HEYMAEVE—The Jewelry Brand That Gives Back With EVERY Purchase
If you're anything like us, you turn to jewelry to accessorize your outfits.
We love how a simple necklace or pair of earrings can completely transform a look, and whenever we forget to put jewelry on, we feel naked! Just recently, we discovered the new brand, HEYMAEVE, and wow, their gold jewelry is stunning. We wanted to get to know more about the brand and the woman behind it all, Alicia Sandve.
Keep reading for our full interview with Alicia of HEYMAEVE, and who knows, you might even find a discount code 😉
Sweety High: Have you always been passionate about jewelry?
Alicia Sandve: Yes! All of that comes from my mom. She loves jewelry and is actually a collector of jade and other precious stones. I remember one day in kindergarten that my mom didn't take me to school and instead, we spent the morning playing dress up and having a full on photoshoot. On Sundays, she would take out all her pretty necklaces and hang multiple pieces on me for church! My friends would tease me that I looked like a Christmas tree but I loved it! So I basically grew up immersed in fashion. My mom used to say, accessorizing can make or break an outfit. I truly believe that! Adding jewelry to an outfit can completely transform a look.
SH: What inspired you to create Hey Maeve, and how did the opportunity come about?
AS: Having previously run a fashion business, coupled with my huge passion for fashion and beauty, I knew I wanted to go back into the fashion world. In the last few years, gold jewelry has become such a popular trend, and it is always the one thing that excites me the most about putting an outfit together. On top of that, traveling so much between Singapore (where my family is) and the U.S., I found myself always bringing lots of jewelry to switch up my looks without having to bring too much clothes.
After coming back from a long stay in Singapore was when I decided that I wanted to go into the jewelry business. As my idea evolved, I decided to add on additional categories to make HEYMAEVE an all encompassing accessory lifestyle brand. Nothing fell in my lap. I started with practically nothing, and slowly but surely built HEYMAEVE into a profitable business. If you put your mind to it, you can do it! Being a mother of two little girls, I also wanted to build a business that my girls can one day take over. They love jewelry, too!
SH: What were the most important factors when it came to developing Hey Maeve?
AS: Quality of our products is key. With our gold plated jewelry, I personally tested all our pieces—wearing them in and out of the pool all summer to make sure they did what they are supposed to do—resist water and not tarnish. I also make sure that the weight of our earrings and necklaces are comfortable to wear all day. None of our pieces are overly heavy that will pull on your earlobes or give you a neck ache! We considered every possible complaint customers could potentially have and worked backwards to improve all our products before launch. The same goes for our silk products, we only use the highest quality (pure mulberry silk) for our silk scrunchies, pillowcase and cami top.
Variety was another important factor in building out HEYMAEVE. I wanted to make sure that there is something for everyone who visits our store. Whether you're a girly girl, sporty, into thick chains or very delicate pieces, you will find something for you.
Lastly, affordability! We knew that for the girl who loves switching up her jewelry according to the latest trends, our pieces had to be affordable so that customers can shop multiple pieces to create their favorite looks! All our jewelry is under $70 with most pieces averaging a $40 to $50 price point.
SH: Tell us about your creative process! Where do you draw inspiration?
AS: I largely draw inspiration from my everyday life and personal experiences. I relate it to how Taylor Swift writes songs. They are straight up reflections of my life experiences. Like our Social Butterfly earrings ($42)—those hold a double meaning to me. I created that piece during a time when we were still in the trenches with COVID, I had just gone through a very rough past year, and it felt like one bad thing after another with no light at the end of the tunnel. Butterflies represent hope, life and resurrection. I remember every time I saw a butterfly, I would remind myself to have hope in my heart again—that better days are coming and that no matter how difficult my circumstances were in the moment, it would get better.
I also am a very social person, and being stuck at home during COVID challenged me mentally not being able to interact with people. I was stuck in a fully enforced lockdown for two full months in Singapore! So the butterfly also signified to me at the time that I'd one day have that freedom back again, hence the name, Social Butterfly! I like that my customers are able to have their own interpretation of a piece through their own life stories as well.
SH: Do you have a favorite piece or pieces?
AS: I truly love every single piece that we put out on HEYMAEVE! If I didn't love it, it would not make it to production. But if I had to pick one piece that is my current favorite, it would be our Excuse You Necklace ($56)! This beauty is such a show stopper. The Cuban chain has been trending for a while and surely isn't going anywhere, but this necklace has an added flair with the extra layered detail and play on geometrics. I also love that it can be worn on its own or layered.
SH: What pieces should every girl have in their jewelry collection?
AS: My number one choice would absolutely be a pre-layered necklace. Necklaces that already come layered are such a bang for your buck and they are easy and effortless to throw on, without you having to spend time thinking about which pieces go well together. Especially if you are new to layering jewelry, pre-layered pieces are foolproof! My favorite is our Sweet Pea Necklace ($49) for a more delicate look, and our Pride & Prejudice Necklace ($62) for a statement, pre-layered piece.
As for building out the rest of your collection, a classic pair of gold hoops is a must-have! Our HEYMAEVE Hoops ($42) are the perfect medium-sized gold hoops that will go with every single outfit in your closet. Next would be to invest in a pendant piece that you can use as a centerpiece to layer with other chains. I am currently obsessed with our Bee-witched Necklace ($52).
SH: What has it been like running a business during COVID?
AS: While it has come with minor challenges, for the most part, the beauty that came out of it all is the hustle that I re-discovered in myself! As an entrepreneur, you have to be hungry for business, and hungry enough to hustle—hard. When everything in life basically came to a stand still, I used the time to re-evaluate my life and look at areas I wanted to change.
SH: Tell us about how HEYMAEVE gives back with every purchase!
We donate $1 from every sale through our website to one of three charities of the customers' choice. All three charities support and empower women and young girls all over the world!
SH: Anything else you'd like us to know?
AS: Get 15% off your first order with the code "SWEETYHIGHX" at heymaeve.com!
Love jewelry as much as we do? Look HERE to learn more about VibeSzn and their cutest pieces.