DESIGN 38 | JNA September/October 2022 The Artisan series, also under the Rare Collection, meanwhile showcases handmade Gingko leaf-inspired pieces in textured gold. Both the Rich and Rare Collections have a strong following among younger generations who have started investing in 18-karat gold jewellery, shared Zhao. “Designs have evolved and become trendier and more attractive to a wider range of buyers, including young people. We see this trend continuing. There is potential for growth in this market,” she continued. Hero gemstones Zhao admits becoming partial to pastel gemstones of late, which is evident in her extensive collection of mintcoloured gems, including Paraiba tourmalines and opals. According to the designer, Paraiba tourmaline exhibits a kind of lustre that complements diamonds without being overpowered or dominated. Opals meanwhile are beloved for their manifold, effervescent colours that are reminiscent of paintings, the colours of the sky or the magnificent blues of the sea. “If you change the angle of how you look at an opal, it will look like a totally different stone. We frame the opal with gold to give it a painting effect,” she remarked. Pastel-hued jewellery pieces are worn mostly during summer while winter requires something more intense in colour, shared Zhao. Each stone is personally sourced and chosen by Zhao and only those that resonate with her and meet her standards make the cut. Influencer jeweller Capitalising on her social media influence, Zhao has successfully built a virtual presence for RichandRare. The brand so far has 160,000 followers on its official account on the Xiaohongshu platform. Known in the social media world as biubiu, she is in a unique position to gauge her online audiences’ inclinations as determined by likes and comments. This so-called social media language ultimately benefits companies since it is viewed as an indicator of what clicks and what does not. “Through our social media posts, we started to know what our buyers need. We think ahead and anticipate their preferences. Instant customer feedback on our newly launched jewellery collections is also important,” she added. Digital foothold will continue to play an important role in the jewellery sector. Companies need an easily accessible platform to communicate their strengths to their customers and to showcase diverse and imaginative ways to wear jewellery. “It is important for jewellery brands to be seen constantly by an increasingly omnipresent audience,” noted Zhao. Moving forward, RichandRare will further strengthen its social media presence and digital strategies. The company currently has a production team composed of video editors and photographers, who help produce its social media content. Physical shops also remain a crucial component of the business. RichandRare recently relocated its flagship boutique in Hong Kong. The new store, located at Wyndham Street in Central, features a fantasy-themed ambience inspired by “Alice in Wonderland,” complete with walls of red roses, lush greens and even the infamous rabbit hole. RichandRare mainly sells to Hong Kong and mainland Chinese customers. It also has two shops in China, one in Shanghai and one in Shenzhen. “We aim to expand our reach to other Asian countries and overseas markets as well. That is in our horizon. We plan to open one more store in Beijing, most likely in 2023,” revealed Zhao. Versatile charms from the Festival Series Festival系列的精致吊饰 All jewellery pieces by RichandRare 所有珠宝作品均出自RichandRare
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