There is a certain appeal to handmade jewellery. Perhaps it is the uniqueness of each piece or the expert craftsmanship that goes into it; either way, the passion is evident for all to see.
For the owner of LCAH Handmade Costume Jewellery, Louise Louw, her business represents so much more, it is the very reason she is alive and has hope once again.
More than a decade ago Louw was depressed, lonely and had almost given up on life. In 2009 her happy and ambitious life took a turn for the worse when her daughter Katy was born prematurely.
“It was devastating and I experienced the worst feeling that I ever could endure. My response was one of shock, denial, disbelief and numbness. It shattered core beliefs and assumptions about the world and the expectations about how life should unfold,” she recalls.
To help keep her busy and her mind productive during stints at the hospital, her ex-husband brought her a jewellery kit. “When I first saw the kit it looked so familiar. Even though I’d never owned one,” she says.
“Growing up I was always interested in making jewellery, but I never had the opportunity to do so.”
A month later Katy was discharged from hospital and recovered well. Today she is healthy and enjoys helping Louw to make jewellery.
“I have four daughters and two enjoy helping me. They are very creative and often give me ideas. Together we are a great team,” she says.
Louw’s business is located at Rehoboth, and thus far she has two collections titled ‘Armour of God’, consisting of bracelets, and ‘Valentine’.
‘Armour of God’ was launched in January and is doing well.
“There are two types – stretch and leather. It just reminds us of our faith and religion. People need a gesture of faith at times and having a consistent reminder to hold onto always helps,” Louw says.
‘Valentine’ was released on 1 February and is all about celebrating love and hope, something that is very important to Louw. It features pieces in red, white and black and consists of necklaces, bracelets and earrings.
Louw’s best clients are bridal parties and she says it brings her great joy to create pieces for a woman’s special day.
“Here I am challenged to be creative and think out of the box. The bride and bridesmaids often want something out of the ordinary. It requires a lot of thinking and long hours of work, but in the end I often cry seeing the bride looking so beautiful and happy. These are the priceless moments that working the industry creates that I will treasure for the rest of my life,” the 38-year-old says.
Louw has recently started selling her items in Taiwan, and is looking forward to greener pastures outside the country. She says demand for the local handmade items has grown.
“People are seeking something different. They are not keen to own something that everyone has and this is what costume jewellery can offer. I see the industry developing more and this makes me happy.”
For Louw working in the industry is accompanied by a variety of challenges such as negative clients and long working hours.
“Costume jewellery has done so much for me. It has changed my life for the better. I only wish I started doing this earlier. I always urge youngsters to embrace what they love and have an interest in, because it is the best gift they can ever give to themselves. It might not give you a perfect life but you will be happy,” she says.
Louw says when she first started her family did not support her, as they did not understand the industry, but today she has their full backing. “They have seen how happy and hopeful about life I have become. I am also earning great money. People are buying because they are hungry for something different. I am also more than willing to share my work and talent with them. Everything is great and I am so happy. Costume jewellery saved my life,” Louw says.
