MyHartBeading jewellery is created in London by Danish Jewellery Designer, Gitte Hart. Her aim is for all pieces to have a Scandinavian feel to them allowing for each piece to be trendy, contemporary and versatile, staying true to the designers inspirational focus in Danish Design. MyHartBeading jewellery is created by hand using beading and wire-wrapping techniques. All pieces are created using semi-precious gemstones, freshwater pearls, Swarovski elements combined with sterling silver and gold as well as rose gold in various carats. Wherever possible, fair-trade elements are worked into the unique pieces.

Here, we go behind the brand with founder Gitte to find out more…

When did you launch the brand and what was the reason behind it?
I had been on a few jewellery courses off Carnaby Street, London, with my closest friend and had fallen in love with jewellery making. I couldn’t stay away from it. I figured that I couldn’t just keep making jewellery for myself and decided to get clued up on how to start a business. MyHartBeading launched shortly after at the end of 2011. I started out in a few local shops, and when I discovered the jewellery was well-received, I approached notonthehighstreet.com as this had been on top of my list since the moment I decided to take it further. When I was accepted there, the brand steadily grew to what it is today.

What’s your background?
I am actually a qualified social worker. But after having children I really wanted to be at home and left my job at the time. At the same time, I knew I couldn’t restrict myself to the role of being a mum, so I was very relieved when a few choices meant that I could take steps to develop the jewellery making into a jewellery business. It fits in well with my earlier years of being very creative – especially in music; it’s amazing to have a constant creative outlet.

How many people are involved in the company and what are their roles?
MyHartBeading is still very much a one man show. I take care of everything, right from the design process, to making MyHartBeading pieces available online to ensuring orders are made, packaged and posted out to MyHartBeading customers on time. It makes you quite the task master, and is such a great, never-ending learning curve.

If you could start over with the business, would you do anything differently?
I think the brand had to develop organically the way it has to exist at all. I’m lucky to be doing what I do, so I have no regrets.

What is the hardest challenge you have faced since you started the company?
The hardest challenge is time management in general – prioritising what is most important for steady growth of the brand and what to invest in to continue to improve the quality and essence of the pieces. I want MyHartBeading to be synonymous with quality at affordable prices, and sometimes this means that I have to take money out of profits, just to ensure that customers get what it says ‘on the box’. It’s always a balancing act, but I love the challenges the business comes with. I just wish there was more time in a day!

Tell us one fact about you that people wouldn’t know?
Whenever the going gets tough and sales drop and I start doubting myself, something amazing comes up – like a large order from a shop or an opportunity I couldn’t have foreseen that makes it all even more exciting and worth all the hours put into the business.

2017 is here, where do you plan on taking the brand?
This is the year that I create a crisp, brand new wholesale catalogue and start approaching shops in a systematic way – until now, shops have sought me out, so it’s time to take the reins in my own hands and see where it takes me.

To date, what has been the highlight since launching?
There have been a few exciting highlights, like attending Fashion Week and being in VOGUE and BRIDES Magazine and now also House Of Coco. However, I think the biggest highlight for the business to really get up and going, was to be accepted onto the notonthehighstreet.com platform. They are very selective and I hear only 7-10% of applicants make it through, and to be part of the notonthehighstreet.com team doesn’t only mean a steady flow of orders, but also access to a network of other people, all trying to create something unique. The support through this network and having the business on the notonthehighstreet.com platform has been key to MyHartBeading’s success.

Style means….?
Style is so individual and often rooted in cultures. I love the Scandinavian look – clean lines, block colours, always with an edge somehow – be it a matt suede boot, a leather jacket or fitted blazer with studs, leather-look jeans or the cool jewellery…. I could keep going… I’m a bit of a people watcher… I find that when you have styled your outfit, you walk out with confidence. So, what I find most interesting is to see the confidence it brings when people have made the effort of styling their outfit. You can obviously not wear quite the same on the school run as you can on an evening out for drinks somewhere – but you can still look appropriately smart!

Best thing about London to you?
I love spending time checking people out in the streets in general. But for some chilled out time, I love picnicking in Fulham Palace Gardens or an afternoon coffee and cake at Petersham Nursery in Richmond. If I feel like a snazzy dinner with friends, Ivy Chelsea Gardens is beautiful. I love the old glamour vibe and the sense of slowing down for a moment. Life is so busy, so places to go to slow down feel good!

Most memorable piece of advice given to you?
I found it liberating when a friend once said to me that ‘What other people think about you, is none of your business.’ It’s become a mantra as I now just focus on what I enjoy doing as much as possible, instead of worrying about how ‘things look’.

Guilty pleasure?
Coffee and chocolate and a glass of something ‘uplifting’ in the evening.

If you could spent 24 hours in anywhere in the world, where would it be?
I once lived in Reykjavik on Iceland and loved seeing the Northern Lights. I’d love to go back for 24 hours in the darkest part of winter and stand in the freezing, glittery snow, watching the unbelievable sight of the Northern Lights. It’s the best show on earth!

Find out more…

People can find out more about MyHartBeading the following websites and social media links:

www.notonthehighstreet.com/myhartbeading

www.myhartbeading.com

For behind the scenes shenanigans:

https://www.instagram.com/myhartbeading/

Other social media:

https://www.facebook.com/myhartbeading/ https://www.pinterest.co.uk/myhartbeading/ https://twitter.com/myhartbeading

Contact: myhartbeading@gmail.com

Author

Northern girl Laura is the epitome of a true entrepreneur. Laura’s spirit for adventure and passion for people blaze through House of Coco. She founded House of Coco in 2014 and has grown it in to an internationally recognised brand whilst having a lot of fun along the way. Travel is in her DNA and she is a true visionary and a global citizen.

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