Since January, Gin Atelier has no longer been a duo. Why?
As sadly is often the case, at a certain point the collaboration stopped working out. This – much like in a relationship of several years – was compounded by clashing personalities and divergent visions of the future (laughter). The split was primarily painful on an emotional level; professionally it went more easily, because under the Gin Atelier name each of us was actually offering her own designs.
What is your vision for your professional future?
My vision is hard work, not necessarily focused on immediate results. Fortunately, in my case, they didn't make me wait too long (laughter). In quite a short time, I managed to develop my own – or so I think – fairly distinctive style. Mainly thanks to satin-finished spatial silver forms, which were well received by the market. As well as thanks to the high quality of handcrafting, which makes amber jewellery more exclusive. And given the current, horrendously high prices of amber, actually only such jewellery stands a chance of finding a buyer. I've been working in the profession for over 20 years, and now I have the feeling that I am in the best period of my career – and I don't want to waste it.
For 20 years?
Yes. Ever since I was a child, I knew I wanted to make jewellery. Just as I finished primary school, the jewellery class at the vocational secondary school in Gdańsk-Brzeźno was closed down. I went to a multi-trade class, where jewellery-making was also taught, in order to fulfil my dream. I worked in three jewellery companies – some I look back on more fondly than others. But in all of them, I learned a great deal: both about the trade and about market awareness. And of course, in each one I got a hard school of life (laughs). For a long time, I didn't feel ready to work under my own name. It wasn't until 2011, after my parental leave, that I felt this was the moment: now or never. That was when Emilka (Górna, with whom she collaborated for 3 years under the name Gin Atelier – editor's note) appeared on my professional path, making the step into this longed-for independence a bit easier. It was a period of making my first independent commercial contacts and getting to know the amber community better. I also learned a lot about myself, thanks to having the opportunity to confront my working style and way of thinking with others. That gave me self-confidence and allowed me to discover my own strengths and weaknesses.
How did you get on in that confrontation?
Quite well (laughs). I'm very technically proficient and can make practically anything I see, because I instantly know how it was made. Fortunately, I don't have to copy anything because I also have a head full of my own ideas – I'm slowly bringing them to life and testing the market. I wouldn't want to burn any of them by confronting the recipient with them too early. Especially since they are quite distinctive and different from the amber jewellery designs offered so far.
After all, customers are looking for something new...
...but they are also afraid of them, especially when it is a completely new design and, on top of that, a new name, as in my case. I have noticed that initial orders are placed very cautiously, but for the next ones, customers no longer have any reservations. Even the price of my jewellery, dictated by the high prices of amber and handmade work, no longer puts them off. So everything's cool (laughs).
Why did you decide on amber?
Because it's the most beautiful! I used to not like it at all, because in my first job for a long time I had to deal with heated and scaled stones. I only fell in love with it at my second employer's, where its natural forms were used. And it's stayed that way for me ever since (laughs). For me, everything starts with amber: it is the basis of all my collections. I also love combining it with other natural stones: garnets, citrines, peridots, smoky quartzes. I like creating colour contrasts that make the jewellery more expressive. But amber is always the main character. The settings are chosen to best showcase its beauty. I buy pre-selected, single nuggets from a supplier who knows my preferences and sets them aside specially for me. The most beautiful of the most beautiful usually wait for Amberif, because that's when the most connoisseurs arrive. The jewellery, to which I have dedicated many hours of work, „disappears” from the stand within 2-3 hours just after opening. This pleases me not only for commercial reasons; I still constantly need confirmation that this professional „coming out” of mine was a good decision. Even if I know very well that there was no other choice, because jewellery is my greatest passion.
This will be your first „independent” Amberif. What will you be showing?
In the new collections, I have focused on continuing the existing style, although of course every design is unique, just as every piece of amber is unique. A new addition will be a collection of silver amber jewellery with the addition of gold and diamonds. This is my first „gold” collection, so I have a few concerns about whether it will be well received... I hope so, because my dream is truly exclusive amber jewellery – this exceptional stone deserves an exceptional setting. And that is the direction I will be heading.