Olivia Jenkins founded D. Louise after struggling to find jewellery that genuinely worked for everyday life…pieces that were stylish, durable, and didn’t need to be taken off at the first sign of real living. What began as a personal frustration quickly evolved into a brand built around accessibility, longevity and community, challenging the idea that jewellery should be precious but impractical. In this Femme Tech interview, Olivia shares what inspired D. Louise, the gap it was designed to fill, and how modern women are reshaping expectations in the jewellery space.
1. What inspired you to start D. Louise, and what gap did you feel the brand was filling in the jewellery space?
D.LOUISE started at a point in my life where I felt completely disconnected from purpose. I’d lost my mum, I was stuck in a job I hated, and I felt like life was happening to me rather than something I was in control of.
The original inspiration wasn’t actually jewellery – it was meaning. I wanted to build something that gave me purpose, helped me process grief, and allowed me to create a future I was proud of.
From a product point of view, I’d worked in the jewellery industry when I was younger and always felt frustrated by how limited the options were. Jewellery was either expensive and delicate, or affordable but poor quality. There was nothing that felt everyday, durable, emotional and accessible.
D.LOUISE was created to fill that gap – jewellery you don’t have to take off, that fits real life, and that carries meaning without being out of reach.
2. The jewellery market is crowded. How did you go about making D. Louise stand out from day one?
When we launched in 2021, stainless steel jewellery was almost unheard of in the mainstream market. The industry was dismissive – a lot of people said it would never work.
Our differentiation came from two places:
– Product: waterproof, durable jewellery at an accessible price point, without compromising on design.
– Brand: we weren’t just selling jewellery, we were building something people could emotionally connect to.
At first, people bought it because it was disruptive. Over time, they stayed because of the story, the values, and the community behind it. That combination is what’s allowed us to stand out in an increasingly crowded space.
3. What does a typical day running D.LOUISE look like for you, and how hands-on are you with the creative and business sides?
There’s no such thing as a typical day – and that can be a blessing and a curse as a type a loves structure kind of girl.
I’m still very hands-on across all sides of the business. That might look like reviewing designs and packaging in the morning, jumping into marketing or content strategy, having meetings around growth or wholesale, and ending the day looking at samples or planning ahead.
In the early days I did everything – social, ads, customer service and that foundation means I still have a deep understanding of every part of the business. I don’t believe in being disconnected from the details, even as we scale.
4. What tech, tools, or platforms have made running and scaling your business more efficient?
Shopify has been central for us – it’s allowed us to scale globally without over-complicating operations.
On the content side, we use tools like Iconosquare for tracking, Frame.io for organisation, and Foreplay for ad inspiration and performance. I’m also totally obsessed with AI – I use Fyxr for my emails, and it’s been a complete game-changer in terms of speed and clarity.
Social platforms like Instagram, TikTok and YouTube have been just as important. They’re not just marketing channels for us they’re where our community lives and how we stay genuinely connected.
Internally, we keep things intentionally simple. I love a good Google Slides deck – I think it’s very easy to overcomplicate things. Clear reporting, strong communication, and systems that scale with us rather than slow us down have made the biggest difference.
5. As a female founder, how have you navigated challenges around leadership, growth, or being taken seriously in the industry?
Fortunately, I haven’t personally experienced many barriers around being taken seriously as a female founder. If anything, I’ve felt hugely celebrated and supported. I’m surrounded by an incredible group of women who constantly inspire me and who I’m always learning from.
For me, leadership isn’t about having all the answers. I think the best leaders acknowledge that they don’t know everything, will get things wrong along the way, and are willing to learn as they go. What matters most is showing up every day, taking responsibility, and putting your best foot forward.
I try to lead by example. I never ask anyone on my team to do something I wouldn’t be prepared to do myself, and I think that creates trust, respect, and a really strong culture as you grow.
6. What’s one moment where you realised, “This is really working”?
When Steve Hewitt, the former CEO of Gymshark, decided to invest.
Up until that point, I was so deep in the day-to-day that I hadn’t properly zoomed out. Having someone of that calibre believe in what we were building made me stop and think, “Okay this is more than just a small idea. This could be something long-lasting.”
7. Your brand is known for quality and longevity at an accessible price. What goes on behind the scenes to make that possible?
A huge amount of time goes into sourcing, testing, and refining our products before they ever launch.
We’re obsessive about materials, finishes, and wear-testing. Everything is designed to be worn daily – showering, exercising, sleeping – because that’s how real people actually live.
Behind the scenes, we also make very intentional decisions around margins, supply chain, and scale so that quality doesn’t become exclusive. Accessibility is a value for us, not an afterthought.
People often think I’m mad, but the way I like to explain our jewellery is with bread. If you try to spread butter on cold bread, it clumps and just sits on the surface. But if you toast the bread first, the butter melts into it.
That’s exactly how our PVD plating works. The process allows the plating to properly bond with the base metal, meaning the colour lasts longer, wears better, and genuinely stands up to everyday life.
8. Social media has clearly played a huge role in your success. What’s your approach to building an engaged, loyal community online?
Social media has played a huge role in our growth, but I’ve never approached it as a numbers game or just a marketing channel.
For a long time, I didn’t share my story at all. When I eventually opened up about why I started D.LOUISE and what it meant to me, the connection with our audience grow in a way I couldn’t have planned. People don’t just want to buy products, they want to feel understood and part of something.
I’m very intentional about how we show up online. We don’t try to be perfect or overly polished. We focus on being honest, consistent, and genuinely useful. Whether that’s sharing the reality of building a business, talking about grief, or showing the behind-the-scenes of the brand, it’s always rooted in connection over performance.
Community comes from trust. And trust is built by showing up as you are, not who you think you should be.
9. When the pressure to keep up or compete gets loud, how do you stay focused on your own lane?
I remind myself that comparison usually comes from losing touch with your own “why”.
There will always be brands growing faster, doing more, shouting louder. But success isn’t one-size-fits-all.
I stay grounded by focusing on what we’re building, who we’re building it for, and whether our decisions align with our values.
10. Where do you want to take D.LOUISE next, what’s the long-term vision?
Long term, I want D.LOUISE to be a brand people grow up with – tied to moments, memories, and meaning throughout their lives.
We’re expanding into new product categories within jewellery, and we’re putting a big focus on physical experiences. Our community is craving to see and feel the brand in real life, and that’s something we’re excited to bring to life through pop-ups and in-person moments.
Ultimately, the vision is simple: to build a brand that lasts – not just in quality, but in impact.
Shop D.Louise here.
