Scan Magazine | Design Profile | Sophie by Sophie
Photo: Josefine Lundhall
Photo: Cornelia Wahlberg
A jewellery brand with a difference In addition to making splendid bracelets, earrings and necklaces, Swedish jewellery brand Sophie by Sophie takes great social responsibility. For more than a decade, it has made the world a more beautiful place, not only by producing fantastic jewellery but also by showing compassion, support and humanity to those who need it the most. By Pia Petersson
It was when Sophie Gyllenhammar Mattsson was on maternity leave that the idea began to take root. What if she would establish her own jewellery business? Her second child was born two years later, and during that stint of maternity leave she stopped just thinking about the idea and decided to go for it. With a background in fashion PR, Gyllenhammar Mattsson realised that she would have to acquire some advice and knowledge about jewellery from others. “Luckily, through a friend I got 16 | Issue 111 | April 2018
to know this fantastic Argentinian artist, Horacio Ramirez-Achinelli, who mainly worked with jewellery. He helped me breathe life into my ideas – he made them real,” Gyllenhammar Mattsson begins. She ended up spending time as a sort of apprentice in Ramirez-Achinelli’s workshop, as well as taking classes in jewellery design. “I really wanted to learn more about the trade and the art of making jewellery,” she continues. Her business, Sophie by Sophie, was established in 2006 and has been a success story ever since.
Classic with a modern twist The interest in jewellery has been there since childhood. Gemstones, in particular, have always had a special place in Gyllenhammar Mattsson’s heart. “It’s amazing that nature produces these lovely gemstones. Just think that a rugged mountain can produce such beauty,” she reflects. The interest in jewellery was shared by her late mother. “My mum was incredibly supportive during those first few years of the business,” Gyllenhammar Mattsson recalls. Since the start, gemstones have formed the foundation of Sophie by Sophie’s jewellery collections. “In the early days, a particular gemstone was the starting point for every piece of jewellery I designed,” says Gyllenhammar Mattsson. Appealing to a wide group of