HIGHLIGHT: STILLWITHYOU

StillWithYou - Current collection

One of the things I like the most about blogging is how it reveals the global world of fashion to me. Over the past year, I've gotten to know a large number of beautiful magazines, labels, shops, designers and etc. And as a blogger, I sincerely enjoy it to share these discoveries with you, my dear reader. 

Today, the spotlight is on a small jewelry studio from Denmark: StillWithYou. I've been excited about this little gem ever since I first encountered their website and designs, and after my first order I can also say they truly live up to expectations in terms of craftmenship. The Copenhagen-based studio carries a minimalistic approach to jewelry, taking Scandinavian simplicity as their core character: with this mindset, StillWithYou offers you a collection of jewelry which is pure and clean, with a sense of effortless cool surrounding it. 

The collection ranges from necklaces to rings and everything in between, providing you with pieces that are easy to combine: this way, you can have your solid stack of jewelry and vary to whatever your feel like. I like this a lot, as one day I feel more expressive than the other - the jewelry simply allows you to reflect your mood. The pieces are handmade of pure silver, with an 'occasional crystal' along the way: a combination of materials and method  that beyond doubt contributes to that earlier described sense of effortless cool, and simply make the pieces unique. As yours truly tends to go easy on her (amount of) jewelry but likes to wear unique 'clean and cool' designs, both the method and materials deployed by StillWithYou strongly appeal to me - and so I've yet gathered my first few pieces of Danish jewelry, which now are a solid part of my daily outfit.

Curious? Find the StillWithYou website/ webshop HERE

StillWithYou is founded by Renathe Todal Tande, who runs the studio with great joy and vision. Specially for STYLONYM, she answered a few questions.

1. What is the idea behind creating StillWithYou?

StillWithYou grew from a hobby, with no intention of starting a jewelry brand or a business, to where we are today. It just happend. Our idea is to is to make it simple to add that personal detail by stacking, layering and mixing jewelry. Essential, simple and personal.

2. Where do you take your inspiration from?

All around. I find inspiration for shape and texture in nature and everyday objects- from majestic landscapes to patterns in concrete. A mix between elements, the urban and the wild. Before I design a new collection I gather photos; details of landcapes, crackled painting, old obscure symbolism, bits of history, geology, macros of feathers, etc. It can be anything really, it’s only fragements of interest in a way. When I have the essence of the collection ready, the mood and the tone set, it’s time to hit the workbench.

StillWithYou - Moodboard

3. Can you describe the process from the first inspiration to the final piece of jewelry?

Designing jewelry is an organic process to me, and most designs come to be with a piece of silver in my hands, just hands-on. I belive the organic process is visible in the jewelry as well- the silver rarely has a super shiny finish and often kept their rough looking edges. Perfect is not interesting. Silver is a grateful material, and it allows me to shape and mold it however I wish with heat, tools and sometimes just brute force. This might not answer your question correctly, but it’s how we work. The essence before hand, gathered from photos and everyday life, then to be turned into tangible pieces of jewelry at the workbench. We don’t start at the work bench knowing exactly how the finished piece will end up, so it’s an interesting process for me too.

Renathe at the studio

4. What type of woman/ man do you envision wearing your jewelry?

Our customers usually have a minimalist aesthetic, with a strong sense of personal style. They are passionate about jewelry; they appreciate quality, having something that not all others have and the freedom to combine jewelry as they wish. Our customers are creative too; my own personal favorite combinations of StillWithYou jewelry has been created by our customers!

5. The SWY website emphasizes that Scandinavian simplicity is a baseline for SWY jewelry;

    what exactly is this Scandinavian simplicity and where does it come from?

It’s based on the Scandinavian design tradition: A simple and minimalist aesthetic, known for superb craftsmanship and natural materials, made to serve its purpose- a tradition we wish to continue.

6. What does your own daily jewelry fix look like?

Depending on my mood, it can some days be just a simple ear cuff or up to 20 rings all at once. Wearing jewelry is liberating in that sense- You get to express yourself, your style, your mood - It differs from day to day, from person to person. That’s the personal element of jewelry that fascinates me the most.

7. Where would you like Still With You to go in the future?

StillWithYou will continue to grow organically as it has til now. It’s like a thing of it’s own. Lots of new things happening now in January; we will rebuild and transform the studio into more of a shop/showroom, take more silversmithing courses, work with new collaboators and our new intern starts. We will start casting in a few months, which will be interesting and gives us more freedom to be creative and also allows us to make more complicated pieces. Most importantly; To make sure that each collection we make is the best it can be. Stay true to the brand, our values as a business and to our customers.