Franziska von Hardenberg combines her personal passion with her entrepreneurial flair. After founding Bloomy Days, she began her next venture designing her own jewellery in 2018. The SISS BLISS puts real gold and diamonds – two materials for eternity – into the spotlight. In her Berlin-based showroom and office she also banks on the durability of USM.

Franziska, you started out selling flowers, now you’ve turned to jewellery. How important is bringing beauty into everyday life to you?

Aesthetics are incredibly important to me, both in my professional and my private life. We are currently in the process of buying a house. The main reason why we finally decided to make an offer on a property was the beautiful house next door. Many people might find that crazy, but I don’t care what the house that I live in looks like on the outside, but I look at the neighbouring house all the time. Seeing things differently from most people can be tiresome, but I see it as a great talent. I use this eye for detail to develop my products.

What is your personal connection to high-quality jewellery?

As it happens, my label arose out of my own need. I found it extremely hard to find beautiful jewellery made of real gold. In the past, I used to love costume jewellery and I wore it every day, but even when I bought more expensive items they soon broke. I would have gladly paid even more to be sure that they would last, but I couldn’t find anything I liked within the 500 to 5,000 euro price range. Not everyone dares to set foot in a shop where a chain is handed to them by someone wearing a suit and white gloves.

What makes you different with your brand?

The SISS BLISS is a cool brand that stands for SISSTERHOOD. My aim is to encourage women to treat themselves to something beautiful and top-quality. My brand is meant to be fun and look like it comes from L.A. even though it is 100% Made in Germany. Our products are actually made, inter alia, by a manufacturer in Pforzheim and a goldsmith in Hamburg.

How much are your designs influenced by Berlin, particularly the Mitte district, where many fresh ideas emerge in an environment steeped in tradition?

Not much at all. I tend to get my inspiration while travelling. In terms of product development, I like to keep an eye on the US market. What are the trends there in real gold jewellery that appeal to the young generation? The topic hasn’t even arrived in Germany yet.

How does it feel to know that your items of jewellery can last a lifetime, or even longer if they are handed down from one person to the next?

When I worked with flowers, I used to think that they were the most beautiful product in the world. Everyone loves to receive flowers, even those people who don’t actually like flowers! But now, with my jewellery the feeling is even stronger. It’s insane how much joy it brings – and it’s so wonderful to feel my customers’ gratitude, even through social media, and to know that my products will bring people happiness for a whole lifetime, not just a week.

Do you also focus on the best possible quality when buying your furniture?

That wasn’t always the case. I used to shop in massive furniture stores, but I have now grown to appreciate quality above all, in addition to aesthetics, which is why I’m a huge fan of USM. I’m happy to pay more for USM furniture because I know that it will last for life. The solid, heavy pieces are great, and I really love the modularity offered by the brand.

USM’s modular system offers great scope for individuality. How important was that when setting up your showroom?

I didn’t want a classic sales counter, but a sales area that people can walk all around. This idea was easy to implement with the USM modules. They are the perfect solution for me because I can modify everything whenever I like. If we end up moving sometime, I’ll simply turn the counter into a sideboard.

What else mattered to you in terms of your interior design?

First of all, I had a Persian rug in mind, probably due to my great yearning for travel. For the showroom, I wanted a bold, colourful design overall – a kind of laid-back Morocco-in-the-60s chic that matched both the brand and my personality. I definitely didn’t want it to look sterile. The lighting was also extremely important to me. On the wall, the words “Be Bold. Take Gold” are written in fluorescent tubes. Our motto is: Trust yourself, have fun and treat yourself! Our showroom should also reflect this idea.

How important are live demonstrations for jewellery?

Our key area is online sales, but in my experience some people like to see the jewellery before buying it. With the showroom they get a whole brand experience. They dive right into our world, so to speak.

Your new office spans 300 square metres. In what kind of environment can you work best?

I love my office to an almost absurd extent, so I place huge emphasis on the set-up. Whereas the vast majority of people would say that an office is just a place to work in, I see it otherwise. I spend most of my day here. It’s therefore extremely important that I feel good in my office. To work well, I need things to look attractive all around me.

If you want to purchase a USM piece yourself, design it now in our online configurator, or find your local sales partner here.