Michelis optimistic on sterling silver amid crisis

MANILA, Philippines - Despite the financial slump affecting various sectors globally, Michelis, the premiere sterling silver jewelry brand in the Philippines, is confident about its growth in 2009.

The company will concentrate on creating new collections and mapping out new measures to boost consumer interest.

“We are coming up with new collections. We’ve always innovated, constantly updating our pieces so that we always have new designs to offer our customers whom of course, are always value for money,” said Sanya Faustmann, Michelis creative director.

Faustmann pegged the store’s investment for its strategy at five percent of target sales, asserting that Michelis is surviving in an otherwise bleak retail phase because of the intrinsic value of silver.

Sterling silver has become a hot commodity in the world market, with its price per ounce changing up to 23 percent overnight.

With more people embracing silver with the same fervor as gold, silver continues to have bright prospects in the jewelry industry.

Faustmann noted that the world market has now taken on mixing silver with more “precious” stones. “The notion of ‘precious’ and ‘semi-precious’ gemstones is antiquated. Jewelry designers in the rest of the world are using silver as their main metal using stones that were commonly used with gold or platinum.”

Michelis has taken the lead and is set to incorporate more gemstones in its sterling silver collections. Its Bamboo and Joies collections account for the brand’s top-selling collections but jewelry lovers would be pleased to know that Michellis has something new up its sleeve.

“We’ll be working with more natural gemstones. Combining colors like white with red, blue with white,” Faustmann enthused.

Aside from the new collection, Michelis has also undergone a store makeover.

“The store’s new look has a more inviting and vibrant mood to give customers a happy feeling every time they wear a Michelis piece,” she added.

Michelis has currently expanded outside Luzon’s borders with its branch in the Northwing of SM Cebu. It also a new shop at the Atrium of SM Meganall, and relocated its Greenbelt 1 shop to Greenbelt 5. Other branches are at The Podium in Ortigas, The Block at SM City North Edsa,  at the Mandarin Oriental Manila, and boutiques inside Rustan’s Ermita, Rustan’s Alabang Town Center and Rustan’s Tower Shangri-la Plaza. Michellis sterling jewelry are also available at  Rositi Fine Jewellery and Silk Cocoon. 

While high-quality sterling silver pieces of Michelis are already available online (www.filgifts.com), Michelis is also eyeing on expanding its reach in the digital world, with its own website.

“The website will be our 10th branch,” says Faustmann.