Permanent jewelry business Loveweld recently opened three new studios, engaged in a brand refresh, and debuted its Founders collection featuring on-trend charms and 14k gold chains.
In other words, 2024 has been one of the busiest years yet for the Austin, Texas–based company, founded in 2020 by CEO Sarah Sides, who says she seeks to offer fine permanent jewelry in “community living room” spaces.
Loveweld held three grand-opening parties this fall, the most recent just this past weekend for its Austin studio, at 1603 Congress Ave. In late September, Loveweld opened studios in New York City, at 53 Wooster St. in SoHo, and in Washington, D.C.’s Georgetown neighborhood.
The brand now has 10 locations nationwide, creating a party-like atmosphere every day for friends to come together and celebrate landmark moments.
“It goes back to our origin story of creating connection,” Sides says. “I became obsessed with [permanent jewelry] as a concept. I just had a baby, and I wasn’t looking to start a company, yet I loved the concept. My first party was a Galentine’s Day event in my garage, and I learned very quickly I can’t drink champagne and weld. But I knew I loved mixing food, drink, and women getting welded together.”
Sides says the New York and Washington studios kicked off a brand refresh, which focuses on residential-like settings for personalized forever jewelry. Both locations have a central fireplace as well as couches and other seating so friends or family can relax and chat while one person is getting her jewelry done at the nearby welding station.
“It’s not a traditional jewelry store setup,” she explains. “If you go into our studios, you can see a high ratio of them have fireplaces in them. We want places that feel like home, not a minimalist, boxy store. There has to be an essence, like those first parties in my garage. It’s a place to gather, connect, and be together.”
With the new Founders collection, Sides tells a story about her origins as a jeweler and about motherhood. Charms include a strawberry, inspired by Sides’ daughter and the optimism she brings into her mother’s life; the Saints Hand, representing motherhood; the Marfa Cowboy Boot, a tribute to the brand’s Texas roots; and the Heartburst, symbolizing Loveweld’s affection for its community.
“The secret to Loveweld’s success is we have really focused on being excellent hosts of people’s magical moments in life,” says Sides. “We have the honor of coming alongside people and commemorating beautiful things, like births, bachelorettes, and wedding parties.”
She expects Loveweld will continue to grow because the brand offers what she calls old-world retail. “It speaks to our basic human need for connection,” Sides says. “Loveweld goes back to the cobbler or haberdasher. … We minimize the importance of production and take it back to the core need for the consumer to connect to the maker.”
(Photos courtesy of Loveweld)
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