24 Hours With… Otiumberg
The jewellery industry’s favourite sister act, Rosanna and Christie Wollenberg are the siblings behind contemporary brand Otiumberg, in their own words: “a sweet spot between fashion and fine jewellery”. Now landing at Browns, Rosanna tells us why, in Otiumberg world, no two days are ever the same.
“Stopping off for my second dose of coffee from Monmouth in Borough Market...”
Morning
What time do you wake up and where?
I’ve developed a habit of waking up just before my alarm goes off at 7am. I’m based in Peckham, South London, right by Burgess Park. I’m lucky to be surrounded by trees including a handsome mimosa tree that sits just outside of our bedroom window. When it blossoms in early Spring, it’s the first thing I see when I wake up.
What’s the first thing you do in the morning?
We call our first morning coffee “El Royale” in our house. It is such a treasured moment and I simply cannot function without it.
Where are you usually based?
I’m usually found in and around South London. In the mornings, I’ll stop off for my second dose of coffee from Monmouth Coffee in Borough Market. It’s a bit of an institution. I might also grab some fruit from Turnips stall in the market - they have such a bright stand, and the guys who run it always let me know what’s in season.
“At the Otiumberg showroom with clients.”
What does your average day look like?
There is never an average day with Otiumberg. I’ll either be at the studio with our team or out and about at meetings with my sister, Christie. Being head of brand means overseeing everything from our carbon neutral project to our campaigns and art direction. Which means I could be doing anything from shoots to visual merchandising at our stockists to marketing budgets and calendars.
Do you have any rituals?
I’ve recently developed a habit of having a freezing cold shower in the morning. Nothing beats it as a way to wake up and get energised for the day!
Where is your studio located and how do you get there?
We moved the team to London Bridge about a year ago. It’s a lovely warehouse space containing both our studio and showroom, where clients can browse and shop the collection. The spaces are interconnected, which means we can interact and hang out with our customers. It’s really busy and bright which I love.
I travel there on my bike which takes about 20 minutes. It’s the perfect moment to listen to a podcast or have some time to clear your head at the beginning and the end of the day.
“Styling and art directing on set for our campaign.”
“Shooting our gold hoops in the sunshine.”
Daytime
How would you describe what you do?
My sister and I work really closely across all elements of the brand. The best way to describe my role is that I’m responsible for the way our customers experience the brand across every channel, online and in the real world. This means covering everything from customer experience to art direction, web design and marketing. I make sure all our communications and content remain consistent with our brand identity and demonstrate the values we want to uphold.
Christie, as Creative Director, heads up product design and we come together to develop collections. I think our relationship as sisters is a huge part of why the partnership works. We have a naturally aligned aesthetic and vision that means we can work together effortlessly. There’s a trust and understanding there I think only family can have.
“Styling our model Millie on a shoot.”
How has your background influenced who you are today?
From a young age, I’ve been lucky enough to have lived internationally in Barcelona, Buenos Aires and New York. This exposed me to a variety of different cultures and people from all over the word pursuing their own paths across business and the arts. I think this played a big role in giving me the confidence to do the same myself.
How did you get your start in fashion?
Christie, my sister and co-founder, comes from a background in the industry, having worked at Louis Vuitton and Burberry before we joined forces to create Otiumberg. We started out small just selling our first pieces to friends and family, and the business grew organically from there.
What was the impetus behind starting your label?
We were looking to invest in affordable, well-made jewellery but found that we weren’t being catered to by the bigger fine jewellers. There was a sweet spot between fashion and fine jewellery that we really craved - but no one else was offering this. So we decided to start making it ourselves.
What are the most important factors for the brand?
It’s such a personal brand that everything we do has to feel right and honest. The majority of decisions are driven by gut instinct. We never launch a piece that we ourselves would not be proud to wear. The women in our campaigns tend to be women we have met along the way, who have inspired us.
How do you get into a creative headspace?
We always try to take a moment in the day for a break. We might wander over to the Tate Modern, which is on our doorstep, or simply take a stroll to the river. It’s often in those moments that the best ideas come to you.
Whilst working, where do you go and what do you do to take a break?
I love sitting at the top of our studio with a cup of tea. There’s a view that looks out over the city which always gives a nice time out.
Do you have a favourite piece from your new collection?
I’m in love with our Chunky Diamond Band from our recycled gold and white diamond Ensemble Collection. This piece came about as we wanted to wear diamond pieces that felt special yet could be worn effortlessly everyday.
Who would you most like to see wearing it?
We’ve always wanted our brand to be worn and enjoyed by women from all walks of life. We love seeing our pieces worn by entrepreneurs who inspire us, such as Sharmadean Reid (founder of Beauty Stack) and Cassandra Stavrou (founder of Proper Corn).
“At Duck Soup in Soho with my dad - it's our favourite spot.”
Evening
What’s on your bookshelf right now?
Walden by Henry David Thoreau is always in arm’s reach. Other than that I’ve been loving Overstory by Richard Powers; it’s a beautiful story that you realise is really all about our need to love and respect our trees.
What do you usually do for dinner?
If I'm at home I love to cook fresh pasta, otherwise one of my favourite places to grab a bite to eat is El Pastor Taqueria or Duck Soup in Soho (when they’re open).
What time do you go to bed?
I try to get a good night's sleep so I'm normally tucked up in bed by 10pm.
Last thing you do before you sleep?
Read with a cuppa of herbal tea. Pure bliss.
What do you dream about?
Gosh it changes all the time. I will say that I am quite a vivid dreamer and I often wake up with a story to tell.
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