Daniella Draper - British Jeweller, Family Business
Coming up to celebrating 10 years of business, Daniella Draper has grown a family business with firm roots in its Northern heritage, along with amassing an incredibly loyal following.
Some of her key pieces have been featured in Vogue, Tatler, Harper’s Bazaar, Dazed and Confused, ELLE and V Magazine and worn by Kate Moss, Ed Sheeran, Chloe Grace Moretz, Romeo Beckham and Ellie Bamber.
Daniella’s love of beautiful things was a defining characteristic from a very early age, motivating her to build up a formidable collection of treasures, which still inspires her work today. Drawing on her love of romance and travel, Daniella’s jewellery is charmingly rustic and timelessly wearable in its ability to appeal to all ages.
Tying in stimulation from land and sea, Daniella now boasts four stand-alone stores bearing her name in Cleethorpes, Lincoln, Beverley and Bowness-on-Windermere.
I have known and adored Dan and her family for decades now, so speaking to her about the brand on behalf of The Wonder List was nothing short of a privilege - but we got chatting afterwards and she had some pearls of wisdom to share about the brand and its growth…
Daniella with mother Della & sister Holly
How has the brand developed since you launched?
When I launched 2009, I was working from my parents’ kitchen table and selling from our front room, charity fairs and local shopping events. This continued and grew slowly to a craft unit where I had an open workshop and then finally to our first stand-alone store in Cleethorpes. This natural growth has allowed us to gradually build on the momentum of the brand – we now have four stores and a fifth pop-up store in London’s Duke of York Square. As well as this, we have a fabulous global customer following online.
I had always big dreams. My mum is my business partner and has been a huge support and driving force along the way. Together we have been a very ambitious and positive team, so it is wonderful to see our hard work paying off.
Do you have a favourite bespoke piece?
I had a beautiful art deco cut aqua stone, which I set into a gold ring with vintage diamonds. Thankfully my mother-in-law bought it, so I can still admire it whenever she wears it.
How much of a role does sustainability and responsible sourcing play for the brand?
It plays a great part and we are hoping for it to play an even greater part as we grow. The majority of our pieces are made from recycled silver and gold. All of our suppliers are British businesses and mainly family-run, like ourselves. Our staff are all local to our areas and wherever we can, we purchase locally.
What does the future hold for Daniella Draper?
Well, I am expecting a baby any day now, so incredibly exciting things are around the corner! As a brand, we are hoping to find a permanent store location in London, following our wonderful pop-up store in the Duke of York Square in Chelsea which is open January 2019. We will be carefully selecting more key locations for new stores. Alongside growing our retail presence, I can’t wait to see our new designs launch next year, along with some really exciting collaborations. Quite the year ahead!
