There are certain moments as a founder that nobody prepares you for.
You spend months designing a piece, sourcing materials, testing samples, photographing it, writing product descriptions and wondering whether anyone will love it as much as you do.
Then one day you're scrolling Instagram and there it is.
Not in your own content.
Not in a customer photo you've been tagged in.
Just... out in the wild.
And honestly, it's a bit surreal.
A Very Unexpected Customer
Recently, we've repeatedly spotted Emily Clarkson wearing our Nacre earrings across her Instagram content.
Now, before anyone asks, this isn't a paid partnership.
There was no gifting.
No discount code.
No sponsorship agreement.
Emily purchased the earrings herself and, much to my delight, appears to genuinely enjoy wearing them.
As a founder, that's about as good as it gets.
Because whilst collaborations are wonderful, there is something particularly special about somebody choosing your product with their own money and then continuing to wear it.
The Nacre Earrings
The earrings in question are our Nacre earrings, one of the signature designs from the Maiden Collection.
Inspired by the natural beauty of freshwater pearls, each pair celebrates individuality through organically shaped pearls that are beautifully imperfect.
They're elegant enough for special occasions, effortless enough for everyday wear and designed with the same skin-first approach as every piece in the Nudie collection.
In other words, they're exactly the sort of earrings I hoped people would reach for again and again and one of my personal favourites.
A Reminder of How Far We've Come
Moments like this are funny because they arrive completely unannounced.
One minute you're packing orders at the kitchen table.
The next you're spotting somebody you've followed online wearing your jewellery.
Less than a year ago, Nudie Jewellery was still in pre-order.
Since then we've watched our pieces appear at the BAFTAs, on magazine pages, in independent boutiques around the country and now across social media feeds with audiences far larger than I ever imagined we'd reach this quickly.
It's one of those moments that makes you pause for a second and appreciate how far the journey has already come.
The Best Kind of Marketing
People often ask founders what marketing strategy works best.
The honest answer?
Designing something people genuinely want to wear.
Because no advert, sponsorship or campaign will ever feel quite as rewarding as seeing somebody choose your jewellery and continue wearing it simply because they love it.
That's the dream.
And seeing the Nacre earrings repeatedly pop up on my feed has been a lovely reminder of exactly that.
Love,
Sophie x
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