Page 26 - MASALA LITE ISSUE 82 | JULY 2017

26 IN FOCUS

Bling
Bling it On!it On!

As bespoke jewellery gains popularity,
Nakrin Kanijoun cashes in on her passion

by starting her own online jewellery brand
KarinMaison. For two years, this talented

designer continues to add her inimitable
touch to all things sparkly.

BY GURLEEN KHANIJOUN CHAWLA

Nakrin Kanijoun initially pursued a bachelor’s degree in fashion design at Accademia Have your designs changed over
Italiana Thailand. However, her love for jewellery inspired her to shift gear and the years?
fully focus on creating pieces from scratch. Once this pastime became a full-time I used to always stick to just a single look.
endeavour, Nakrin couldn’t have been happier. “My jewellery isn’t just about me,” she However, over the years, I realised that
smiles. “It’s about my customers, and their love for it.” your brand can’t just have one personality.
So, I experimented with more luxurious
Tell us about the girl behind the KarinMaison brand? materials and, as a result, became more
A passionate shopper, an enthusiastic look book stalker, an Instagram addict and, confi dent about using pieces such as real
most of all, a fanatic of handmade products. silver, pearls and so on.

What inspired this girl to launch her own jewellery brand on social media? Who buys your brand?
Since I was young, I’ve always enjoyed making my own jewellery. I started experimenting Honestly, I can’t pin down a particular age
with diff erent designs and my friends loved them. I wanted to start with something group. One thing all my clients seem to
small, so I decided to launch my own brand on Instagram and Facebook. I’m currently have in common is that they appreciate
planning to launch my products on other shopping sites as well. handmade products, and they really
want to be part of the design process. So,
So how does KarinMaison stand out from other online brands? together we create an exclusive accessory.
My products don’t have one personality, they have many. I update my collection based As a designer, I need to appreciate every
on upcoming trends and a lot of research. Many times, my customers help me design customer’s individuality.
them based on what they enjoy wearing. It’s not off -the-rack jewellery, but rather
accessories that show their personality. The products are then made from materials What is your price point?
that may seem simple on their own, but once assembled, are truly unique. It really depends on the ornaments. Some
earrings cost B150, while a necklace can
How did you come up with your brand name? cost B6,000.
Karin is a part of my name, whereas Maison means home in French. Because a lot of
my creations are customised based on my customers’ preferences, we talk a lot, and You are also currently working for your father’s company.
when we do, I want them to feel at home. What is it that you do?
I currently handle the online marketing platform, across all the car brands in the
You design and create every piece yourself in your workshop at home. How did AMG Group.
you learn to assemble accessories?
I have been playing with beads for as long as I can remember. Whenever my mum and So do you see KarinMaison as a part-time endeavour or a full-time business?
sister needed to fi x their jewellery, I would do it. There are also various techniques I I hope I can continue to pursue KarinMaison as a full-time business. I love what I do,
learn from YouTube, such as soldering. and I’m so fortunate that everyone around me supports my dream.
What is your creative process like? How do you balance two jobs?
I usually begin by stalking a lot of look By receiving a lot of love from my family and working late into the night. A lot of
books online, attending runway shows, the time, I sketch designs as they come to me. I never wait until later. During the
window shopping and people watching. evenings, I go into my workshop and experiment with new ideas. Sometimes, I even
Once or twice a week, I visit many markets assemble my jewellery while watching series with my husband.
around Bangkok to source my materials.
Whenever I travel, I even collect small What are your future aspirations for your brand?
beads to launch a special collection. I’m To take part in a prestigious runway show like Bangkok Fashion Week! That is really
just back from Italy, where I bought back my dream of all dreams. However, for now I just want to keep seeing my designs on
glass beads from Murano. I haven’t started as many Facebook and Instagram profi les as possible. Seeing my clients enjoying my
designing that collection yet, but I’m creations gives me the greatest joy.
looking forward to working on it.

Do you have any favourite colours you Browse KarinMaison’s latest collection on
like to use? Instagram at karinmaison, or visit her Facebook
Yes! I personally love pearls coupled with page www.facebook.com/KarinMaisonTH.
gold and silver. They are timeless.

MAS AL A LITE ISSUE 82 JULY 2 01 7