Custom-Made Birthstone Necklaces Popular Overseas... Jewelry Brand 'Judy & Paul'

Interview with Kim Ji-won, CEO of Judy & Paul

Targeting Global Markets via 'Cafe24'
Validated Custom Jewelry Potential by Selling Handmade Products Before Startup
Sold 10,000 Signature Necklaces
Diversified Customer Base, 20% Sales Growth This Year

Jiwon Kim, CEO of Judy & Paul.

[Asia Economy Reporter Seungjin Lee] The fashion jewelry brand 'Judy & Paul,' now in its seventh year, continues its growth by gaining recognition in overseas markets. Judy & Paul showcases jewelry made with various colored gemstones under the slogan 'Color Your Life.'

On the 21st, Kim Ji-won, CEO of Judy & Paul, who met with Asia Economy, explained the background of the startup, saying, "Since university, my dream was to have my own brand. While handling overseas business before starting the company, I saw foreigners interested in Korean products and wanted to create a jewelry brand recognized in overseas markets."

Before founding Judy & Paul in 2014, CEO Kim sold handmade products to overseas customers. That experience became the foundation for the signature products of Judy & Paul today. In 2011, she sold custom-made jewelry to customers in New York, USA; London, UK; and Berlin, Germany through overseas open markets, developing the ability to understand the designs customers needed.

Through this experience, CEO Kim was able to develop Judy & Paul's signature products, which incorporate birthstones such as opal, pearl, ruby, and sapphire into necklaces and earrings. The most well-known product from Judy & Paul is the 'Delight' necklace series, released in various gemstone colors, which has been popular among overseas customers and sold more than 10,000 units.

CEO Kim said, "Seeing the increasing orders for custom-made jewelry created exactly as customers wanted confirmed the potential of the customized jewelry business. From that experience, I put a lot of effort into understanding customer needs."

While dealing with overseas customers, CEO Kim deeply felt the need for a proper brand. Believing that a brand mall capable of showing a clear target and concept style was necessary, she simultaneously opened Korean and English malls on the global e-commerce platform 'Cafe24.'

Over seven years with Cafe24, Judy & Paul was able to diversify its customer base. In the early stages of the business, customers were mostly in their mid-to-late 20s to 30s, but now customers range from teenagers to those in their 40s and 50s. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, sales grew by about 20% compared to the previous year through the third quarter of this year.

Judy & Paul is accelerating its overseas market expansion. Having introduced products to customers in the US and Europe early on through the English mall, Judy & Paul entered open markets and fashion specialty malls in China and Japan this year.

CEO Kim said, "Following the domestic market, we plan to steadily introduce Judy & Paul in overseas markets and grow it into a brand that delivers expectations and surprises."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.