Breaking the Boundaries
What started as a passion project from her home in 2012 whilst not being able to find contemporary jewellery at affordable prices, has grown into a movement that has completely revolutionised the jewellery experience. Over the next two pages, we converse with Connie Nam, Founder & CEO of Astrid & Miyu about the expansion journey the company has been on in recent years and what the next steps are.
Whilst she had held a longstanding love of unique and contemporary jewellery styles, Connie’s mission was always to build something more than just a jewellery brand. She instead wanted to create a company that could be considered a leader in experiential retail.
At Astrid & Miyu, there is a continuous drive to manufacture meaningful and personal experiences through jewellery, delivered via immersive in-store experiences and a strong community. They want every touchpoint, from product to service, to feel thoughtful.
There are currently 26 stores operating across the UK, with new openings having taken place in Selfridges London & Manchester, Belfast and Bicester Village. They have also expanded into Europe and the US, including Amsterdam and New York. One of their most exciting milestones was the opening of their flagship site in August last year – the House of Astrid & Miyu, which is located in Carnaby.
Most recently the company has unveiled stores in Belfast and Bicester Village, as well as relaunching Selfridges in London in August, reflecting their strategy of meeting customer demand across major cities and retail destinations.
As with all their locations, these new units offer a range of personalisable and stackable jewellery, as well as services including onsite piercings and weldings. These in-store experiences are at the core of Astrid & Miyu, taking them from a jewellery brand into the lifestyle realm and giving their consumers the opportunity to create lasting memories.
Speaking on expansion, Nam highlights that they are continuing to accelerate in the UK and expanding internationally with a new NYC location on Madison Avenue (due in October) and that in the past few months, they have introduced bespoke tattoos and their Sunkiss Tattoos™, as they keep on expanding their offerings and diversifying their product categories.
“At Astrid & Miyu, we create a personal, seamless experience for our guests, both in-store and online. Above all, we believe that keeping our staff happy and well-trained is key to delivering an exceptional experience,” explains Connie Nam, Founder & CEO of the business. “Our team is the first touchpoint for our customers and the true ambassadors of our brand. They offer expert advice to help customers find pieces that reflect their unique style, ensuring personalised service at every touchpoint.”
She continues by saying that for anyone who shops with them, they will be presented with a seamless experience, whether in-store or online, thanks to their strong omni-channel approach. They also prioritise community engagement, staying connected with customers through social media, events and loyalty programs. They also listen closely to customer feedback, using it to continually improve their service and offerings. By combining these elements, they aim to deliver a consistently great experience every time someone interacts with the business.
As our conversation moves onto the topic of sustainability, we learn that it plays an incredibly important role within the business. For example, they ensure they use responsible materials and recyclable packaging, alongside donating to various charity partners like The Felix Project and The Baytree Project.
They also have their very own recycling scheme, Astrid & Re-New, which allows people to give their jewellery a new lease of life. Customers can send their jewellery back to them or drop off any unwanted sterling silver jewellery (from any brand) and they will send them off to be recycled. Customers who do this will then receive 1,000 loyalty points to spend in-store or online.
It is elements such as this that help create customer loyalty, something that is more important than ever in such a competitive retail environment. Nam also feels they create this through their experiential in-store experiences and community events.
“Creating connections to consumers through these personal experiences is central to standing out in a competitive market. We want customers to feel part of something bigger. We also have loyalty programmes that reward repeat customers, offering them early access to highly anticipated drops. In addition, we make sure we take on feedback to help shape our product development and service offerings.”
At Astrid & Miyu, they do not just sell jewellery, they aim to redefine the industry through community building and immersive retail experiences and their ethos is centred around the ambition to be true pioneers in the realm of experiential retail.
They aim to go beyond the traditional role of a jewellery brand by offering much more than just exquisite pieces. They seek to inspire, engage and connect with their community on a deeper level, redefining what it means to shop for jewellery in a way that combines innovation, storytelling and exceptional service.
“Looking ahead, we are excited to continue building Astrid & Miyu, both in terms of our product offerings and global presence. Our focus remains on creating a stronger connection with our customers, whether through new store openings, innovative collaborations, or enhancing our digital presence,” Nam comments.
She also puts across that the greatest challenge they face is maintaining the balance between growth and intimacy with their community. As they scale, they must ensure they stay true to their core values and personalised services. Their community-centred approach is integral to everything they do and they want to ensure that as they grow, they keep on building meaningful relationships with customers.
“The key will be staying agile, nurturing our incredible team and keeping that unique Astrid & Miyu touch that has defined our success from the start,” Nam concludes.
