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By Meera Murugesan, 31 January 2020.

Two friends have teamed up to offer easy-to-wear lasting jewellery for women who want fuss-free styling, writes Meera Murugesan.

When it comes to accessories, most women look for pieces that are classy, effortless and easy to wear on a daily basis. When you’re rushing to beat the clock, the last thing you need is to struggle to find a necklace that matches your dress or earrings to go with your pants and blouse combo for the office. Similarly, you also want something that goes easily with a casual outfit but still makes you stand out.

Everyday jewellery should be stylish and classy but fuss-free and effortless. This is the vision behind 'KIN, the jewellery brand started by two friends, Athiya Hamid and Zaireen Iskandar, who craved something out of the ordinary. Their mission began when they could not find pieces that were hassle-free to keep up with their active lifestyles, and would elevate practically anything in their wardrobes. As new mothers, they also had less time to dedicate to the style department, but still wanted to stay on top of the game.

Thus, 'KIN was born to give women (and men, too, if they wish) an easy yet polished way to adorn their ears, necks and ankles.

'KIN’s philosophy is to deliver demi-fine jewellery in gold vermeil and rhodium that is of high quality without the heartbreak of a hefty price tag. “We felt the demi-fine category would be an ideal point for us to venture into this industry because it sits between fine and costume jewellery,” explains Zaireen. Demi-fine isn’t as expensive as fine jewellery but it lasts a lot longer than costume jewellery. “It’s a nice in-between category. It’s not cheap but not unaffordable or out of reach,” adds Zaireen.

'KIN launched its first collection of hoop earrings in April last year and the edgy, sophisticated pieces became an instant hit. The collection featured seven hoop earrings in an 18k Gold Vermeil and rhodium finish on 925 sterling silver. The hoops are lightweight despite being heavily plated. The brand uses a manufacturing technology that enables it to make precious metals light, therefore ensuring its hoops are comfortable and easy to wear. Available in a variety of thickness and sizes, these hoop earrings are bold and unorthodox with gentle indents or subtle, geometric shaping.

'KIN’s second collection to hit the market is its Chains and Charms series, a range of original pendants ornamented with semi-precious stones. With conventional shapes such as daggered triangles, re-imagined “dog tags”, and topaz-encrusted pills and wands, this series is as versatile as it gets. Designed to complement the charms/pendants, or work as a solo act is the Rolo chain, which comes in a selection of lengths ranging from plunging to chokers. “We are very straight-to-the-point people and we felt it was important to show that through our brand,” says Athiya. 'KIN jewellery is for the “everyday woman”, someone who wants to stand out but doesn’t have the time to put too much thought into her choice of accessories because she is juggling so many things.

It’s a lifestyle Athiya and Zaireen can easily relate to as they are busy working mums. Their jewellery is edgy and bold, instead of dainty and pretty, but surprisingly easy to match with almost any outfit.

“Our charms are in simple shapes, such as round, rectangular or triangular, and you can wear a single charm on one chain or multiple charms on a single chain for a different effect,” says Athiya.

Zaireen adds that all their pieces are sold separately rather than as sets because they want to offer the flexibility to mix and match. “You can pair a circle and pill-shaped charm together on your chain or opt for a different combination. It’s really up to you,” says Zaireen.

'KIN also made a splash at KL Fashion Week last year when it was worn by models showcasing designer Alia Bastamam’s collection at the event.

Zaireen adds that as a brand, Kin pays a lot of attention to the packaging and storage of its products. They provide customers with everything they need to keep their jewellery tarnish-free. This includes wiping cloths, pouches and ziplock bags so everything can be kept safely and well.

The brand’s hoop earrings are 10 times more resistant to tarnish than usual fast fashion jewellery, and with proper care, can last a long time.

The brand sources its chains from Italy while other pieces are manufactured in Thailand. All the pieces are hypoallergenic and nickel-free.

Kin’s “huggies” and hoops are priced from RM370 to RM890. Chains from RM380 to RM1,300 and charms from RM350 to RM1,250.