“A metallic blue two piece dress from YSL that was my grandmother’s,” says Victoria, with certainty. “For me, it’s my Acne leather biker jacket,” adds Tansy. It’s a sunny summer morning in south London and we’re talking wardrobe investments, the two pretty twenty-somethings avidly chatting sartorial dialect to me with ease. Within the first five minutes we’ve covered style icons, emerging talent, outfit planning and trends – fodder of the fashion world certainly, but these girls know their stuff.
Which makes sense. Two halves of contemporary jewellery brand Tada & Toy, there aren’t many this age who might have been able to set a company up with such success. With just two collections under their belt (and another on the way), their designs have been favoured by fashion editors and tastemakers alike – especially that star cuff earring. But was this always in their plan?
“We met when we were 13, and there isn’t much we don’t know about each other…actually I am not sure there is anything!”, begins Victoria. “At school, we’d always day-dreamed about collaborating on a jewellery brand, and after studying different subjects at university, we came back together and started plotting what would become Tada & Toy.”
“I always thought I would be an entrepreneur or in some way work for myself – it is what my father has always done and I have always admired his freedom, ambition and drive,” continues Tansy. “Victoria and I have always shared a similar aesthetic and been obsessed with jewellery, and our third partner Shubhi Kumar has made jewellery in India for many years – she was critical in making our dream a reality.” Victoria nods, adding, “I have always wanted to do something different and work for something that I believe in but didn’t really plan to become an ‘entrepreneur’. We have just been lucky that we got the opportunity and that it actually happened!”
Luck doesn’t seem to have much to do with it, although the girls use the word often, even to describe the fortune in their becoming friends. But there is more than just a good partnership at play here. Minimalist and even at times a little grungy, Tada & Toy has perfectly taps into the jewellery needs of a new generation. Designs are Scandi in aesthetic, at times chunky, but also with plenty of delicacy. They’re styled on fresh faced beauties who wear their hair pulled back, playing on masculine forms that lack the fuss and tradition of fine jewellery brands. More than anything, they’re affordable – it’s contemporary jewellery for girls just like them.
“We definitely design jewellery that we love to wear,” Tansy explains. “We have always shared a very similar aesthetic and the initial idea behind starting the brand was that we couldn’t find jewellery with a clean, delicate design at the right price point. We have made sure that our jewellery can be worn everyday because of the quality of the materials, without making the price point unaffordable.”
On inspiration, Victoria cites a, “Scandinavian edge” behind their first collection, while their most recent range, “expands on our obsession with all things glittery. Inspired by the night sky, we use a combination of high polished metals, tiny sparkly crystals and delicate stars which are all designed to catch the light when you move.”
Most importantly, they agree, is how jewellery should be worn: everyday, layered and personalised to your own style. “The Tada & Toy girl is always looking for something elegant and new – they want to wear their jewellery everyday and be able to style it in their own way,” explains Victoria. “We are big believers in jewellery being effortless and cool,” enthuses Tansy. “We have also been heavily influenced by the body jewellery we see on our trips to India – ear cuffs, palm bangles, hand chains and anklets make unusual and fun pieces…the more the better!”
The passion that transcends the pair is clear, but interestingly the girls themselves have had no formal training – albeit, this doesn’t deter them. “We think as long as you work hard, take your brand seriously and people love wearing your designs then credibility will follow,” they explain firmly. “The biggest challenges for us – in the beginning and even now – is getting the brand out there, and finding a way to get noticed among the wealth of other brands out there. There is a lot of competition.”
Still, not all of the competition saw their pieces appear in British Vogue in their first year, a turning point the girls remain effervescent about. Another part of the story is the brand’s role in contributing to the Aspinall Foundation, an animal conservation charity founded by Tansy’s grandfather, now run by her father. 5% of their sales go towards the cause, with 25% of profit from their specific charity collection. Keep in mind – this is all in their first year.
“Before we had even started Tada & Toy we knew we wanted to work with the foundation. We hope to grow our support of the foundation, and start our own conservation projects in the future.” With the way the brand is going, we wonder how they’ll find the time.
Photography by Dvora exclusively for The Lifestyle Edit with art direction by Naomi Mdudu
