The Unglamorous Origin of Lakris Jewelry

Founder's Story - The Unglamorous Origin of Lakris Jewelry

I'm not going to pretend it was a dramatic turning point in some cinematic sense — it was much smaller, quieter and simpler than that. 

I was going through a difficult period in my life due to the death of my mother, when my six-year-old daughter, came to me with sparkly proud eyes holding out the bracelet she'd made herself at school. The bracelet had her name and ‘mama’ spelled out in alphabet beads, but that was not the trigger. It was all the pieces around it, every bead she chose revolved around her relationship with me. The depth of her reflection for a 6-year-old, as she explained the story behind every bead, was astonishing and deeply touching. She had made the bracelet to express her love, and to make me smile. She showed me a 6-year old’s, empathy, reflections on life and her love for creativity and jewelry. With my education in design and our love for making jewelry, it was a natural next step to make it our hobby, a mother-daughter bonding time. Not only were these moments enjoyable and added to our treasure of memories, but it also helped me make peace with all my unanswered questions and overcome the loss of my mother.

Lakris not Lakrids

The name Lakris itself comes directly from my social media name Lady Lakris, the name I'd already been using online when I went viral for my videos. My content had nothing to do with jewelry and everything to do with telling stories – a perfect fit for Lakris Jewelry values. The name itself was based on my name, Kris. Lakris just so happens to sound exactly like lakris, which means liquorice in danish). 

I would like to think that liquorice treats also describes me – dark, sweet and sometimes salty when I am feeling my inner diva.

 

Paying it forward

My daughter’s intention was to up lift my spirit by creating a bracelet that spoke of our story. This inspired the core vision of Lakris Jewelry. 

Firstly, to create beautiful and unusual designs with symbolic and mythological references, using quality pearls as well as natural stones known for their traditional values, not just how they look. Our slogan, ‘Luxury born from Story and Stone’, speaks of this part of the vision.

Secondly, to give hope and upliftment to as many people as we can. Every order includes one of 12 unique inspirational cards, that I personally designed. Each card’s beautiful image supports a carefully selected quote, intended to encourage hope & strength in the receiver so that they can overcome the challenges in their life - just as my daughter did with me. The 12 cards can be collected but were created people to ‘pay it forward’ to someone who needs it, so that the message of hope can be shared from one person to the next. Additionally, our elegant packaging, thank you card, the personalized envelope and free jewelry gift with every order, is intended to make every customer feel pampered and seen.

Lastly, to speak of a vision that only some people can afford, in my opinion does not carry much weight. Therefore, at Lakris, we offer jewelry pieces in various price brackets so that people of different economic backgrounds and all walks of life can hopefully find something they like and feel pampered. We also offer free shipping with every order, so that is one less thing to budget for.

 

Jewelry for a lifetime

Besides providing something pretty, Lakris focuses on quality and durability – because jewelry with meaning should be for life.

Our collection is built primarily of pieces made of stainless steel for durability, 18K gold-plated for value and are PVD coated, that make the jewelry waterproof, and tarnish-resistant to keep its beautiful gold coating and shine for years. Every waterproof or natural stone jewelry is delivered to the customer with care instructions. With proper handling, care and storage the 18K gold plating could hold, for rest of one’s life.

 

Why both hand-made and curated?

I could have used a model where everything is sourced and none of it is designed in-house — plenty of brands do, and there's nothing wrong with that approach. I didn't, because the part of this that started with my daughter and a handmade bracelet is still the part I care about protecting.

Lakris offers 3 categories: Lakris original designs; handmade pieces with simple well-known designs; and pieces I've carefully curated from other makers.

All three categories matter to how the brand actually runs, and I've written more specifically about that distinction separately, because I think it deserves its own honest answer rather than a quick mention here. You can read more about this in our blog called Is Lakris Jewelry Handmade? Original vs. Curated.

 

In short...

There is no ‘I came from a line of designers’ or ‘it’s a family-owned business’.

And Lakris is certainly NOT a business idea that came first and a story that got attached to it after.

The totally unglamorous origin of Lakris Jewelry is - my daughter made me a meaningful bracelet during a period when I wasn't doing especially well. We made jewelry together and it uplifted my spirit. I got inspired to continue her heartfelt action, towards as many people as possible. My daughter, now 10 years old, continues to have an input in what Lakris Jewelry can do to "help people feel happier".

 

FAQ

Who is the founder of Lakris Jewelry?
Kris Aare Naicker, based in Sorø, Denmark. She founded the brand — originally Lakris Smykker af Lady Lakris — in July 2023.

How did Lakris Jewelry start?
It started in April 2023, when Kris's daughter made her a handmade bracelet. The two began making jewelry together, and that grew into the Lakris Jewelry brand a few months later.

Internal link suggestions
- Is Lakris Jewelry Handmade? Original vs. Curated
- About page