“More than just a jewellery brand, we are a movement on a mission to revolutionise the jewellery experience.” Exclaims Astrid & Miyu. Indeed, A&M does not fail to disappoint.
Founded by Connie Nam in 2012, Connie had a strong vision to create the Unique Trinity of Jewellery, that is …
- … sentimental and innovative …
- … inclusive and empowering…
- … whilst creating a personal and pleasurable experience
A&M are most well-known for their creative and intricate earstacks, uniting the above 3 pillars of the brand. A&M releases new collections every 6 weeks and their new Valentine’s collection is dainty and sweet. I recently got this dainty star hoops to match my other star A&M earrings – find them here . I got the 11.5mm size as I like them to hang more below my lobe I love my little star earrings – I never take them out and they are so magical! Here are a few of my favourite hoop earrings to embellish and dazzle your ears:
What I love about my A&M pieces is that each piercing & earring has a sentimental story <3
AN INNOVATIVE, EMPOWERING & PERSONAL EXPERIENCE
What makes A&M the favourite piercing and jewellery store among millennials and Gen Z and help in this successful growth? As well as creating intricate and sentimental jewellery, the in-store experience at A&M is magical. Neon lights, pastel decor and jewellery on show (read: not behind glass cabinets like most luxury jewellery or hidden on flimsy cardboard like less luxurious jewellery) all create for a personable and fun experience.
I love the original St Christopher’s Store, and the Shoreditch shop in Box Park is cute too. They also have another store in Selfridges and recently put huge investment in the NY store.
A&M currently has 8 stores in London, 1 in Manchester, 1 in Brighton, 1 in Edinburgh, 1 in Bristol and 1 in New York. But, as with every business, it wasn’t plain sailing. Initially, Connie financed the business through the sale of her flat in Hong Kong and then worked with small brands and did pop-ups in Notting Hill and another in Piccadilly through a government scheme. Each A&M has a little twist depending on the neighbourhood in which it is located in and this is what adds to the personalised and pleasurable shopping experience loved by millennials and Gen Z.
A&M introduced in store piercing in 2018, and it is one of the ways that the store experience is becoming more experiential. Choose from many areas to be pierced and select your earrings of choice. Then, enjoy a piercing appointment in their cute studio, complete with chocolate in case you need a little boost of glucose. Enjoy admiring your newly adorned ears and jewels! When I had my helix pierced, they had run out of the iconic 5 star earrings (they were so popular back in the day) so I opted for the gorgeous 3-circular-earrings. Since then I have bought the 3-star-studs which look so cute and go well with my other A&M star earrings. A&M have such a variety of gorgeous earrings to choose from and the intricate and iconic stars really are a best seller.
BESPOKE EXPERIENCES
As well as piercings, A&M offer tattoo, engraving & innovative welding experiences!
The welding experience sounds so cool and it’s definitely something I will get in the future. Your jeweller will secure your solid gold chain to your wrist by welding without the sign of a join. This makes it a great permanent bracelet for relationships, mother-daughter bracelets and BFF friendship bracelets!
A&M added tattooing into the mix in 2019 and this boosted like for like turnover by 350% in 2019 alone!
ESG: SUSTAINABILITY AT ITS CORE
A&M have environmental and sustainability issues at heart:
Astrid & Renew (how I love this pun!):
- Drop off your unwanted silver and gold jewellery (A&M and non-A&M)
- You will receive 1,000 loyalty points (that’s £10!)
- A&M will then recycle your jewellery and the money raised from this will be donated to The Felix Project!
The Baytree Centre:
- Aims to support females living in some of Lambeth’s most disadvantaged areas…
- …through coaching, workshops & activities
Recyclable packaging:
- Jewellery comes in reusable jewellery pouches and recyclable jewellery boxes
- If you bring 10 old boxes in store you can get 500 loyalty points (£5!)
Sustainable stores:
- A&M are making sure that materials used for visual merchandising are sustainable and re-used for future campaigns.
MEET THE FOUNDER: CONNIE NAM
Connie’s journey started in Investment Banking where she worked in ECM, helping tech companies raise money through IPOs. She then earned her MBA at LBS and worked in consulting for LVMH, before starting her jewellery company A&M… she quite literally switched M&A for A&M!
Connie sure serves as inspiration for female founders wishing to take the plunge from corporate careers to starting their own companies. She has featured in the The Sunday Times Fast Track and JP Morgan’s Top 200 Female Powered Businesses.
She concedes that setting up your own business, whilst exciting is also a lonely experience. Having a strong support network on your journey is essential. Connie reveals that she has an executive coach and a network of other founders whom she speaks to regularly. As with everything, communication and sharing ideas and experiences is key to success in any field.
Advice which Connie would give to working mums: “Be open with your team. Be human. You will be surprised how supportive and empathic people can be!” [Taken from Gymshark IWD article]
FUNDAMENTALS, FUNDING & FUTURE
Fundamentals
- 2012: Founded by Connie Nam in her Notting Hill flat
- >200% yoy growth from 2012 to 2019 through leveraging a multi-channel strategy…
- Using social media and celebrity clients such as Pippa Middleton & Georgia May Jagger
- Partnering with retailers such as Selfridges & Le Bon Marche
- 2015: First physical store opened in St Christopher’s Place, Marylebone
- 2020: US organic sales +60%
- 2021: A&M sails across the Atlantic to open their New York store
- 2021: Revenues 70% commence and 30% retail
- 2022E: 50% commerce 50% retail
- 2021: Revenue £20 million
Funding
- 2015: Raised £500K through angel investors, including the founder of HostelWorld
- 2019: £4 million from German PE firm Aeternum
Future
- McKinsey’s 2021 report predicts that global fine jewellery sales will grow
- from $280Bn in 2019
- to $360Bn in 2025
- & bricks and mortar will be 80% of these sales
- Branded jewellery with strong values aligned to customers’ values will grow 3x faster than the total market
- For A&M this means that their TAM will grow significantly, as they focus on opening new stores in the US and continental Europe, and remaining true to their sustainable values and meaningful and sentimental pieces
- Connie reveals that after proving the business model in the US, they are hoping to raise future PE financing
Have you been to A&M? Which piercing is next on your list and on your vision board? Let me know!
Lots of love, Jo xoxo
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