From South Wales to the rest of the world: designer Xander Kostroma is making a name for himself with his jewellery & homeware, says Sue Bradley.
Sue Bradley, Editor of Living Magazine writes...
Many believe crystals can bring spiritual benefits to the body and home, while others simply revel in their simple beauty.
South Wales-born designer Xander Kostroma uses a large number of these stones in his range of handmade jewellery and home accessories.
The 35-year-old launched his own brand in 2018 and his products are now stocked in more than 500 independent boutiques across the world, including The Shop at Coo Corner in Fownhope and My Mia Bella Nail and Beauty Salon in Pencoed, and online from Freemans.com, Lookagain.co.uk and notonthehighstreet.com
Xander’s company motto is ‘Anything in your life is possible’, an attitude of which he’s a living embodiment.
He’s turned around his own situation from a homeless sofa-surfing teenager to an in-demand jewellery designer, working with an international team of creatives based in Portugal, China and the UK to turn his ideas into beautiful pieces.
His working life began during the early 2000s with an evening pot washing job in Swansea, before moving on to weekend work as a coffee shop assistant at Marks & Spencer, where he says managers recognised his potential and made him a store visual merchandiser.
At 20 he had left to create his first company selling ex-high street clothing online, before returning to bricks and mortar retail and taking on a role as shop manager for Cancer Research UK in Neath, where he oversaw a team of 30 volunteers.
Subsequently, he moved to Manchester to take on a role in buying and merchandising at JD Sports Head Office. In 2012 he joined the luxury denimwear brand 7 For All Mankind based in the South of Switzerland, during which time he immersed himself in the cantons’ Italian culture and learned to speak Italian.
Xander returned to the UK for a brief stint in 2014 to work in a showroom in London, going on to be offered a licence to produce a range of bohemian-inspired jewellery for a UK label that went on to be sold in a high-end department store and through a major online retailer. Xander returned to Switzerland with the jewellery licence working remotely between Switzerland and London.
By 2018 he had taken the plunge and launched his Xander Kostroma brand, starting with a small capsule collection of earrings, before adding necklaces, bracelets, pashminas and homewares to his range, along with his instantly recognisable skull brand logo that’s used on everything from bags to tree decorations, the latter made by potter Sue Lavender in mid-Wales.
Now based in Lisbon, Portugal, he continues to create collections of crystal jewellery and suncatchers and bohemian-inspired accessories for people whom he describes as “looking for a deeper connection when it comes to their own sense of fashion and personal style”.
His Xander Kostroma pieces are handmade in small batches using fairly-sourced crystals and sterling silver or 14ct. gold-plated components. A new lapis lazuli collection is due to be launched this month (1st April).
“Crystals have been used throughout the ages by healers and it’s said that, when worn or held close to the body, they allow the wearer to connect with the healing energy they contain inside,” says Xander, whose designs use agate, amethyst, black obsidian, rose quartz, turquoise and quartz.
“Crystal suncatchers that cast glittering rainbows of light onto walls have become especially popular in recent years with the conscious shift towards spiritualism.” Notwithstanding his cosmopolitan lifestyle, the distribution arm of Xander’s company is based in South Wales, to which he’s an occasional visitor. And, despite his European adventures, he says he’s proud to have retained his Swansea accent.
“I firmly believe that anything in your life is possible, no matter what your background, you just need to focus on what you want, believe you already have it, and you will achieve it,” he says.
“The way my company operates is important to me and all our direct employees and contracted staff in the UK, China and Portugal are paid a living wage; we’ve been a member of the Living Wage Foundation since we launched in 2018. As a company we strive to give opportunities to independently run small businesses, where each employee is treated with respect.
“We hand make each piece of jewellery we sell and only use real crystals sourced from trusted and reputable suppliers.
“I’m proud that Xander Kostroma is an ethical brand, a principle we work hard to maintain.”
Read the article in Living Magazine (Herefordshire & Monmouthshire) and see what new CRYSTAL JEWELLERY we have in our boutique today!
Love,
Xander & Co.
Comments