Zara Braganca, 25, and Gemma Critchley, 28, are founders of Cabinet, an eclectic jewellery company, based in Somerset.

Zara: “I first met Gemma in Birmingham where we were both studying textile design and I guess we hit it off straightaway. We worked together on a collaborative project and soon after graduating, we ended up working on a collection called Cabinet. I guess it was a natural progression of our relationship.

“Cabinet is an eclectic jewellery company which uses a combination of textiles and fine jewellery. We chose the name as we like to think of ourselves as a cabinet of curiosity with all sorts of interesting things inside it. Our inspirations come from rummaging around antique shops, flea markets and visiting museums. The collections definitely have a travelled feel to them.

“We launched Cabinet two years ago at Treasure, the official London Jewellery Week event. I became aware of London’s first jewellery week through my other job at RBS. Alongside running Cabinet, I work for RBS three days a week in their Debt Management and Fraud Operations in Shropshire.

“I stumbled across Treasure when I was looking through the RBS group intranet pages as Coutts was the main sponsor. It was a great place to launch and get our name out there. We built up our contacts and from there we decided to apply for LFW.

“This September will be our third time at LFW. We are getting recognised a bit more which is really great and are also developing our stockist base. Cabinet is currently stocked in Paul Smith, My Sugarland, HP France (Tokyo) and from this month luxe jewellery store Kabiri, which is so exciting for us. The ideal would be to work with stockists and develop pieces personally for each store.

“A week before LFW, we’re usually up early, probably after a very late night before, and get to work on refining and finishing the collection, updating the website, and adding to the blog.

“As the collection has already been photographed, we focus on any last minute things that need changing. We also spend a long time developing the look of our stand. Every season, we want the display to have a definite Cabinet identity but with a new look and twist, bringing in something fresh from each collection.

“For autumn/winter we had these old chandeliers and stuffed beautiful birds on the stand to complement our feather necklaces. LFW is an incredible place to showcase Cabinet – the atmosphere is amazing.”

 Gemma: “The week before LFW it’s almost hard to stop designing because although we try to bring it to a close, sometimes we might come across something that sparks off a great idea.

“Even before we launched our first collection, Zara and I knew that we wanted to have unique products that were also high end refined pieces. We spent a good year developing the brand and even some of the pieces before we launched. I think we always know what we want to design and its more about the business slowly taking shape and form.

“Our pieces retail from £60 to £600. It’s varied though as the made to order pieces and commissions cost more. There isn’t a ‘typical’ Cabinet woman we design for, but I guess the jewellery is for someone who is confident in their own style. We have had some great private views with women of all ages. Our audience base is quite diverse. Even women in their 70s look incredible in our pearl collars.

“I used to be a visual merchandiser, but I had to make a choice when Cabinet started taking off so I decided to quit. Soon after, a family friend asked if I wanted to look after a big stately home in Somerset, which also had a lovely big studio space. I snapped up the chance, and although it can be a challenge to juggle the two, it means we have our own work area. Besides it’s a really inspiring place to be and fits in with the Cabinet identity perfectly.

“As Cabinet grows, Zara and I are taking on more specific roles. I tend to do a lot of the photography while Zara will look after the accounts. Neither of us are just designers, with a business like ours we find you have to wear many hats.

“But it’s been a great experience. We have learnt a lot and I guess we’re still learning everyday. Obviously having a business partner, who is also a friend, means you need to be able to divide the two and switch off, especially when you’ve had a bad day.

“The future for us is about building on where we are now. We don’t want to expand too quickly or go too crazy – it’s all about keeping the business steady and staying true to the Cabinet brand.”

For more information, visit Cabinet’s website.

As told to Rupa Sudra