Bilingual branches out from jewellery with family tree
sydney jewellery business bilingual has widened its product range with the release of an innovative family tree.
the product features a frame with a black and white photograph of a sweet gum tree. silver medallions are attached to the branches and engraved with the initials of family members.
director and designer marta niegowska says the idea for the family tree came from her desire to use metal for art and not just jewellery as well as becoming a mother.
“i love working with metal and i just felt that although it’s fun to design jewellery, i just wanted to pursue another avenue… jewellery’s not necessarily for everyone,” she explains. “i’ve also been developing this idea for some time just trying to work out how else we can utilise silver in a way that people will be interested in the metal and take a different approach.
“i’ve recently had children myself and… i just like the notion of having a memento of the people that are most important to you.”
customers don’t have to buy the product for the specific use of a family tree as it can be individualised to suit any sort of group.
“what i like about this product is you can have the option of getting the silver medallions sent to you and then you can pin them onto the tree branches where you would like.
“in a few instances people have requested it to capture someone’s wedding party for instance, so it’s not necessarily a family. i can see where it can grow and can be a collection or a group of people that have had some connection or bond at a particular time, so it’s like a memento of that occasion as well,” she adds.
niegowska says the product potentially could see the brand develop more products in the home and giftware line but at this stage it’ll be staying with jewellery.
“i still love my jewellery and we’re working on a few new pieces to be launched next year. i haven’t really thought about anything else outside of that at this point, but i’m definitely open to it and pushing the family tree as well—we can explore different options and expanding the concept is on the cards,” she adds.