Meet Arabel Lebrusan, founder of Lebrusan Studio
My name’s Arabel Lebrusan. As well as being a mum, partner and friend, I’m also an artist, designer and, as one of the world’s very first Fairtrade Gold licensees, a key founder of the ethical jewellery movement. Born and raised in Spain, I studied Gemmology and Fine Art in Madrid and Utrecht, Holland. Since then, it’s been almost 20 years that I’ve been dedicated to beautiful jewellery.
I began my journey as a fashion jewellery designer, travelling the Far East and learning the ins and outs of the trade as I went; the good, the bad and the ugly. Unsettled by much of what I’d witnessed, a Master's in Design at London’s Central St. Martin's followed, with a deep investigative focus on ethics in the jewellery industry. I then went on to spend five years as Creative Director of Leblas Jewellery - the first ever ethical jeweller on London's famed Sloane Street - before winding up as designer and conductor of my very own brand, Lebrusan Studio. Today, I use my platform as an artist and designer to establish social commentaries and ultimately try to succeed in altering the face of the luxury jewellery industry for good.
There’s always a lightbulb moment before the beginning of a new venture. What was that moment for you?
When I was a child, my mother had a beautiful pendant in her jewellery box: a miniature eagle clasping a sapphire in its claws that she only wore on special occasions. To this day, I still remember my fascination whenever it was taken out, the exquisiteness of the carving, the deep midnight blue of the sapphire, the sheen of the yellow gold, and how beautiful my mother was when she wore it. That one jewel settled my fate; it had me hooked on beautiful jewellery forever.
Though I knew from a young age that jewellery was to be my forte, it was my experiences along the way that dictated the course of my career. I still recall fondly my trips to Hong Kong at the very beginning and the incredible stones that surrounded me there; carved, engraved, whittled into miniature sculptures, cut to enhance their natural flaws… I felt like a kid in a sweet shop.
However, it was during those trips that I became aware of the dark side of the jewellery trade and everything that was wrong with the precious metal and gemstone industry; the cheap prices, the child labour, the abuse of natural materials and the appalling mining conditions. Later, when I was studying for my Master’s, I was told bluntly by a London diamond dealer: “When you work in this trade, you sell your soul to the devil.” It was at that point that I became adamant to make a change. Seeing a gap in the market for sustainable luxury, I took matters into my own hands.
What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned so far as an entrepreneur?
If you know something’s unfair, you should never sit back and accept it as “just the way it is.” Running an ethical business can be incredibly challenging, but as it turns out, resilience is key. Along the way, I’ve learned that not all industries are ready to embrace a revolution with open arms. I decided to not let this deter me; instead, I made it my mission to expand margins. I found others in my field who shared my core values, like my fellow Fair Luxury group members. Over the years we’ve teamed up, collaborated loudly, exchanged ideas, inspired one another and driven movement as a unit. On the flip side, I’ve also conversed openly with those who don’t agree with everything I’m about. Wear your heart on your sleeve, remain true to your cause, and in time you’ll find that running an ethical business is the best way to change the world from the inside out.
With all the success stories around entrepreneurship and how innovative people have to be to take the leap. How do you think you’ve innovated your sector and why?
The jewellery industry today is worlds apart from the scene that greeted me on arrival twenty years ago, and I firmly believe that this is a transformation driven by myself and my hardworking peers in the ethical jewellery sector.
Becoming one of the world’s first ever Fairtrade Gold licensees back in 2012 was a huge milestone in this mission to change the jewellery industry for the better. The Fairtrade brand is synonymous with ethics and recognised globally, and so the founding of Fairtrade Gold propelled the notion of ethical jewellery into the mainstream. It was really exciting to be an integral part of this pioneering movement.
I feel very fortunate to have been recognised with a number of accolades throughout my career – from the NAJ’s Jewellery Designer of the Year 2017 to a place on Professional Jeweller’s Hot 100 in 2013 and, more recently, my role as an Ethical Retail Ambassador for the Women’s Jewellery Network. Much like our Fairtrade Gold license, having this kudos against Lebrusan Studio’s name affords us an ever-so-slightly higher platform on which to push our cause, as well as thrusting ethical jewellery further into the mainstream and out of the realms of ‘niche’.
I’ll also gladly leap on any given opportunity to speak publically, be it the delivery of my very own TEDx talk in 2015 or a quick twenty minutes on Instagram Live. I believe it’s this eagerness to share knowledge and inspire those around me that has helped me to innovate my field.
What are your top tips for entrepreneurs wanting to get their business out there?
The market is saturated, overflowing with voices and creativity. If I could offer a word of advice to anyone in the early stages of business, it would be this: It’s crucial that you are authentic and unique. Take some time to sit down and really consider what it is that makes you unparalleled. What’s your innovation? What’s gorgeous about what you do? What makes you stand head and shoulders above the thousands of other jewellery designers out there? Once you’ve found the answers to these questions – and you believe in them – you are unstoppable.
What are your responsibilities as a business owner?
By the nature of what I do, I see educating as one of my primary responsibilities. As somebody privileged enough to have a voice - and a platform on which to use it - it’s my duty to share my knowledge, ideas and experiences with others.
Equally, it’s my responsibility to listen. Being Lebrusan Studio’s frontrunner has presented me with opportunities to meet so many outstanding people along the way; founts of knowledge who have taught me lessons for life. Every day, I’m working alongside informed, hardworking and inspiring individuals, and it’s my responsibility to learn from them. The world is an ever-evolving landscape and it’s important that I hold my ear to the ground, keep abreast of issues that are important and prepare to adapt on a constant basis.
As a business owner, I’m also passionate about operating in a way that helps to redistribute wealth to those who need it most. This is why I operate my business on a small lifestyle scale, why I’m a strong advocate for sourcing materials from small-scale miners, and why I allocate funds for charitable ventures.
Finally, as a director, it’s my responsibility to look after my employees. Through much trial and error, I’m lucky enough to have adapted my business into one that is now largely autonomous. This enables me to take a step back sometimes; to exist as both mother and businesswoman simultaneously. That being said, my small team of employees are very important to me, which is why I implement weekly check-in meetings and am keen to establish an open and honest working environment that enables us to understand and respect one another as individuals.
What impact would you like to have on women around the world through your business
Sometimes when I observe women in the jewellery industry I can sense that they’ve been left with no choice but to adjust to a competitive and traditionally masculine environment, adopting characteristics like individualism, lack of empathy and a hesitation to share knowledge, just as a means of surviving. I believe that gender equality can only be achieved if we build the industry based on compassion and nurturing. As a pioneer in my field, I hope to pave the way for women who surround and succeed me by leading with these traits, sharing my knowledge, supporting other women, and encouraging them to do the same with others. Applied widely, this approach would create a positive environment loaded with better opportunities for the industry’s female players to boost one another and seek new positions.
If you could be in a room with 4 entrepreneurs, who would they be and why?
Estelle Levin-Nally is the Founder and Director of Levin Sources, the consultancy and social venture dedicated to ensuring that the international mining and sourcing of minerals is equitable and sustainable for all involved. Estelle herself is a globally recognised pioneer in mineral sustainability, having spoken at high profile events and conferences around the world. Alongside serving on the Standards Committee of the Responsible Jewellery Council, founding the British Ethical Jewellers Association and fulfilling the role of Ethical Sourcing Ambassador for the Women’s Jewellery Network (amongst a myriad of other incredible achievements!), Estelle has found time in recent years to lend a hugely significant helping hand to Lebrusan Studio. She is the definition of a ‘wonder woman’ and every single time I’m in her presence, I learn something new.
Livia Firth MBE is co-founder and Creative Director of Eco-Age, a leading agency for sustainable business strategy that is now widely recognised as the authority on sustainability. She is renowned for creating frameworks and campaigns for environmental social justice, from The Circle (a powerful women’s advocacy group) to The Green Carpet Challenge (a world-renowned initiative that raises the profile of ethical brands on the red carpet). She is a UN Leader of Change and has produced a number of award-winning documentaries, from The True Cost to Fashionscapes. A powerhouse of many talents, I’d be truly starstruck on meeting her!
Though not strictly an entrepreneur, Kate Raworth is a British economist who coined the concept of Doughnut Economics. The Doughnut is a framework that symbolises Earth’s social and planetary boundaries. Humanity’s challenge in the 21st century is to ensure that no one falls short on life’s essentials – from food to housing, healthcare or a political voice – while also ensuring that collectively we don’t put too much pressure on Planet Earth’s life-supporting systems. These systems, on which we all fundamentally depend, include a stable climate, fertile soils and a protective ozone layer. An ideal world is a world where we can all exist comfortably within these boundaries – ie: within the Doughnut. As the owner of an ethical lifestyle brand, I make every single business decision with the Doughnut in mind. To meet Kate would feel as though everything had come full circle… literally!
Finally, I’d love to meet Michael and Toks, founders of SOUL CAP; a designer and vendor of extra-large swimming caps for those with thick, curly and voluminous hair. Really, I’d like to commend them on their approach to business and branding. In a world that’s oversaturated with competition and unnecessary ‘solutions’, they’ve located a genuine problem and found a means to solve it, with a thoughtful product that actually does a brilliant job.
How do you set yourself apart from other businesses in your industry?
Incredibly lucky to have people speak highly of my work, I’ve been told in the past that I’m blessed with an observant eye and an ability to connect the seemingly unconnected. My designs are unusual in the way they marry a broad range of cultural, historical and aesthetic inspirations - from my Spanish roots to twentieth century architecture and the beauty of Mother Nature.
I’m also passionate about the skills and traditions of others, and commission only the most accomplished craftspeople to bring my ideas to life. What emerges are unique heirloom pieces, distinctive in design, luxury in quality and sustainable by nature. It’s these creations – works of art that I am so proud to share with the world – that I consider Lebrusan Studio’s unique selling point.
Do you have a morning routine or ritual to get your day started on the right foot?
I tend to structure each weekday similarly to the last, following a prototypical routine with consistent chunks of time dedicated to each area of my life. The early morning is dedicated to mother duties - running around like a headless chicken, tidying, organizing and packing my son Jojo off to school. Once he’s where he needs to be, I spend the rest of the morning working on my art and one-of-a-kind jewels in my studio at home.
I try my hardest to make time at the weekends for practises that slow the pace of my thoughts. As a business owner and a mother (amongst many other things!) I spend a large proportion of my life feeling as though my brain’s moving at a million miles an hour. On a Saturday morning you’ll find me meditating or hanging in downward-facing dog!
Any new product launches we should know about?
Without giving too much away, we’re currently sitting on a brand new collection that’s like nothing we’ve ever created before, but reflective of our belief in freedom. Keep your eyes peeled on Lebrusan Studio.
