STORE EXCLUSIVES - Meet The Maker: Mood Good

Hey Rosie, how are you? We’ve been looking forward to having your designs hit our Boundary Street store!

I am good thank you, and even better for being stocked in the Boundary street store... What an absolute dream come true!

How have you found the wild ride that’s been the past year?

It has been wild indeed... When we first went into lockdown, I really had no idea how it would pan out for Mood Good. However, the last year has been a bit of a catalyst for the brand's growth and it feels pretty mad and amazing that after nearly 4 years of hard work, so many of the things that I had hoped for and dreamt of for Mood Good are actually becoming a reality. It has been a surreal time in so many ways and I feel extremely grateful that for myself and many other independent businesses, it has been a time to focus on our brands, connect with people, support each other and grow.

What 3 words would you use to describe Mood Good?

Timeless, special, happy!

If you had to pick one favourite piece you’ve ever made, which would it be?

That is a tricky one! I think it would have to be the Doodle Signet Ring from the collaboration collection with illustrator Holly St Clair. As a designer, quite often I will find myself feeling a bit 'over' pieces once I have seen and thought about them so much. However, I think because this ring is absolutely covered in Holly's gorgeous illustrations, I have enough creative distance to continue to really appreciate it. It was one of those designs that I knew would go down well the moment that I thought of it and I just think I will always love it!

What things are most important to you when you start creating a new design?

So many things! Firstly, it needs to be timeless. I genuinely want people to wear their Mood Good pieces forever, so am careful not to follow trends or create designs that people will 'go off' after a short time. For inspiration I often look back at vintage jewellery, historical symbolism, idioms and motifs that have been around for decades or centuries... If they still feel relevant now, then I know I am on to something.

Next, it needs to be practical and wearable... Mood Good jewellery is for wearing every day and it needs to be comfortable and durable. Finally, it needs to feel special and joyful and different. If I am going to be creating more 'stuff' in this cluttered world, it had better be worthwhile!

How did you first get into making jewellery?

I discovered Jewellery Design during the first week of my Foundation Course at Central St Martins and it just felt right... What could be better than creating special little objects intended to bring beauty, meaning and joy?! I went on to do a Jewellery Design BA and quickly realised that I loved the design aspect but did not have the patience for the making side. A couple of years after graduating, I was working full time and decided to teach myself how to use 3D CAD drawing software in my spare time. This enabled me to design pieces to an incredible degree of accuracy... And then 3D print them! It was completely magical having full creative control over my designs, and being able to bring them into reality with no hand making required. That newfound creative freedom and excitement was what really inspired me to start Mood Good.

What advice would you give to wannabe jewellery makers?

Jewellery is great because anybody can make it! You don't need to be a silversmith or have any formal training to make beautiful things, there are so many avenues to go down and materials to experiment with... I see so many talented makers on Instagram creating amazing jewellery from clay, beads or resin and they are just figuring it out as they go along. If you do want to make a metal piece, you could start by experimenting with a ring carving kit at home to find out if it is something that you enjoy and if you want to take it further.

What is your favourite thing about working for yourself?

I really love the creative fulfilment that comes with designing the things that I want in the way I want to. I love that my customers are MY people, I connect with them and understand them and I know what will bring them joy. There are no meetings and middle men signing off on my ideas... It is just me, creating nice things for lovely people to wear and enjoy. It's simple and it's incredibly fulfilling. Plus, I can put as many smiley faces as I want in my emails and nobody can tell me otherwise!

What’s the best part of running an independent business in London?

To be honest, I feel most part of a community online (in terms of the small business community and those that engage with the jewellery and the brand through Instagram) so in some ways, particularly this past year, I feel that I could be anywhere. Saying that, as all Mood Good jewellery is made in London, it is extremely useful to be nearby to the small workshops that I work with so that I can visit and build relationships with them. Also, over the past few years I have organised and been a part of quite a few pop-ups in London and I love being around for them as much as I can... It is a joyful experience watching people discover and try on the jewellery first hand and it is so nice to chat to them and make those connections. I am really looking forward to doing more of them now that everything is opening back up!