How my mum’s work in a Soviet jewelry shop inspired me to build my own jewelry brand - Part I

During Soviet times, when I wasn’t born yet, my mother started to work in a state owned jewelry store. It was the only store selling precious stones and precious  metals jewelry in my home town. A mid sized town in East Siberia, once known for Decembrists sent there due to a revolt in Imperial Russia, called Chita.

Incredibly fast and ambitious, my mum has worked her way up the strictly organized soviet hierarchy in the store and eventually became the director herself.

Overseeing a team of 25 ladies and bringing the latest trends in jewelry to the remote region of East Siberia, she quickly made a name for herself and was one of the well known people in town.

I remember being a little girl, going to work with mum whenever possible at that time. I have clear memories standing behind the counter and watching her and the ladies polishing and selling shiny earrings, necklaces and the like. It was really a special place. Opulent chandeliers, shiny marble walls and displays full of glitzy diamonds. I believe that’s the spark that still lights me today when I work on new designs.

Along with the collapse of the Soviet Union more and more people dared to set up privately owned businesses. That was the time my mother saw an unique opportunity. There was literally no one else in town who knew as much about jewelry and fashion as she did. This was her time to step into entrepreneurship and open a brand new store - this time only playing by HER rules.

How my mum captured the local market I’ll tell you in the second part of this blog.