Silver and gemstone jewellery specialist Henryka will unveil a brand new look and focused product offering at IJL 2017.
Founder and director Anna Emmett explains what you should expect from her brand at Olympia…
Henryka has recently undergone a major rebrand – what was the rationale behind this?
We were treading water as a brand and there was no sign that we could generate the momentum we wanted with the existing positioning, proposition and product range. So, we did some soul searching through a piece of commissioned research that looked at our brand, the market we are in, and the consumers who buy from us. And then we changed, because some of the findings of the research told us we needed to.
It was a very in-depth process but we’ve emerged with a clear understanding of what our brand stands for and the direction we need to go in. This is about building a brand that people can fall in love with, not a high street jewellery shop selling everything to everyone.
Do you hope that this will appeal to a new and different customer base?
I’m loathed to pigeonhole our collection with an age. Our range is timeless, youthful and elegant – so it’s more about a state of mind. Whilst it’s certainly opened us up to a younger, more aspiring audience of 25 to 35 year olds, our brand and range is still relevant to our loyal existing customer base, and an older audience. Everyone should be able to own a piece of Henryka.
What has been the reaction so far?
We unveiled the new branding to the trade for the first time at the CMJ Trade Event in August, and we’ve had fantastic feedback. Retailers are loving the new look and collection. We opened several new accounts at the show, along with a whole host of enquiries to follow up.
We also have our own shop in Hereford, so we are in the unique situation of being able to see how it appeals on the high street. There’s no doubt that our new brand is having a positive effect on footfall. Our store staff have noticed a marked improvement on higher value sales, and we’re hoping that will only get better as we launch our consumer-facing marketing.
What products are new from Henryka at IJL 2017?
Our new range reflects what we’re about – a classic arts and crafts aesthetic, nature-inspired with a bold, contemporary design style. We’re focusing on promoting and expanding our successful Garden in Bloom collection, which contains jewellery inspired by autumn leaves from much-loved British trees such as Beech, Oak and Hawthorn. The autumnal colours of the amber used in the range make the necklaces reminiscent of falling leaves, and the pieces are perfect for layering.
We’re also excited to introduce the Stag’s Head and Zebra into our All Creatures Great and Small collection. We expect this to be incredibly popular this autumn. Both are a step away from our classic silver and gemstone style, but we’re looking forward to adding this exciting new range.
Will any of the new collections surprise retailers who visit IJL?
The old Henryka brand positioned itself as a silver and amber specialist. I think anyone coming to see us at IJL will see that we are so much more than that. We remain a brand passionate about nature and the use of nature’s jewels. So yes, amber remains an important stone, but our new collections use other beautiful gemstones such as amethyst, turquoise and pearl, all expertly cut and set by hand in hallmarked silver.
Following IJL, what are your plans for 2018 and beyond?
Well, we’ve got a three-year plan, and there’s a lot to do. A big part of this involves the growth of our UK network of independent retail jewellers. Our target is to open 100 doors in the next 12 months.
Say hello to Henryka and discover its new look on stand R58.
IJL is #withyou giving brands the platform to launch new looks, new ideas and new collections under the domed roof of Olympia. Find out more about our fantastic exhibitors for 2017, here.