The Jewelry collection was a silver-lining during the pandemic. As a mother of two beautiful baby girls, the quarantine life brought both excitement and frustration to the brand creator, Rui. There were the good days and the not-so-good days. Somedays she looked into the mirror and what stared back at her was a person that’s not so recognizable, a person who’s lost energy, wearing day old sweats and a head of messy hair. But when she tried to add a pair of earrings, suddenly it brought back a sense of renew energy and made her entire look transform, she felt it too as the pair of earrings brought the entire look and her to life!
With her previous background in design, she started looking into accessories. Every detail around the playroom became inspirations. She took inspirations from the prints on baby toys, shapes of the block sets, floating clouds from her daughter’s ceiling and the flower garden from their neighbors’ house. How have not paid attention to the delightful and lively details that surround us everyday, the pandemic caused us all to forget and we need a new remind to appreciate everything around here.
(One of Rui's Best-Sellers)
- The Sunnysideus Jewelery Line has three collections: Garden, Ocean and Time at home. The three places that we spend the most time during our quarantine days.
- Garden – when kids need a fresh air; even the tiny snails became a wonder
- Ocean – when kids need a change of environment; the wonder of nature can suddenly ease the frustrations of not being able to travel further
- Time at Home – Every little ups and downs get enlarged; we home-school the kids and they teach us how to manage our wood swings
(Design Sketch for The Garden Collection)
Q: How do you manage your time of creating your own brand and being a mother of two?
Rui: Daily schedules are definitely packed, I pretty much separated my “working time” into two-time frames. I love my morning walks. My younger one was only 6 months old, we enjoyed our morning strolls in the neighborhood. That was also a time I listened to my podcast, a lot of motivational talks that keep me motivated. After lunch, when my daughters nap, that’s another one of my squeezed out “me” time. Sometimes I stay in the play room with my older daughter, she would draw or build Legos. You will be surprised about how much a kid can inspire you. She’s full of imaginations!
Another time frame is after my younger one wakes up, they would snack together. I would place some of my morning thoughts on the mood broad. Sometimes new thoughts will jump out during our play times together. My true “Rui time” is after their bed time. Those are my golden hours, I try to put all my thoughts into executions, communicate with my design team then and put everything into action!
Q: Any styling tips for your beautiful girls?
Rui: Simplicity is the key! Kids are already so cute, I don’t usually pile them up with layers. Unless it’s special occasions or photoshoot days, I often dress them in minimalist designs. No more than 3 colors for an outfit. If there are any accessory pieces, I would try to emphasize on that piece. For examples, we love the hats from CECloset. Because hats are already the highlight of the day, I would stick with neutral tones.
(Rui's lovely girls in Mini Mesa Boater - Yellow)
Q: What are your current obsessions/inspirations?
Rui: I’m in love with Johanna Ortiz- they reflect tropical lifestyles. I prefer them more than the usual Californian vibes. Their prints are gorgeous! Also Ulla Johnson – cant you tell, I’m a big fan of fabrics. Unique prints really inspired me. Their designs always emphasize on the very details, even to the stitches. The designer is my role model! She focused on every details and didn’t lead her collection to the runway until 15 years later!