From Kitchen Table to John Lewis: The North Yorkshire Mother-Daughter Duo Building Jewellery Their Way

Six months ago, NinetyOne Jewellery was a newly launched idea, shaped by two women, a shared creative history and a kitchen table in North Yorkshire. This June, the small-batch jewellery brand will take its next big step with a pop-up at John Lewis Newcastle, having been selected from hundreds of applicants.

Behind the brand are mother and daughter team Karen Jones and Emma Lindsay. Emma lives and works in York, while Karen is based in Stokesley, and together they have transformed a long-held passion for jewellery-making into a premium independent business with a distinctly personal story.

Jewellery-making was first something the pair did together when Emma was growing up. Years later, after very different careers, they found themselves returning to it. Karen had spent her career in nursing before stepping away in her 60s, while Emma left a corporate role in London, where she worked in marketing and sustainability consulting, to take what she describes as a “big and scary leap” into building NinetyOne full-time.

The name itself holds the story. When the idea for the business began, Karen was 60 and Emma was 31. Together, that made NinetyOne.

What began as a creative bond between mother and daughter has quickly grown into a brand centred on thoughtful design, wearable colour and pieces that feel personal without being overly precious. Every item is hand-finished by Karen in small batches from their North Yorkshire studio, using high-quality materials and a considered approach to seasonal styling.

Their collections are designed for women who want jewellery that feels versatile, polished and easy to wear, the kind of finishing touch that can pull an outfit together without shouting over it. With fashion, accessories and personal styling firmly back in the spotlight, NinetyOne Jewellery has found itself tapping into a growing appetite for pieces that feel both confidence-building and quietly individual.

Personalisation is also central to the brand. Many pieces can be engraved, giving customers the chance to turn a necklace, bracelet or charm into something with added meaning, whether that is a name, date, initials or a private little message worn close.

The upcoming John Lewis Newcastle pop-up, running from 1st to 7th June, marks the brand’s first ever retail event of this kind. Supported by Pop-up Indie, a company helping small independent brands access major retail spaces, NinetyOne Jewellery will be bringing its story, styling advice and personalised jewellery directly to shoppers.

Visitors will be able to meet Emma and Karen in person, explore exclusive products and take part in personal styling consultations focused on spring and summer colours. There will also be in-store jewellery personalisation and engraving, alongside giveaways created especially for the event.

For Emma and Karen, the pop-up is more than a retail opportunity. It is a milestone in a story about reinvention, family and taking a creative idea seriously enough to let it grow. From nursing and corporate consulting to hand-finishing jewellery in North Yorkshire, their journey is a reminder that second chapters can sparkle with rather excellent timing.

NinetyOne Jewellery’s John Lewis Newcastle pop-up runs from 1st to 7th June.