Today at 12pm on the ABC Mid day Report will be aired a bead story, my story on how I turned my hobby into a business. My bead journey started when I was 8. I was introduced to jewellery making by my aunt but it was even earlier then that when beads & the sparkle of my Grandmothers crystals first captivated me.
In my early thirties I had a crisis – I had missed my quarter life crises and although too young to have a mid life crisis none the less felt life was passing me by too quickly. I had dreamt of doing many things with my life. So I resigned from my job and the security of a pay packet and went overseas. I studied glass making in Venice, the first of many trips to that intoxicating city and did volunteer work in Kenya.
On my return I fossicked through my bead collection of 25 years and my first jewellery range Etelage was created. I had an early break when just after 6 weeks of establishing Etelage the buyer from National Gallery in Canberra contacted me for some jewellery for their gallery store. She had seen some jewellery my sister was wearing a couple of months earlier. I created 2 ranges one for galleries and the other I sold through party plan.
The jewellery sold really well and soon I had 3 consultants selling my jewellery. Not only did my customers want to purchase the jewellery they wanted to buy the beads as well. At that stage most of my designs were a combination of vintage beads, my personal collection and a few pieces I had bought in Africa and Venice.
I recognised I had many opportunities and skills I could use in my business: selling the components and teaching people how to make jewellery was a logical next step.
So I returned to Venice and also visited the Czech Republic on my first bead-buying trip. My vision was to create a range of beads with the knowledge I had gained from my studies in Venice with the skill, expertise and experience of glassmakers in Europe. I wanted to create a fashion driven range creating beads in bold shapes and colours. The possibilities of glass are endless however the few bead stores in Sydney at that time generally stocked small transparent beads only.
In late 2003 I opened a store from the warehouse I worked from and soon after a second store was opened in the cosmopolitan retail strip of king st Newtown. The stores sold both the beads and jewellery ranges along with offering an array of workshops including jewellery making, making sterling silver findings, embellishing canvases & silk embroidery by myself and other talented tutors.
It was my first experience of retail. The stores reflected what I believed was an integral part of the retail shopping experience. I wanted my customers to have fun, discover their creativity, learn a new skill, and appreciate the rich cultural history of beads and adornment. The origin of the beads sold in the store is an important story to tell. Many beads are made of time-honoured traditions; some are made by fair trade projects whilst others are sustainable.
It has been an exciting journey the bead journey. It takes a lot of determination, vision and energy to start up and maintain a small business. However I recommend it!
Etelage n/ adornment ™
Beautiful beads and bespoke jewellery
430 king st (south)
newtown nsw 2042 open 7 days
paddington markets saturdays 10am – 4pm
bondi markets sundays 10am –4pm
p: 02 9557 9089
f: 02 9557 9037
e: chris@etelage.com
www.etelage.com
P please don't print this e-mail unless you really need to.
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