AJewelz by Mealz FASHION

By Keja Isaac Sofekun

Say hello to the new jewellery brand lighting up the Manchester fashion scene. Jewelz by Mealz specialises in unique jewellery made from upcycled materials –discarded but repurposed creatively – and encourages ethical consumption.

There’s little chance you’ll be wearing the exact same look as someone else because these items are limited made-to-order pieces. Manchester Met Fashion Art Direction student Amelia Godel, who’s 21 and the brains behind the brand, sat down with us to celebrate its two-year anniversary.

Where did the inspiration for Jewelz by Mealz come from?

I am inspired by nature and wildlife. I take lots of inspiration from the ocean and its inhabitants, organic formations, and from mushrooms – with their vast range of patterns, textures and colours and the way they have always influenced our planet in many unseen ways throughout the centuries. I am also really inspired by some of my favourite musical artists, particularly ones with rich and complex visuals such as Caroline Polachek or Arca. I like to make jewellery that I could imagine existing in the worlds they create.

What are the brand’s values?

The core values of Jewelz by Mealz include promotion of sustainable living and the importance of positive actions towards our planet, a rejection of fast fashion and encouragement to consume more ethically. I also donate profits from different drops to various charities and each time I do this I want people to learn as much as possible about the causes I am supporting. I do this by raising awareness alongside funds, tying each piece of art to a tangible cause and encouraging transparency with my customers by showing exactly where their money goes and what they are supporting when they buy a piece of JBM jewellery.

How did you first become interested in sustainability?

I have been vegan/vegetarian for eight years now after finding out the impact that animal agriculture had on the environment. Around the same time, I started shopping secondhand because I knew it was a more sustainable choice and I was frequently disappointed by the quality of fast fashion clothing. Since starting JBM, I have continued to learn a lot about the importance of sustainability. I want my brand to encourage others to think about the impact their actions have on the environment and hopefully inspire them to make more planet-friendly decisions.

How can we shop more consciously?

Supporting smaller independent brands like mine or shopping secondhand is a great way to participate in trends whilst not encouraging mass production of new pieces, and often enables you to give money to important causes at the same time. Buying secondhand pieces also ensures you will have a much more distinctive wardrobe and you are very unlikely to wear the same top, dress or skirt as ten other people around you who bought from a fast fashion brand online. The most sustainable thing people can do is wear the clothes they own already, just styled in a different way or adopted to fit the new style they want. This move towards up-cycling existing items was definitely one of the best things to come out of the pandemic, in my opinion.

How do you come up with each piece?

At the start of Jewelz by Mealz, I was given a lot of old jewellery from my Grandma to rework into new pieces, which was really special. I source my materials from vintage fairs, flea markets, car boot sales, online marketplaces like eBay and Vinted, charity shops and auctions. When creating a new piece, I get inspired a lot by the materials I have at that moment, and will usually make a piece with one specific pendant, bead or charm as a starting point and then work around that.

Do you have a favourite?

Only a few days after I first started selling necklaces, I made a piece called ‘The Moon and All Her Stars’ commemorating the loss of musician SOPHIE two years ago. It was the first time I understood channelling emotion into art and making it into something beautiful. The necklace is a very complex and sculptural piece and making it inspired me to continue using jewellery to channel emotions and feelings within our existence and translate them into wearable art pieces.