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All Life is One
Interview by Ursula Lake
Photography by Elisabeth Gibson
Art and Fashion Directed by Ursula Lake
An interview with Sarah Müllertz, the founder of Kinraden Jewellery about architecture, sustainability and how to stay optimistic.
Tell us a little bit about your childhood, background and your route into design.
I grew up in the Danish countryside. It was a very classic upbringing with classical music, books and parents who were highly interested in the classical arts; ballet, music, art, literature, culture. Wherever we went in the world, we always saw the church and the museum. So, I’ve been exposed to art and culture all my life. My teenage rebellion was to fall in love with modern art and architecture. For myself, I’ve always known that I wanted to do something with my hands. To create something new or different, something that didn’t already exist.
What was the turning point that made you want to create Kinraden and where does the name come from?
I had worked as an architect for years, with interior design specifically, and I felt tired of choosing sofas and lamps or designing thousands of square meters of office space. In a sense, I felt that I was just adding more clutter to the world, not changing anything real. Over the years, I had also worked with jewellery in and out of my professional career. I am fond of the scale and the simplicity of materials. And how it could easily be transferred into a circular business strategy. The dilemma of being an architect or designer today is that the world doesn’t actually need any more stuff. I think that we have an obligation to think in new directions in terms of consumption. So, if I was to use my professional expertise going forward, I needed to figure out a way of doing it responsibly.
The name Kinraden is an old 13th-century form of the English word ‘kindred’; to be related. It is a very precise expression of how I see the world and how I want to work. We are all related on earth – all life is one. We need to understand this concept in order to pass on a healthy planet to the next generations. My jewellery is a way of communicating this kinship of ours.
What would you say influences your designs the most?
My architectural background. The design triangulation between material, place and person is still there in the way I shape my jewellery. I keep it simple and always search for the clearest and purest expression – the perfect shape, function and aesthetics. I strive to peel off the layers to expose the most beautiful functional form. This is why most of my jewellery is simple.
Do you have a muse or a dream idea of the woman/man that you design for?
If I had a muse, it would be Sofia Coppola or Phoebe Philo. They are both timeless in their style and expression and very charismatic. They are all about the understated luxury of quality and craftsmanship that I aim for. I really adore the timelessness of them both. They remain relevant.
Do you feel that coming from Scandinavia has an influence on the aesthetic of the brand?
Absolutely. The way we live in Scandinavia, close to the sea, close to the sky. The simplicity of our architecture and strong design tradition have played a major part for who I am as an architect and designer.
We love the sustainability angle of your design. How easy was it for your designs to adhere to this sort of ethical standpoint?
It was extremely difficult. It took me years to find the right suppliers and setup. It is very difficult to be sustainable – it’s an ongoing process and choice you make every day. It is about seeing new possibilities, being innovative, working with your supply chain, the design and collaboration with other people – there are so many layers to it. At the end of the day, it is what makes it all worthwhile.
We are intrigued by your unusual use of the wood Mpingo in your designs. How did you discover this material and why do you love it? Does it come with its challenges?
I came across Mpingo on a design project years ago, where learned that it is mainly used for classical instruments, such as oboes and clarinets. I immediately thought, how beautiful and precise this rare and fine material is. For classical instruments, the cuts must be so precise in order to deliver the exact right tones. Because of the beauty and extreme hardness of this wood, it occurred to me to use it for diamonds. For Kinraden the Mpingo comes from a WWF protected and FSC certified forest in Tanzania. We buy it through a great NGO called Sound and Fair: Actually, we buy the leftovers from instrument production – so it’s actually upcycled wood. Fundamentally, I think that we as designers have an obligation to reuse existing materials, so we don’t extract anything more from the earth than is already circulating. This material fulfilled all my vision in terms of possibilities, sustainability and beauty.
How did you cope during the pandemic? Can you tell us your pandemic story and anything you learned from it?
We were hit quite hard by the pandemic because all retail closed down. Luckily, we had our webshop. I’ve learnt a lot about communicating on Instagram, it was quite terrifying for me to start with. But gradually, it gave me a wonderful feeling of being in touch with our community, the people who follow us, and that was quite a gift.
The pandemic has also clarified which values that are important – if we lived by the right values. It gave food for thought. Our Kinraden team spoke online every day, so we felt connected and I think that was very important to help us feel stronger, happier and less isolated.
For me personally, the pandemic made me very conscious of my choice to build Kinraden, because it was so tough. It would have been easier to give up. It made me aware of my focus and I know now that I have to do this as an architect and person.
What are your plans or hopes for the future of the brand?
I would love to work even closer with the supply chains and to explore new materials. I feel very blessed and humbled that I am able to design and create, and my hope is that we can grow organically and gently, so we can still continue to be as ambitious with our sustainable and circular business strategies as we are today.
The theme of this issue is ‘Optimistic’. What are you optimistic about?
I’m very optimistic. I think the world is finally, finally waking up to how important sustainable issues are. I see more and more people discussing how to move forward in a gentler and more sustainable way. We have the technology, the funds and brains to do it. We have a huge chance of getting it right, and of thriving with it, if we can work together. I insist on being optimistic, giving up is not an option.
You can find Sarah’s beautiful and sustainable jewellery at www.kinraden.com
Hair by Sven Bayerbach at Carol Hayes Management using Razzi Dazzi Hair
Makeup by Lica Fensome at Stella Creative Artists.
Model: Cosima Auermann at Viva
All jewellery by Kinraden
All jewellery by Kinraden
Right-hand image: Navy strappy dress by Raey at Matches
All jewellery by Kinraden
Black velvet tux jacket by Ceffin
All jewellery by Kinraden
All jewellery by Kinraden
Left-hand image: Black velvet tux jacket by Ceffin
Right hand image: Beige coated trench coat by Paco Rabanne
All jewellery by Kinraden
Left-hand image: Black velvet tux jacket by Ceffin
All jewellery by Kinraden
Black cotton crop top by Prism
All jewellery by Kinraden
Nanushcha beige vegan leather jacket
All jewellery by Kinraden
Beige coated trench coat by Paco Rabanne