone that ‘speaks’ to them when working on bespoke pieces.




5. Can you tell me the secret of modern elegance?

Good question! It’s something we are all after and it’s my goal to always observe and stay close to my customers and find out what makes them shine. There is no general answer to this question, but we all have the potential for it in our own individual way. [Eyes lighting up] I can help you find  it.



6. You aim to work on materials that can be recycled and not re-sold.  Sustainability issues seem to be at the forefront of the media today; can you discuss your views on this in regards to the jewelry industry?

 The industry has always been fond of recycling. Obviously that will always be the case with high value base materials. Gold mining and Diamond mining come with environmental and social problems, but even if everybody in jewellery production aimed to use recycled products, that would not stop the mining of gold and Diamonds. On a positive note, on a few occasions, I have had someone come to me with something that has sentimental value, but is not to their taste asking that I create something new for them using the components.




7. Many of your designs feature a coral style pattern that captures negative space.  Did you learn this method during your studies at University of Art and Design Lausanne in Switzerland, or did you develop it in Japan?

My degree gave me a base that I could build and evolve from, I like to think that I retain the practicality of industrial design in all of my work.




 11. Jewelry is passed down from generation to generation, and the most treasured pieces have often been inherited from loved ones.  Can you give me some insight into how you feel having a child will affect both your work and your collection?

The new trend is ‘push gifts’. A natural evolution of the inheritance process will be a passing on of the push gift to the relevant child. I don’t think having a child will much affect my designs, essentially I try to achieve a balance of elegance with modern style, so fashion and its evolution are very important.




12. You’re pieces are very personal, however with celebrities such as Madonna and Kate Moss wearing your designs sometimes it is hard to retain this.  How do you plan to preserve the private aura of your jewelry?


I have two lines. Marijoli which is what you find on our online boutique principally made of sterling silver and plated in either gold or rhodium and produced in larger quantities while Marielle Byworth is the brand for masterpieces and bespoke work. MB is the ‘fine jewelry’ line and is only available on private order. In that way we can individualize and preserve the aura of our creation.



13. Marijoli designs cater to many different markets.  In your opinion what is the biggest difference between Asian and European consumers of your designs?

 I would say that is not a big difference for us as we tend to reach a certain type of clients that have the same taste and habit and lifestyle. The brand is for girls with individual style, and the confidence to wear it.





14. The 9th Muse is very similar to your brand, modern yet elegant at the same time.  It is a fabulous platform for jewelers to showcase and sell their designs.  How were you first introduced to Jing and Charlotte from the company?

I heard of the shop while ago before it opened from a friend of Charlotte called Piecco Pang and then I met Jing at a private party. We had a quick chat and met again in their shop…We clicked and decided to give it a try for this summer.



15. You mentioned that you would like to extend the collection to bags, belts and accessories.  Are there any designs in the works?

I used to do a lot of collaboration in the past with fashion designers, and artists. One of particular prominence was the swimwear collection branded Ma&Ma which was a way for me to experiment with different mediums and widen my offering. Since moving to Hong Kong I have refocused on jewellery, as I think there is so much to do in it and I want to give our beautiful women a chance to shine



16. What is next for the Marijoli brand?

Most likely a branded shop front, or at least a studio with a show room. Location is difficult though as I need to be able to disconnect from the intense energy of Hong Kong.



Images by Lucy Mc Nally
Words by Dervla Louli

MM Necklace - Private order



Pink gold 18k with diamonds




Interview for the Swiss Business Hub



1. What is your business and how long have you been in operation?

We are a jewellery design and manufacture firm specializing in fashion jewellery and bespoke one off pieces. Marijoli has been doing business since early 2005, so we are into our eighth year in operation.

2. When did you set-up in Hong Kong?

We set up in HK after moving from Japan in late 2009. Following the end of the financial crisis, surprisingly started to see the demise of the expat community there, so the move was logical.

3. Why did you set-up here?

Hong Kong is actually a far more cosmopolitan market than Japan, and as such a far better fit for Marijoli and particularly the bespoke line. People like to cause a stir when they enter a room in Hong Kong... Tokyo is quite the opposite.

4. Do you feel that Hong Kong is a good place to start a business?

Hong Kong is a great place to start a business. Thanks to the British framework that surrounds much of Company legal infrastructure, it is a very simple and transparent place to set up a company.

5. What have been the advantages and opportunities here that you may not have had in Switzerland?

Switzerland has a lot of onerous employment costs, whereas Hong Kong is a lot more flexible, again mirroring the UK. Although I do miss the long lunches.



6. What types of challenges have you encountered doing business here?

The biggest challenge here has being trying to negotiate with the Chinese factories, which has been extremely difficult. We have had some bad experiences and as a result moved the majority of production to Thailand, which for similar pricing is much higher quality.

7. Upon reflection of your own journey, what are the top three key business tips that you could give colleagues in Switzerland who wish to come to Hong Kong to try their hand at starting a business here?

Just come and do it! It is so easy.If you need to negotiate with the Chinese, get a Chinese partner in the enterprise. Finding someone you can trust can be hard. Invest time in training your team. Cantonese people are extremely efficient if they are clear on what they are supposed to be doing. Take a little extra time making that investment.

Rejuvenation


Most people don’t realize that every piece of jewellery even the most expensive ages and degenerates with time. Everyday activities can damage your jewellery. It doesn’t take a hard bump to damage the claw or setting and leave your diamond or gemstone exposed to chipping, breaking or falling out.
  • Your diamonds can come loose when the piece is dropped, gets knocked against your kitchen tiles or in between plates while washing up, or is bumped against any hard surface.
  • The claws may get pulled off the diamonds or gemstones after being caught on a piece of clothing or in between shopping bags.
  • You might be at the gym and accidently bump the exercise equipment or weights.
  • Gardening or physically intensive jobs and activities can loosen the stones in their settings.
This why I started to REJUVENATE jewellery starting with my friend who were so afraid to tell her husband that she lost a diamond on her ring after a night out in Cave des Rois in St Tropez...


...Or recycling all the left over jewellery from your ex-boyfriend into a new necklace. Here is an example that I made this week with a ring that had a missing diamond.

Emerald ring REJUVENATED into a fresh yellow gold look!