What led you to co-found Otiumberg?

​​Otiumberg started as a personal project while we were living together and working in London. At the time, I [Rosanna] was working in branding while Christie was in luxury fashion at Burberry.

Back in our early 20s, Christie made these diamond huggies [earrings] and name necklace in the Middle East. She gifted them to our family and soon our friends began to ask about them. From this, we began with a collection of small solid gold huggies that we sold to our friends. The collection began to grow organically from there, with retail partners approaching us on social media and word spreading.

What makes Otiumberg different from other jewellery brands?

Otiumberg is a personal expression. We try not to compare ourselves to others and rather focus on crafting pieces that we believe will stand the test of time, make you feel good and hold personal meaning.

Otiumberg was founded in 2016 and has received no external investment. What do you believe has led to the success of the business?

It’s always been important to us to have control over the direction of the brand and grow in a responsible and profitable way that allows us to stay true to our vision and values. Integral to our growth has been our focus on the relationship with our customers and the quality of our designs.

What is it like to run a business with your sister?

 Running a business is tough. That’s why you need to have a close co-founder who you can rely on throughout, and our sisterhood has been just that.

Working together was always very natural. Our deep connection and understanding of each other allows us to be truly honest and support each other to evolve. We really couldn’t have grown a business with anyone else. 

Since the launch of Otiumberg, what changes or milestones have been achieved?

We started out just the two of us, working from our homes alongside our full-time jobs, so the fact that we are opening a flagship store this year is incredibly exciting.

Sustainability is a huge part of the brand. Why do you place so much emphasis on this side of the business?

We really do not think you can have a brand today and not have sustainability as an integral part of your focus, especially in an industry that thrives off newness and uses natural resources. That’s why, since day one, we have taken extra time to consider our impact and responsibility.

We do not use the word “sustainable”, but rather focus on responsibility. This ethos naturally led us to B Corp certification, a process which gave us the reassurance we were reaching the highest standards of responsible operation and a framework through which we can continue to improve.

What have been the main challenges you’ve faced since Otiumberg was founded and how have you overcome them?

Our entire jewellery collection was stolen in the first year of operation from our home. We cannot begin to tell you how hard that moment was and the determination it took for us to get up and start again. With that said, we learned a big lesson and swiftly moved into a new office and took things more seriously. From that point on, our determination and focus grew, and the business began to really grow.

What advice would you give to women in leadership roles?

That we can operate just as successfully as a business with our own rhythm and set of rules. I always remind myself that the working week was originally created by men, and as such, set a tone that does not often support or bring the best out of working women. I would say that you can get the most out of a team when you allow flexibility and establish open streams of communication throughout.

What is next for Otiumberg?

We are so excited to open our flagship store in Holland Park this September. It will be a wonderful opportunity to connect with our community, hold events and offer a personalised shopping experience. It’s really been a dream to have a store and we can’t believe that we are there.

We are also looking into new markets as the brand continues to gain recognition globally. We recently opened a number of retail doors in Japan and are seeing much more traffic from the US. Global expansion is most definitely an exciting prospect and focus for us.

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