Stepping it up with bold jewellery

Ooi: Whether you’re designing spaces or earrings, it’s about crafting to accommodate different people and lifestyles.

GOING from a career in interior design to starting a jewellery business may seem an unusual progression.

The transition, however, was natural for Yinn Ooi. Both disciplines revolve around interaction with the human body, behaviour and expression, the founder and creative director of homegrown jewellery brand Gung tells StarBiz 7.

“I’m a form-and-structure person,” says Ooi. “That’s why you see bold shapes in our jewellery. Whether you’re designing spaces or creating earrings, it’s about accommodating a range of people, lifestyles, and preferences.

“At the end of the day, the idea is to craft for the human experience – it’s just a different aspect and scale.”

The name Gung is derived from the word that means “palace” in both Korean and Chinese, highlighting the architectural inspirations that form the brand’s modern, structural designs.

Ooi came up with the idea for her business after noticing very few jewellery options that met her requirements.

“It was difficult to find pieces that were bold, meaningful and resonated with me.” The few that did, were often very expensive. “I thought there ought to be quality, affordable jewellery that allowed people to express their individuality.”

She began laying the groundwork for the business in 2016.

After months of research and sourcing manufacturers, Gung’s first collection was produced and showcased in a local multibrand store. By the following year, she had a full-fledged jewellery brand with its own eCommerce site.

“I knew early on that I wanted to start with eCommerce because of the convenience,” she recalls. “What I didn’t know was how challenging it would be.”

At the time, online shopping was not widespread.

Many were wary about sharing their credit card information over the Internet, while others struggled to navigate the unfamiliar process of making an online purchase.

“It was very hard to reach people,” she adds.

Materialising a vision

Despite these early hurdles, Gung’s unique contemporary pieces found a dedicated and growing customer base, which led to the opening of the brand’s first standalone flagship store in Bukit Bintang in 2022.

“Physical retail plays a key role, as humans are sensory,” Ooi says. “It’s important that people can touch, feel and try the jewellery on, and have conversations with our team, because it lets us connect with customers on a deeper level.”

However, she is quick to note that the brand is not abandoning its eCommerce roots.

“It’s a fast-paced world, and efficiency and speed of online retail are critical,” she says.

Both physical and digital channels will therefore remain core to the business.

Although Gung has come a long way, the founder is still heavily involved in the design process for each of the brand’s collections.

Design work is handled by her team but she continues to take a hands-on approach, providing creative direction and ideas while also drawing on her interior design expertise to advise on mechanisms and other technical details.

The brand’s jewellery pieces, with their emphasis on sophisticated minimalism, stem from Ooi’s distinct background and experience.

“One of our strengths is a knowledge of how to work with material and which ones to best utilise for durability and longevity,” she says.

Accessories that inspire

New designs are constantly formulated, with six collections released every year.

According to Ooi, the pieces are crafted with the goal of helping wearers embrace all facets of their individuality and express themselves with confidence.

“I definitely think people have over the years become more willing to buy and wear bolder jewellery,” she observes.

“The choice to step out of your comfort zone, even if it’s a small step like putting on a bold pair of earrings, is something I want to encourage.

It could be the starting point that gives you the courage to make bigger, more daring choices in your life, career or relationships.”

However, ensuring the brand’s jewellery remains affordable and accessible to a wide audience is becoming increasingly difficult, especially amid rising production costs.

“The challenge is in balancing creativity with business – making sure we are creating pieces that people love and don’t break the bank, while trying to grow the business,” she says.

Ooi is now focusing on expanding Gung’s reach both domestically and internationally, with plans for a stronger footprint in markets like Singapore, Indonesia and Thailand.

Locally, the business is moving out of its first store location and will soon be opening its own retail showroom complete with community activities and workshops, providing a more engaging, immersive experience for customers.

“The vision is for Gung to be a leading jewellery brand in South-East Asia that inspires and empowers women across the region,” she says.