Jewelry

Links Of London Debuts Kate Middleton-Approved Jewelry In Time For The Holidays - Forbes

Just in time for the holidays, Links of London has debuted its fall line, the brand new Ovals Collection (launched in October) as well as an upcoming winter release: the Hope Pearls extension (slated for the first week of December). The latter collection will sound familiar to Royal watchers and fans as it's been supported and loved by the Duchess of Cambridge, Catherine (Kate) Middleton, who has worn the White Topaz Hope Egg Earrings on numerous occasions - most famously in her engagement portrait with Prince William. But as a savvy fashion maven, she's "recycled" such beloved jewelry box trinkets - most notably on her whirlwind tour through Canada; accompanying the Queen and Camilla to Fortnum & Mason; and with Prince Charles and Camilla to the Dulwich Picture Gallery.

In light of these new and extension-based collections, I chatted with Amber Klaehn, one of the directors at Links of London, about the "Brit Invasion" and North America's ever-growing embrace of the brand.

These collections are consistently elegant and sophisticated; and yet, there's always appeal with its design innovations. Can you tell me a bit about these pieces and anything else you're debuting for the holiday season?

Amber Klaehn: These fall/winter collections are remarkable and add sparkle to any wardrobe; it's great that notable people such as the Duchess of Cambridge (a lady so admired and relatable) shows fans the versatility of our line by pairing it with a variety of her favorite wardrobe pieces during special and casual occasions.

Our Ovals is a brand new collection; we designed an array of rings, bracelets, necklaces and earrings, including a pair that can be worn five ways for versatile wear. Effortlessly elegant in design, the Ovals collection celebrates the simple aesthetics of connecting shapes. Each piece harmoniously curves itself around you, inspired by the graceful movement of ribbon flowing through the air. The pieces can be easily dressed up or down and are available in yellow gold vermeil and black rhodium with select pieces containing white topaz. 

Meanwhile, our Hope Pearls extension adds to the namesake core collection's signature egg in each design. And since 2019 is nearly here, they make perfect holiday gifts to symbolize fresh beginnings as a new year approaches. We're excited because the collection will now include pieces with sterling silver and rare grey pearls with silver/pink undertones. Moreover, these pearls are developed with Links of London's creation of "cultured pearls". This technique stimulates mother nature's pearl production process in a lab without harming real oysters (with pearls), as these creatures have become sparse due to overfishing. While friendly to the environment, these pearls are distinctively beautiful and work well for layering.

I'm not only excited for people to embrace this collection but our new Links of London Holiday Charms. In preparation for the festive season, we have extra stylists in-store to work with customers to build their jewelry vision for a truly personalized experience - it's thoughtful gifting to the recipient and great for last minute shoppers. My favorites are the Snowman, Sleigh Bell, and Reindeer charms. These can be layered with other keepsake charms on a delicate chain to be worn as pendants, or on our Sweetie Charm Bracelet with a mix of precious colored metal rings (rhodium, 18K gold vermeil or 18K rose gold vermeil) and diamond/gemstone rondelles.

How else are you offering customers "survival strategies" and aid with their shopping needs during the hectic holiday season?

Klaehn: We recognize that customers today want more from their shopping experience, which is why we have put a larger focus on customization and personalization, than ever before. Last year, we launched a unique, very successful bespoke service both in our stores and online - the Sweetie Bracelet Design Bar. We have also introduced an Engraving and Customization Studio in every store to further elevate the tailored experience for customers and provide an exceptional level of service.

In addition to these collections and activations, for those new to or interested in the brand, are there any staple or signature pieces one must have in their jewelry box?

Klaehn: Our most iconic piece and a must-have in every woman’s jewelry collection, is undoubtedly, the Links of London Sweetie Bracelet. Inspired by the candy bracelets we had as children, every Sweetie is handcrafted by silversmiths and each ring is cut and polished by hand, taking up to four days to complete. In fact, with our Sweetie Bracelet Design Bar (the aforementioned bespoke service we offer) customers have the opportunity to design a one-of-a-kind piece of jewelry that holds special meaning to them. They can add colored precious metal rings, diamond rondelle beads and unique keepsake charms to represent special milestones, memories, inspiration, good luck, or to create an aspirational look that can effortlessly go from day to night. For the 15th anniversary of the Sweetie last year, we introduced 18K yellow gold vermeil, 18K rose gold vermeil, as well as rhodium extensions to the classic sterling silver design, so customers could mix and match and layer metals in their collection.

And more broadly speaking, since the brand's heritage stems from London, what efforts are being made to allow the brand to further connect with a North American audience? And Americans in particular?

Klaehn: Our brand presence and investment in the North American market continues to grow as we have been expanding with freestanding retail concepts in major cities. There is a strong British influence in North American culture, which we’ve reimagined at all touchpoints of our brand offerings, from product to store design. For example, each of our brick-and-mortar locations takes inspiration from the design of London’s iconic townhouses, transporting shoppers into the heart of Britain. When opening new stores in North America, we execute ‘British Invasion’ pop-up activations (such as a customized British phone booth and English garden) to give shoppers an immersive London experience and lifestyle. 

So it's about telling a story in regards to the brand's legacy and craftsmanship? Do you feel these are primary reasons as to why members of the royal family continue to adore and support Links of London?

Klaehn: Links of London was founded in 1990 with a corporate order for gold salmon shaped cufflinks and has since evolved into a global accessible luxury jewelry brand for women, men and children. Our British heritage is at the core of our brand DNA, with London serving as a non-stop source of inspiration for our collections each season. Our collections are timeless and highly customizable with a touch of British whimsy - and it is this combination that I feel makes Links of London relevant to everyone and contributes to its enduring appeal. These qualities, along with elevated design, versatility and quality craftsmanship of each product is what I imagine draws the royal family to our pieces.