It takes two...
"One can have a dream, baby
Two can make that dream so real
It takes two, baby
Me and you, just takes two"
Who hasn't sung along to Marvin Gaye - but is it true?
If you have read the about us page here on the website, you will know that there are two faces behind Blåbär: Sandra and Oli. So far we have been a small operation but we have received the help of so so many, both family and friends as well as people who have become involved along the way (a HUGE thank you to you all).
It is not always easy living together, working together and then trying to have some blåbär free time too. With a few speed bumps we have starting to recognise where our strengths lie, and it is probably not despite of but because of our differences that we are able make it work. I now have huge respect for the strength of partnerships!
When we first met Jenny and Lisa from our newest Blåbär brand addition Baumgarten di Marco, I think we recognised ourselves in them. Two people who have brought their experiences together and in 2014 they launched their first collection of jewellery and fashion accessories which have a clear Scandinavian style but are not necessarily 'safe', they definitely push some boundaries. Jennys contacts in the industry have allowed them to work with great sustainable suppliers, and Lisa works with the branding - a brilliant combo. For those who know myself and Oli, take a guess who is who...?!
We met Jenny and Lisa through our friends at By C in Mallorca, who have a super stylish shop in central Palma selling beautiful mostly black Swedish clothes. They took on Baumgarten di Marco earlier this year and have seen great success.
The first thing that struck me about Baumgarten di Marco was the uniqueness of their products in a very crowded jewellery market.
Many of their pieces have diamond cut offs which are set on a dark wax making them seem almost black in colour - gorgeous. The fact they they are using these off-cuts which essentially are the byproduct from diamond production is fantastic, we are all about recycling.
My absolut favourite piece is the dual pendant necklace in gold which is elegant and classy with just enough bling, but also the stacking ring which is so so simple and clean. I now don't leave the house without the silver ring on my finger.
Their brand has found a growing fan base in Sweden, as they have announced a partnership with HOPE clothing and also their jewellery has been seen on Moa Gammal who plays the lead in the Nordic Noir drama series Jordskott (which is totally worth watching, just don't do it alone. Especially if you find yourself in a forest.)
They are not just a jewellery brand, and we have a brilliant all leather tote bag which is modelled on the standard plastic bags, again a hint towards recycling and reusing. Simple but brilliant.
We love their products and Baumgarten's journey ahead is something we're really excited about - they're working on new projects and i can see many more stylish products in the future. Watch this space...
