Toteme Expands Into Fine Jewelry With an Eco Bent

LONDON — Toteme, the hot Stockholm fashion label, is expanding into the fine jewelry category with sustainability and craftsmanship in mind.

Billed as “a foundational edit of the jewelry box,” the brand’s inaugural jewelry collection comprises diamond-set midi rings and a chain necklace in 18-karat recycled gold, as well as the more accessible Signature jewelry line, which offers a bracelet, a ring, hoop earrings and a collar necklace realized in gold-plated brass.

The pieces are all handcrafted in the Italian region of Arezzo, renowned for its goldsmithing tradition, and will hit stores in the U.S., Europe and Asia from Nov. 18.

Elin Kling, cofounder and creative director of Toteme, said jewelry plays a key part in her life as “jewelry has always had an emotional resonance for me, with some of my most treasured items comprising understated vintage pieces that I wear every day.”

“The inspiration for this new jewelry line came from my ongoing desire for everyday elegance, with functional yet refined pieces. We’ve put a lot of thought into the shapes, which are architectural and bold in our Signature jewelry assortment, and more delicate and unconventional in the fine jewelry edit,” she said, adding that the offering will be updated on a biannual basis and “is intended to be collected and cherished for years to come.”

On top of making sure the pieces can easily blend in with its fashion offering, they are also made in line with the brand’s strict supplier regulations, noted Kling.

“We’ve taken care to employ responsible practices and materials, using certified recycled gold and ethically sourced diamonds. The 18-karat gold used for the fine jewelry edit is certified recycled gold, meeting ‘Chain of Custody’ standards set by the Responsible Jewelry Council. The ethically sourced, brilliant-cut diamonds are conflict-free and mined under safe and fair labor conditions,” she said.

The Responsible Jewelry Council is a London-based organization that sets standards and issues certifications for the jewelry trade from mine-to-market. It has more than 1,000 members worldwide.

The launch is accompanied by a campaign shot by Steven Meisel and styled by Karl Templer.

In addition to branching into new categories, Kling said the brand will continue its retail expansion that began after receiving investment from the Swedish investment fund Altor in 2021.

As reported, Toteme is opening its first European flagship on Mount Street in London toward the end of the year. The store will open at number 12, in a space formerly occupied by Balenciaga. The landlord is Grosvenor and neighbors on the street will include Scott’s, British jeweler Pragnell and Christian Louboutin. The store spans roughly 3,000 square feet.

The brand will also unveil two stores in Los Angeles this fall. One will be on Melrose Avenue near Scandi fashion neighbors Ganni and Acne Studios, and the other will be in Palisades Village, Rick Caruso’s shopping development near the beach.

The brand now operates its first U.S. store in Manhattan’s SoHo neighborhood, a freestanding store, and a shop inside the department store NK in Stockholm; two stores in Shanghai, one in Chengdu, one in Nanjing, and three in Seoul. Bergdorf Goodman, Nordstrom, Selfridges, Harvey Nichols, Matches and Kirna Zabête are among its wholesale accounts.

Toteme was founded in 2014 by Kling and Karl Lindman, offering quiet luxury at a contemporary price point for “young professionals, with an average age of 35,” according to Lindman in an earlier interview.

“It is contemporary, but always with a twist. Our customer looks for styles that have always been there, but we add our touch to it. We’re certainly following our own path,” he added.