astrid & agnes: Timeless, expressive jewellery from the Swedish west coast

By Lotta Lassesson | Photos: Mikael Kenta

Swedish jewellery label astrid & agnes was established in 2006 in the west-coast beach town of Varberg. The two creatives behind the brand are Sofie Axelsson and Janina Lindström, who met by chance at a hair salon.

After striking up a conversation, they discovered a shared frustration with the lack of jewellery brands on the market that were both timeless and ageless. From that moment, the pair joined forces and decided to start a jewellery business together.

During the first year, it all took place in one of their homes. The warehouse was located in the basement and a bedroom became the office. Sofie Axelsson was only 21 when they started the company, and 13 years later she took over as sole founder and designer.

astrid & agnes: Timeless, expressive jewellery from the Swedish west coast

“A touch of self-confidence”

Sofie describes agnes & astrid as a start-up brand that addresses a broad target group of customers. “Our goal is to create trendy jewellery that lasts over time and gives women and men, of all ages, a touch of self-confidence,” she explains.

With their wide range of necklaces, bracelets, earrings and rings, Sofie aims to express femininity with an attitude with her designs – to give women permission to wear affordable, long-lasting accessories for any occasion.

Made from steel 316, a material that maintains its high quality over time, the jewellery always looks fresh, requires less maintenance and is allergy friendly. The brand offers premium, modern and long-lasting pieces, with a classic touch. The pieces offer a distinctive lustre and a glossy finish, while some are gilded with 14-karat gold, and decorated with sparkling CZ crystals.

“Jewellery has become a more obvious accessory for men. From wearing just a watch, to adding accessories to their outfit, men have become braver,” says Sofie.

AROCK, the men’s collection of Italian-leather bracelets, has been particularly popular. Due to increasing demand in recent years for leather alternatives, AROCK launched a vegan option in 2021 – the FELIX bracelet; created from apple fibres, for a sustainable and more natural looking material than PVC. The FELIX bracelet comes in 4 colours, black, brown, blue/beige, green/beige.

Being both a trendy and classic brand, astrid & agnes is not afraid to mix elements, and is currently pairing, for example, real freshwater pearls with links and pendants of a more stylised shape, inspired by crystal. Necklaces in the women’s series ESSIE are formed of large orbs with a high-gloss finish, tapping into the trend for statement jewellery. Meanwhile, four-sided emperor links, as in the OTHO collection, as well as layered bracelets, are a big trend in men’s jewellery, according to Sofie.

astrid & agnes: Timeless, expressive jewellery from the Swedish west coast

Unwavering quality

Sofie is a model of resilience as a business owner. The pandemic hit less than a year after she had become the sole owner of astrid & agnes. “What followed was a huge challenge on several levels: retailers closed down, staff were laid off and deliveries were hugely delayed. We were forced to stop, change, prioritise and above all, dare to invest – because in tough times it is even more necessary to be visible. For us, one of our greatest strengths was that we were able to maintain our high standard of service and good relationships with all our retailers, as before. Being one of the few companies in the industry that could deliver goods quickly despite the circumstances, we managed to increase our turnover during this time,” recounts Sofie.

Sofie designs all of astrid & agnes’ jewellery, while her team of six handle sales, administration and retail clients. With their streamlined and efficient warehouse set-up, where all stock, display and packaging material are available, orders can be sent within only a day or two.

astrid & agnes and AROCK are represented in over 250 retail stores and online associates, all over Sweden and Norway, and the jewellery brand has frequently been featured in media and fashion magazines, as well as promoted by influencers.

“My vision is to continue with my passion to design high-quality, stylish jewellery and to expand my well-established brand to several countries,” says Sofie. “I love seeing people wearing the jewellery pieces I designed.”

astrid & agnes: Timeless, expressive jewellery from the Swedish west coast