July Child Jewellery: Where Nostalgia Meets Modernity

Since its inception in 2017, July Child has captivated jewellery – and the ‘90s kid-at-heart – enthusiasts worldwide with its unique blend of elevated yet playful designs. With a keen eye for nostalgia and a dedication to modern expressions of personal style, the brand has carved a niche for itself in the ever-evolving world of fashion accessories. At the heart of July Child’s allure lies its collection of psychedelic pieces, meticulously crafted to stand out, bring joy, and remain cherished in your jewellery collection—for far longer than a Y2K trend or two.

Founded in 2017, July Child embarked on a mission to redefine conventional notions of jewellery design. Inspired by a desire to infuse elements of nostalgia into contemporary fashion, the brand sought to create pieces that evoke a sense of whimsy and wonder. Drawing inspiration from the vibrant aesthetics of the past, while embracing the spirit of modernity, July Child set out to craft jewellery that resonates with individuals seeking to make a statement while staying true to their unique style.

When we first met the brand’s founder, Sinead Flood, we discovered a similar spirit: maximalist, bold, and always thinking forward. Whether catering to the ring-on-every-finger enthusiasts, the Sailor Moon fandom or the coquette-core followers, she has built an empire straight from the Polly Pocket-style jewellery box—all the while remaining sustainable and dedicated to making small businesses boom.

Upon the release of the latest delve into throwback fashion with July Child’s bow-inspired collection, we catch up with the jewellery designer on founding a brand from her bedroom, tackling obstacles, maintaining authenticity and what we can expect next. BRB, off to order an extra accessory (or 10)…

Hi, how are you? Where are we speaking to you from?
I am feeling happy and excited thanks. I’m currently in beautiful Manchester, my hometown and the base of my brand July Child.

Let’s start at the beginning! What is your first memory of jewellery?
Growing up I always dressed in my mum’s clothes. I loved layering her pearls around my neck paired with heels ten sizes too big for my little feet and totter down to the school playground in them. I would say I’ve always been eccentric and playful with my style.

When did you first decide to start your own business? What was that like?
In 2016 I had the idea for July Child on a train back to Manchester from London. I sketched out a logo on the train and daydreamed about what I would sell on the site. It started as a curation of international independent designers and three years in we launched our own brand, designed in-house by me. The brand idea developed over 12 months. I studied a Marketing degree at university so researching and testing the idea was my way of understanding the risk/opportunity I was about to take.

As a brand, who/what does July Child represent?
At July Child we pride ourselves on crafting elevated yet playful designs that combine a nostalgic aesthetic with modern expressions of personal style. Our psychedelic pieces are made to stand out, make you smile and stay in your jewellery collection forever.

What was the decision process behind the name? Initially, how much of yourself did you want to put into the brand?
I was born on the 19th of July and have always identified as a summer baby. I feel like my happiest days are outside in the sunshine and socialising in the summer months. I’ve always been intrigued with the idea of astrology so it was a spin off of that. I thought July Child was bold and was memorable. In the early stages I worried that if someone didn’t like the month of July or identify as a July Child, they wouldn’t like the branding or want to buy from me but that definitely wasn’t the case. It is a conversation starter and a true example of community and person-led branding.

Since the inception of the brand to now, how has your style of jewellery-making developed?
How much time do you have?! I am so fluid with my style that it changes a lot. I am always drawn to colourful, shiny things but the style of that varies depending on how I dress, what my lifestyle is like and how I am feeling. In the summer and by the beach I am all about bold and playful styles I can wear when I’m swimming and travelling, but in the winter I am drawn to more luxurious statement heirloom styles or chunky jewels. Anything statement or stackable is always my go-to.

How do you find inspiration for your designs?
I find inspiration everywhere, from the clothes I wear to films I have seen, prints and patterns in everyday life but mostly my 90s childhood. We’ve created pieces that incorporate swirls which were influenced by my love of anime as a kid and ribbed hearts and stars which were inspired by the Powerpuff Girls. I have loads of sketches, notes, screenshots of things I love so the process of design comes from repetitive themes I am excited by at the time.

Who do you design your jewellery for? Is there ever a specific customer in mind?
Originally I started out making it for me and my core customer. There was such a huge gap in the market for fun and innovative designs. I think because my background is not from design I am super experimental with my style, there aren’t any rules in my mind about what we can create. Now I very much use that expressive format but I am conscious of trends and how the market is moving. The July Child community are very experimental and playful with their fashion so we always take that into consideration when figuring out how the jewels would sit together or stack on their hands.

There is undeniably a Y2K element to your designs. Why is that important to you?
So much cool stuff happened in the ’90s and ’00s. The best music and the best fashion IMO. I had the happiest, most eclectic childhood and always want to keep that sense of playful curiosity with everything I do in life.

Is there a significance in your choice of working with the materials that you do?
I’m all about quality and sustainability. We want our pieces to not only look great but also last a lifetime. That’s why we’re committed to using high-quality materials while keeping our production processes as sustainable as possible.

As a small business, you’ve already experienced the issues that come with design replication from large manufacturers. Can you tell us about that experience? How did you, as a brand, navigate that?
Dealing with design replication from large manufacturers has definitely been a challenge. It’s frustrating to see our unique designs being copied, but we’ve been proactive in protecting our brand. We’ve taken legal action when necessary and focused on building a strong community of loyal customers who appreciate the originality of our designs.

For me it has been very upsetting at times because you worry about the longevity of your brand if your work and designs are replicated all around the world by retailers at a fraction of the price. It devalues your offering in a way and it actually affected me significantly a couple of years ago. I felt defeated for a while and worried about whether the brand would be impacted to the point of extinction. It really can have lasting impacts. I feel very strongly that these experiences should be shared with your customer and be talked about more openly. It is part of being transparent and authentic as a community-focused brand. If it can also encourage others to do the same and to shame the copycats then that is also an added bonus.

What’s something important all aspiring jewellers should know?
Be authentic and be yourself! Having your own brand allows you to be your own curator and creator. People value authenticity and uniqueness over everything else. If you’re experimental with your style or feel you have something exciting to share with the world then make it happen and don’t let fear or doubt stop you from giving it a go.

The big sister in me though also needs you to know that cash will make or break you so empower yourself by understanding the numbers and keeping a close eye on them. I’m firstly a creative, secondly a business owner so I’ve had to really work at this.

What’s your take on trends? Do you feel pressure to cater your designs to whats currently “hot” in the fashion world?
Trends come and go at the moment in the blink of an eye which isn’t in alignment with our sustainability model but we always keep an eye on what is happening in the world. Our seasonal collections incorporate certain trends in our own unique way. Bow-core is a huge trend this year which is very July Child so of course we are sharing our take on it this month! Big pink enamel bow rings and more statement earrings!

Tell us about your new collection! What inspired it, what was the creative process like, and what’s your favourite piece?
Our Bow Collection first came about through a discussion with our stockist Selfridges. We were discussing feminine and whimsical themes and the idea developed into the collection we are launching this week. We’ve created some oversized pink and checkered bow rings as well as adding our more personality pieces like the Unicorn Bow pieces. Our pieces are statement and always super fun and girly!

What’s the dream goal for July Child Jewellery?
Ultimately, the dream goal for July Child is to continue growing our brand around the world while staying true to our roots. We’ve been tapping into the US market this year as we launch in Nordstrom and would love to have more retailers over there stocking the brand. I’d also love us to have our own store one day that is more of an immersive art space. I’d definitely have a piercing and mini tattoo space which would be dangerous for me. I ultimately need to seek investment for the next stages of growth which is a very exciting prospect. Let’s see, there is no ceiling on where we can take this magical brand and community. I feel extremely lucky to be in the position I’m in.

What is next for you? Do you have any big projects you are looking forward to working on in 2024?
We have two insanely cool collaborations coming out before the end of 2024 with two incredible creatives. They’re the ultimate maximalist individuals so the team and I are having the most fun working on the projects. We’re also moving to recycled sterling silver 925 for all jewellery from the end of 2024 which is super exciting. Our customers never want to wear anything but their July Child so we’re listening and responding to our community.