Our interview with Bridal Editor | JUVELAN: The creators behind the brand

You think you already know everything about us? You bet: If you read on now, you will definitely learn a lot more about us...

Last year we discovered "Bridal Editor", a blog for brides with a strong personality who like to break with tradition and stay true to themselves on their way down the aisle. When editor Sarah Tippett asked us if we had time for an interview with her, we were immediately hooked. Answering her refreshing questions about JUVELAN, our background, and of course, wedding-related topics was insanely fun. When the interview was published, we immediately knew we wanted to share it with you, as it reveals so much about Fredrik and I and gives a behind-the-scenes look at JUVELAN. But enough talking, here we go - here's our interview with "Bridal Editor":

As a pioneer of timeless, enchantingly filigree bridal jewelry that is crafted to such a high standard that it can be passed down from one generation to the next (perhaps even before one's own demise, as soon as the daughter or niece discovers it!) - the ever higher aspiring jewelry company JUVELAN has been making a name for itself for quite some time. Brand new is now on the market their new bridal jewelry collection, divided into two creative categories.

The driving force behind the brand is a dynamic duo: Johan Vandamme and Fredrik Andersson. These two men, as dazzling as they are distinguished, have put their hearts and attention to detail into creating a brand they can be proud of. With a unique understanding of what modern brides want, they have created designs that will instantly captivate and inspire any woman, no matter what kind of wedding dress she will be wearing.

Read on to find out everything you need to know about JUVELAN, from how the brand came to be to which French bridal label Johan would love to collaborate with....

1. tell us how Juvelan got started in the first place. When and how did everything start?

Fredrik: "It all started almost exactly ten years ago, without any plan, just a few finished jewelry designs that Johan had made at the time - and the fact that I definitely had too much time left. The idea of turning Johan's hobby into a business idea stuck with me. As a result, we founded our company in 2010 and launched our own website with a first small online store in 2011. Our motto has always been: slowly but surely. We had the big picture in mind from the beginning, we didn't want to rush things and grow too much too fast."

Johan: "In the early years, we launched a series of colorful jewelry collections for every day, but still had no real plan, let alone a concept. Our only goal at the time was to design beautiful jewelry that made women happy. Then, at the end of 2014, we launched our very first bridal jewelry collection. And that was the beginning of a journey we had never dared to dream of. We're still designing jewelry for every day, because everyone needs a little color in their gray everyday life after all, but the heart of JUVELAN is now definitely our bridal jewelry."

2. who are Johan Vandamme and Fredrik Andersson? I've heard that Johan worked as a professional ballet dancer and that Fredrik called stages in Germany, Austria, Italy, Switzerland and even China home. Those are some insanely expressive artistic backgrounds!

Fredrik: "Johan grew up in a very creative, artistic family. I, on the other hand, was more of an outsider in our family in that respect, always looking for choirs, theater groups or dance schools to join. At 13, I had my first singing lesson and at 15, I started my acting training. In 2006, at the age of 21, I left my Swedish homeland to study musical theater in Hamburg - and landed my first stage engagement in 2008. From then on, I earned my living with acting, dancing and singing - and thanks to this profession, I have already had the pleasure of being able to stand on countless stages in some of the most beautiful theaters in the world."

Johan: "I was born and raised in the small Belgian town of Turnhout near Antwerp. Even as a young boy I knew I wanted to dance - and graduated a few years later from the Royal Ballet School of Antwerp as a professionally trained classical ballet dancer. My very first job fresh out of training took me to Germany, and after a few years I switched careers to the fascinating world of musical theater. It was during this musical training that Fredrik and I met, by the way, over ten years ago. Our stage engagements usually take place in large European cities - and only very rarely in the city where we live. That's why this career path has allowed us to work in many different cities and countries, like China or Japan."

How do you work together as a team? What is the division of labor of the duo that runs this beautiful label?

Fredrik: "Johan is the creative, artistic part and I am responsible for sales and distribution, customer contact, accounting and finance. In the beginning, I always wanted to do everything 100 percent myself, but over the years I've learned that it's important to also trust outside professionals and outsource some things in order to continue to grow and have long-term success."

Johan: "I am the creative director and designer at JUVELAN. Whenever we shoot a new collection, I am responsible for the creative planning and the look of the shoot. In addition, I maintain our social media accounts and blog. Up until now, I have also handmade every single piece of jewelry myself. However, we've just started training skilled workers to assist me with production in the long term due to the ever-increasing number of orders."

4. tell us more about your current 2019 bridal jewelry collection. what is behind the division into the two categories "Modern Bride" and "Bridal Classic"? What type of bride is your jewelry aimed at?

Johan: "The 'Modern Bride' collection is a trendy, modern tribute to the strong women in our lives - mothers, sisters and friends. Each piece of jewelry is named after one of them. 'Bridal Classic', on the other hand, is a collection of timelessly elegant jewelry pieces and was created to expand our existing bridal jewelry assortment - each design pairs perfectly with all of our existing bridal jewelry pieces.

Women who wear our jewelry in everyday life or for their wedding are basically modern, strong, self-confident and style-conscious. They know what they want from life. They are women with an excellent eye for detail, who value quality and also have a romantic side."

If you could choose a celebrity face for Juvelan, who would it be? Who best embodies the style and personality of the brand?

Johan: "I think it would be a mix of Carrie Bradshaw, Audrey Hepburn and Michelle Obama."

What materials and gemstones do you use and why? What do these materials mean to you?

Johan: "For our bridal jewelry collections we have always used freshwater pearls and Swarovski ® crystals in all imaginable shapes and sizes, as well as sterling silver and 18-karat gold plating. In the current collection, for the first time, I have also used gemstones, moonstones, crystal quartz and rose quartz for bridal jewelry. The fact that each gemstone - as well as each pearl - is unique makes each of our jewelry pieces very special. The high quality materials allow me to design jewelry as a statement piece for the bride, emphasizing her uniqueness without distracting from her natural beauty. Rather, it's about highlighting and emphasizing each woman's unique beauty in an exciting way through the gemstones we use."

What is the process of creating a new piece of jewelry or a new collection? What does it all start with and where do you get the inspiration for new designs?

Johan: "I am inspired by many things. Sometimes it's a shape, like a circle, that inspired me to design our 2018 'Circle of Love' collection. But mostly it's the material that sparks my creativity. I always keep my eyes open for raw materials that appeal to me and then experiment around with them to find creative ways to combine them.

During my time as a professional ballet dancer, I learned that the big picture is made up of many small details and how important it is to pay full attention to even tiny little things. This is probably where my great attention to detail comes from, which is reflected in all my jewelry today. I've always been inspired by the individual beauty and elegance of women, and I've made it my mission to create detail-oriented accessories that each reflect the personality and natural beauty of the woman who wears them."

8. do you have any tip for women who are looking for wedding accessories? Where should they start and what should they look for?

Johan: "The most important thing is to stay true to yourself and your personal style. Choose accessories that reflect your personality and emphasize your natural beauty. In addition, the chosen accessories should complement each other harmoniously, because you do not want to be hung in the end, like a Christmas tree.

If you've already found your wedding dress (which is the case for 95% of women when they approach us), figure out what kind of jewelry best matches the cut or neckline of the dress. For example, a high-necked dress harmonizes perfectly with statement earrings, possibly a bracelet and - depending on the hairstyle you choose - a small hair accessory, such as a comb. If the dress has a V-neck, it is made for a necklace. If you choose flashier hair jewelry, keep the rest of the accessories as small and simple as possible. But honestly, in my eyes you can never go wrong with a pair of beautiful earrings.

If in doubt, you are always very welcome to contact us personally. We love helping women find the perfect jewelry for their dream wedding. Many brides send us photos of their dress and I love being their personal jewelry consultant and helping them find the ideal designs for their own personal, unique look."

9. where do you see the Juvelan brand in 10 years?

Johan: "I would like women all over the world to wear our jewelry. It would be an honor if in 10 years JUVELAN was internationally known and available in stores around the globe. It would also be nice to have a flagship store where we could personally advise our female customers."

Fredrik: "In 10 years I will already be 44 (!) and then I probably only have a good 20 years ahead of me before I - at least officially - retire. That's why I would like to see JUVELAN then as a globally known and established brand, with a strong bridal jewelry line and collections for every day. I dream of a well-structured company with a great team that supports us in all areas from production to shipping to accounting."

What is a typical working day like for Johan and Fredrik?

Fredrik: "I'm an early riser, so my workday rarely starts after 8am. The very first thing I do is look at the calendar to see what's coming up that day. After that, I answer emails, which usually takes an hour or two. After that, I update our production list, enter all new orders, check which orders Johan has finished and prepare them for shipping. That also usually takes between one and two hours. When that's all done, I check our finances. Have all the bills that are due been paid and have we paid all our outstanding bills? Fortunately, we have a lot of standing orders set up, so that's usually done quickly. After that, Johan and I then sit down and update each other and discuss upcoming projects and ideas."

Johan: "Let's face it, there is usually no typical working day for us, because there is always something new or unplanned happening. But after (or during) breakfast, Fredrik and I usually talk about what's coming up that day or in the near future. We distribute the corresponding tasks and then go our separate ways while everyone works through their to-do list.

I prefer to start in the morning with individual custom designs for single clients, because they require my full concentration and creativity. I organize the materials needed for this, make concept drawings and exchange ideas with the bride-to-be about it. Then I spend considerable time making jewelry and packaging the individual orders and sending them off in time for the brides to receive their jewelry on time before the wedding. I also like to stage and photograph our jewelry in a beautiful setting for social media or our website. I usually then plan our social media activities and prepare content for our blog.

I feel like I work through at least 100 other things every day, but that's kind of what a typical workday can look like for me."

11. which celebrity wedding did you love...and why?

Johan: "Apart from what you see in photos in the daily press, I've never been particularly interested in royal or celebrity weddings. But what I did like a lot were the wedding dresses of Meghan Markle, Olivia Palermo and Solange Knowles, because they were so unfussy and modern.

But I definitely have a favorite wedding-themed movie scene: Carrie's wedding dress shoot for VOGUE in the Sex and the City movie ☺"

If you could make a piece of jewelry for a famous person (dead or alive), who would it be and what would you design?

Johan: "There are countless women I would love to design jewelry for, but here are two examples:

First, my absolute favorite singer Sara Bareilles and second, Melissa McCarthy, one of the best and funniest actresses in my eyes. I would design a pair of very special earrings for each of them."

13. if you could collaborate with another brand, whether accessories or bridal, who would it be and why?

Johan: "I would love to collaborate with French designer Rime Arodaky. Her work is so incredibly elegant, very feminine, romantic and highly modern at the same time."

14. which designer or brand inspires you and why?

Johan: "Ellie Saab, Oscar de la Renta, Marchesa - just to name a few, because there are so many designers whose work I admire. In my eyes, these brilliant fashion designers create the most elegant and romantic clothes for modern women.

Learn more about our current bridal jewelry collection here

Here you can read more about Juvelan on Bridal Editor