T he idea for the jewellery business came in 2014 when Emily was inspired by the beauty and character of her diamond engagement ring which had previously belonged to her husband’s Indian great grandmother who happened to be a princess. The next year Emily journeyed to India to find out more and came across an ethically- run jewellery workshop which specialised in semi-precious gemstones and diamonds. It was the clearest possible sign that this was the moment to start her own business: designing modern stylish jewellery which was then crafted and assembled in India before being sent back to the UK for assaying. Emily manages every aspect of the business herself, and has overseen its steady growth to a successful brand that is featured in glossy magazines, on sale in a number of high street stores, and is worn by some of the leading names in fashion and culture including Ellie Goulding, Vogue Williams, Carole Middleton and the Duchess of Sussex who wore a pair of Hera studs from Emily’s new collection at the WellChild Awards in October this year. Emily is in no doubt that running her own business has been the right thing to do, despite the challenges of working for yourself. “You need plenty of self discipline and a strong work ethic,” she comments. “Everyone I know who runs their own business understands what I mean when I say that every week brings a new and unforeseen challenge. You just have to push through and believe in yourself.”
The success of the business has also undoubtedly been due to Emily’s passion for and knowledge of contemporary jewellery design and gemstones. Having trained in Leeds and London she worked for Aspens Jewellers of Woodbridge, and then spent five years in London designing for an established British jewellery designer based in Chelsea, before embarking on her solo venture. The business has expanded in a careful and controlled way, helped, says Emily by having a robust business plan, which she put together with the help of her business advisers at Scrutton Bland. “There are lots of things you have to learn, like tax and accounting, so getting a good business adviser is fundamental,” she says. “As a fashion brand I also really value having a good PR company, who work with the right stylists and can get coverage in the press.” A recent development for Emily Mortimer Jewellery has been the launch of a refreshed retail website, something with which anyone who has been through that process will sympathise! The new site now has price points, to make it easier for people to select a range within their budget, and it also features a ‘lookbook’ of the pieces being worn, as well as details of stockists around the country, and a ‘drop a hint’ facility to make gift buying that little bit easier. As well as the website, Emily is clear about the value of social media in building brand awareness: “Regular posts on social media are vital for anyone in a visually-led business like fashion,” she comments, “Instagram is perfect for an instant image of a piece being worn in a real life situation like a wedding or a party. People will talk about a piece they’ve seen in a magazine or on Instagram, and that’s why it’s so good when I see well-known people wearing my pieces.”
Perhaps the best example of this was late last year when the Duchess of Sussex was photographed wearing a pair of Emily’s ‘Nova’ gold white topaz earrings on the last day of her tour of New Zealand with Prince Harry. “I’d sent her the earrings in March or April, but I didn’t think she was going to be seen in them,” remembers Emily “I was looking at the news on the last day of the royal tour and saw the outline of the earrings and suddenly realised: ‘she’s wearing them!’ It was such an honour.” Of course the photographs of the royal tour went all round the world – generating publicity and recognition for the Suffolk business. In keeping with the astute way she has grown her business, Emily now stocks her jewellery in some of the most prestigious stores in the country, including Fortnum and Mason, Peter Jones on Sloane Street, John Lewis stores in a number of locations including Cheltenham, Southampton, Milton Keynes and Oxford Street, and Fenwick in Newcastle, Colchester and Bond Street. She acknowledges this is a big step: “It’s been a huge undertaking, not least organising the stock for each store. I’ve also had to think about cash flow, as when you start selling on extended credit terms, it’s easy to get yourself in a situation where your products are selling, but you haven’t yet been paid for them, so may not be able to afford to restock immediately.” All being well, the next step for the business will be to find a proper office and meeting place for Emily.“I’d love to have a little creative space where people can come and try the pieces on,” she says. “And I’m also thinking about taking on an assistant or intern to help. I’ve got two new collections launching in October, and I’m still doing some of the gift shows like Spirit of Christmas. Other than that…. I just keep saying yes!”
www.emilymortimer.co.uk
If you are thinking of setting up a business and need some clear professional advice, contact James Tucker at james.tucker@ scruttonbland.co.uk or phone 0330 058 6559 .
2 6 | S C R U T T O N B L A N D | B U S I N E S S P R O F I L E
Made with FlippingBook flipbook maker