Otiumberg has been quietly making a name for itself as the go-to label abundant with elevated everyday jewellery.
Founded by sister duo Rosanna and Christie Wollenberg, the London-based label delivers timeless pieces with an enduring appeal of minimalism and modernity.
What do the first 30 minutes of your day look like, your morning routines?
Christie Wollenberg: I have three young children so the morning for me is getting the kids fed and ready for school and nursery. My cup of coffee is an absolute must and really brings me so much joy.
Rosanna Wollenberg: I’m yet to have children so my morning is a lot less manic! I’ll try to take a cold shower and then make a coffee before running over my emails and itinerary for the day. I sometimes enjoy getting up a little earlier to do some guided breathing if I know that the day ahead is likely to be challenging.
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As sisters, what inspired you to go into the jewellery business collectively? Was the goal always to start something together?
We’ve always been very close as sisters and the idea for Otiumberg came about when we were working in creative industries and living together in London. We very naturally fell into the jewellery industry as we both had multiple piercings and always sought out jewellery as a means of personal expression. In those days we only had the options of high-street low-quality jewellery or inaccessible fine jewellery collections. Neither of these interested us, so we decided to try and create our own pieces. On that journey, we initially focused on crafting jewellery for our own personal collections that we could wear every day, but still felt special and bespoke. That’s why we were so drawn immediately to craft pieces in precious materials such as gold vermeil and 9-karat solid gold, both of which at the time were completely new to us. We loved how these materials gave us the finish and quality we were looking for whilst remaining attainable. At first, we were just excited about creating for ourselves, but once our friends and wider community took interest, we built Otiumberg slowly from there. To this day we guide the business together without external investment, which allows us to keep that creative freedom and listen to our intuition.
Coming from different work backgrounds, was it an advantage to build a brand and start a career with a clean slate?
RW: Our previous roles fostered very complementary skill sets which have been invaluable for building Otiumberg together. Christie, coming from luxury fashion with roles at Louis Vuitton in Dubai and Burberry in London, has a strong eye for design and a deep care for craftsmanship. My experience on the other hand working in the arts and brand strategy in London and New York brings an understanding of brand positioning, values and a strong visual aesthetic. Whilst our different experience makes us stronger, I also believe that our shared values and close relationship as sisters is the glue that really binds the brand. Not only do we share a value system from having grown up together, but we’re able to have honest conversations that cover business and important personal issues that might be more difficult with a colleague. When you run a business, it really can take over, so it’s been so valuable to have this bond, trust and understanding of each other throughout our journey. We’ve realised over the years just how important having a strong co-founder relationship is and I couldn’t think of anyone better to do it with.
What defines the Otiumberg aesthetic?
The collection is a very personal reflection in jewellery, an ode to understatement and effortless style. We are always focused on crafting pieces that hold a timeless perspective with subtle details and touches that make the piece feel special and tactile.
How has the brand evolved since it launched in 2016?
The brand has evolved organically as we ourselves have evolved as designers and women over the last seven years. I think our point of view has become clearer and our values more defined. A good example of this is our personalised collection which I created after the birth of my children, as I wanted to wear their names in a way that was subtle and classic. Our name bracelet and name pendants have since become bestsellers and are a signature of the brand. Sustainability has been a pillar of Otiumberg since its inception.
“I do think that coming to the jewellery industry as outsiders made us question everything and installed in us a desire to do things differently”
How does it feel to have a consciously made jewellery brand?
It was never a goal to become known for being responsible, but rather a personal desire to have a business that we can be proud of. There’s no denying the impact the industry has and so we wanted to make sure we were conscious of our role within that and what we could do to lighten our impact. I do think that coming to the jewellery industry as outsiders made us question everything and installed in us a desire to do things differently. We recently acquired B Corp certification, and it was wonderful to see the work we have put in to become a responsible brand over the years receive formal recognition. It gives us a great framework to grow in the future and we look forward to seeing where that takes us. Your pieces are timeless and seasonless.
How do you approach creating consistently well-made collections and where do you get inspiration from?
It’s always felt very clear to us that the jewellery we design should be a reflection of our personal style and an expression of who we are. We don’t follow trends and are instead inspired by the people and world that surrounds us – that could be our family, our friendship groups, or a painting or antique piece we discover. Our design ethos is about creating pieces you want to live in, that you soon feel naked without. We never want our designs to overpower rather we want them to be tactile, subtle and intimate with considered touches and detailing that make them feel special. There’s a consistency to the designs because of this and the fact that we stay true to ourselves, and how we wear jewellery.
Which pieces would you recommend for the Middle Eastern consumers?
We see our Middle Eastern customers drawn to our signature Tiny Diamond Initial Tag and Diamond Quotidien Hoops, which look amazing stacked up an ear. Many have also invested in our solid gold Name Pendant as gifts, or simply to cast in gold the people in their life they love the most.
You’ve had collaborations with Hunza G, Camilla and Marc and Alex Eagle. How do you choose the brands to work with?
All of our collaborations came about organically through getting to know other founders. It’s been a great way for us to reach new audiences as well as develop our aesthetic through the process. Alex has been a great supporter of the brand since day one and having sold well in her stores, we decided to create a capsule that resonated with her ready-to-wear collection and brand ethos. Similarly with Camilla and Marc, our pieces did exceptionally well with their clients, and we realised the potential in crafting a capsule to pair seamlessly with their timeless tailoring and refined collections. It was such a fun project that saw us expand on our ear cuff aesthetic, which is now at the heart of our collection. With Otiumberg, we never do anything that doesn’t feel authentic or right in our intuition, I think you can spot those purely commercial collaborations from a mile off.
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How would you like to develop your brand?
We are focussed on growing internationally this year and building on the momentum we have been experiencing. We are also opening a new headquarters with a boutique in West London, where we will be able to host our customers in a beautifully intimate setting.
This is The Abundance Issue – what does being abundant mean to you and how do you cultivate that mindset?
RW: I think you must have an abundant mindset as an entrepreneur as there are so many setbacks and challenges along the way. So, from that standpoint it’s about embracing these tough moments as an opportunity to grow, learn and change.
CW: Having my children at the same time as launching and growing the business has been one of the hardest things. However, this has also made me realise the absolute joy in the everyday and has truly allowed me to appreciate the journey as a mother and as a founder. I’ve definitely become very aware that when you put your mind to something, you can achieve it.
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Images: Supplied and Instagram @fforme
