We recently had the privilege of chatting with the lady behind Australia’s Award winning jewelry brand, YCL Jewels. Fabienne is a self taught artisanal jeweller and designer, with an incredible story and so much wisdom. Keep reading to get to know this amazing woman and hear how it all began.
What was your inspiration for the business? I had been making jewellery for 8 years at the time I started, it was a hobby I turned to, for creative expression. I never thought I could do it as a profession, it never even crossed my mind until I visited a market stall one day & saw the pieces of another jewellery designer. I turned to my partner & said “I would love to do that!”, & he said “Well, do it Fab”… Five years late & I have never looked back.
How did you go about starting up? My story is a little unorthodox, I didn’t have a grand business plan or lots of capital in the bank (I actually had little to none & it stayed that way for 2 years whilst starting out). Instead I quit my job, quit my degree (within the same week) & decided to start a business with no business experience, no mentors, & no money. It hasn’t always been easy but I continue to learn and think that my non-business background has given me the freedom to shape the business in a way that feels right to where we are at at all times.
What are you offering that is different from the rest? I don’t compare YCL to other brands, there is abundance for all. As a brand we are passionate about staying true to our values, which is to create ‘More than Jewellery’ for our customers (YCL Women). Everything from the designs of our pieces, to the people we collaborate with, the content we create all has a deeper meaning behind it. We are passionate about being a part of the lifestyle our YCL Women live and to inspire them to live their most fulfilling life. We do this through the story of each collection we launch, creating intentional rituals around the art of putting on your jewellery, to our YCL Women Campaign & our brand new YCL Women Facebook Group; which shows a raw look into the behind the scenes of YCL, includes live videos about everything from business, to spirituality to lifestyle.
What gets you out of bed every day? I love this question, it seems straight forward however there is such a powerful energy around being aware of WHY you wake in the morning & WHAT truly fuels you. For me, it’s the freedom & fulfilment of being able to live from my heart every day. From the my morning routine, to my car ride to work, to emailing, working with my team, designing, moving through road blocks that business can throw at you, all is done (most of the time) with care, a gentleness for myself. Every thing I do as part of my day can be done with care, with intention. When we operate from this space, we become more grateful for the small things in our day that we often can over look, yet that bring so much light & wholesomeness to our life.
What do you love about your job? To be able to connect with like-minded, inspiring women & men, the freedom to work anywhere in the world, & the fulfilment of being able to infuse art into my day, everyday.
What does marriage mean to you? Marriage means a lot to me, however perhaps not in the traditional sense. A marriage, to me, is when two things are magnetised to each other. To be truly bound to another energy. It could be a human, a feeling, an act, an experience.
Tell us about your favourite experience as a business owner? Connecting with our YCL Women, a group of incredible women whom inspire all that you see within YCL Jewels.
What is one piece of advice you would give to someone just starting out in the industry? Don’t compare yourself to what others are doing, don’t allow the noise & expectations of others distract or cloud you from your vision & your truth.
