When scouring the net for some bling for our upcoming jewellery shoot (coming soon! Stay tuned! And so on...) we stumbled across brand new accessories site, Otiumberg. Featuring a bevy of super affordable rings by Odette NY and Davina Combe, we needed to find out who was behind this e-store. So find out we did.
Launched by two sisters just a month ago, Otiumberg has an element of mystery surrounding it - both girls have full-time day jobs and moonlight as retail entrepeneurs, so don't wish to divulge their real names. They will, however, reveal that the unique name stems from Latin, where 'otium' means 'withdrawing from ones daily business affairs to engage in activities that are aristically valuable or enlightening.' Time to be enlightened, then:
Cupid Arrow Necklace, £45 and Tiny Gold Sweetheart Necklace, £65 both By Phillipe
The Debrief: Hi, girls! Otiumberg is our new guilty pleasure. Why did you decide to set up the store?
Otiumberg: We wanted to set up an online boutique that offered a curated selection of hard to find women’s designer accessories from around the world. Finding the right necklace, wallet or a pair of sunglasses is time consuming, but we’ve searched high and low to offer only the best.
DB: Your price points - considering that the jewellery isn't high street wares - are really good. Was that important?
OT: Very important! Our price points are between £20 and £350 because we want customers to be able to buy something online and know that it will be high quality, unique and most importantly wont break the bank. Otiumberg creates that buzz of discovering a new independent boutique amongst an overcrowded marketplace, where customers have the overwhelming desire to buy everything.
DB: Well that's pretty much true! Which are your favourite picks on the site right now?
OT: Right now we’re in love with Sabrina Dehoff’s playful collection of whimsical and colorful jewellery. Stack up the superfine heart rings. What’s also popular this month is the Bellebas MGA shoulder bag, 100% leather from an Argentine tannery, as well as the Buba wallets, hand-made in Delhi. Another brand we are obsessed with is MOR, the renowned boutique of hand crafted jewellery on Carnaby Street, London, which we are working with exclusively online. We’ve been buying from them for the last 8 years and wanted to introduce them to the world! We’ve all personally invested in their chunky gold ring. Lastly, we’ve fallen hard for the Audacia by Spektre and Laura by Sunday somewhere sunglasses – the perfect sunglasses to see you through the summer!
**DB: Who would you like to see in your jewellery? **
OT: Accessories are a form of expression and a means to creating individual style. Women in the spotlight who reflect the Otiumberg sense of personality are Erin Wasson, Chloe Sevigny and of course the Haim sisters.
DB: Would you guys like to design your own stuff one day?
OT: Absolutely – we have always been interested in launching our own brand....Watch this space!
DB: What's the best thing about setting up your own business?
OT: The best thing is that it becomes so much more then just business! It’s like putting all your passions, loves and dreams together and seeing them become a reality. Otiumberg is so much more than work, its who we are. From the design of the website to the pieces we offer, we have overseen every aspect of Otiumberg and enjoyed every second.
DB: And what's the hardest?
OT: Lack of time. We wish there were more hours in a day as we have so many ideas it’s just about finding the time to execute them!
Audacia Havana with Blue Mirrored Lenses, £122 Spektre, Chunky Gold Ring, £78 MOR, Gold Huggie Hoops, £60 Davina Combe, Gold Arrow Cuff, £59 Odette NY
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This article originally appeared on The Debrief.