We believe in supporting Canadian products, not for the sake of it, but because our nation boasts some of the greatest examples of craftsmanship in the world. In this issue, meet Emilie Nolan, the creative force behind “fiiiine” jewellery brand, Oremme.
Oremme was born of a need to fill a space within the fine jewellery market, according to founder Emilie Nolan.
When Nolan’s mom got her first job, she bought herself a piece of jewellery, Nolan says. Accordingly, when Nolan decided to leave her last marketing job (“I knew I wanted to be an entrepreneur”), she wanted to mark it with a piece of fine jewellery.
“What I wanted was a coloured rainbow band,” recalls Nolan. But her search for the right piece ran into a dead end. “I found either plated jewellery that wasn’t using genuine stones, or stuff that was north of $2,000.” Ever the entrepreneur, Nolan decided to start her own “fiiiine” jewellery brand Oremme, one that didn’t take itself too seriously while simultaneously offering quality products at more accessible prices via a direct-to-consumer model.
In 2018, when Nolan was working to launch the brand, she found herself not just wanting to work with local manufacturers who could craft beautiful pieces at reasonable prices, she also found herself needing to confront the stuffy manner in which jewellery has traditionally been sold. “Why is jewelry so demure? Why isn’t there colour?” she wondered. “Why is it so reserved? Why can’t it be fun?”
“Men created the jewellery industry and De Beers created demand around diamonds. They created that narrative [of demureness and fragility],” says Nolan. “When it comes to branding, a lot of the imagery is very ethereal, which is beautiful and I love it in a lot of situations. But I also think that if you’re spending money on yourself, it should be representative of you and what you want.”
Oremme’s website and Instagram greet the visitor with vibrant colour, diversity, and a sense of playfulness—it’s what they describe as “happy luxury.” Nolan and Oremme are on a path to exploding the stuffiness of the industry with a spectrum of colourful jewels, diverse models, and accessible price points. It’s not just the act of buying something special for yourself that Oremme celebrates, it’s an acknowledgement of the freedom that comes with it; the freedom to be yourself.
Oremme is here to make waves, have fun, and ultimately, represent wholly the multifacetedness and charm of the people wearing its pieces.