Beautiful gems

Kirsten Goss recently showcased the latest additions to her brand – cutlery and an 18-carat gold collection – in Hong Kong, London and Cape Town. She is currently planning the opening of her Jo’burg boutique and her next showcase in New York – both in the first week of November.

‘The shop is opening while I’m in New York,’ Kirsten explained when discussing the opening of her second South African boutique. (Her first boutique is in Morningside in Durban.) ‘It actually came about unexpectedly because we were looking for a shop space for a while and when the option for the Bird Haven Shopping Centre arrived I knew we had to take it because there are only about 10 shops in the centre.’

According to Kirsten, she decided to open a store in Jo’burg because of the high concentration of customers in the city. ‘I’ve been doing shows in Jo’burg for four years and I have a great client base, but we literally could not keep up with the demand just by doing shows.’

Rather than choosing a large, impersonal shopping centre, Kirsten choose a smaller more intimate space where clients could engage with the different collections and also find out more about the gems. ‘Our team is so well trained and this will be an opportunity for them to impart their knowledge and explain the background of the gems and each individual piece.’

Kirsten said that generally she will showcase eight mini-collections or stories per show and in the store she would like to maintain this level, while also showcasing capsule collections and bespoke pieces. ‘I think I have always pushed the boundaries of jewellery by combining gems with metals that you would not necessarily expect together,’ she said and added, ‘I want people to see jewellery as more playful and approach high-end jewellery in a more relaxed way.’

While her business has really grown substantially across South Africa and internationally, she is humble about her success. ‘The expansion of my business has really hinged on South Africa ties across London, Hong Kong and even New York. It is how they [South Africans] have showcased and worn my jewellery.’

To view her jewellery and even buy online visit www.kirstengoss.com.