A Beautiful Story
A Beautiful Story – handmade jewelry with a story
“Everyone has the right to make their life a Beautiful Story.” This idea shapes the jewelry brand that Cathelijne Lania founded in the Netherlands in 2006.
Falling in love with Nepal. After her studies, Cathelijne went to Nepal as a volunteer. There, she got to know the country and its people and discovered a silversmith whose craftsmanship inspired her. Back in the Netherlands, she worked in marketing at Douwe Egberts. When she learned that the silversmith was running out of orders and twelve craftspeople were worried about losing their jobs, she decided to take action herself.
The first Lucky Bracelet. Cathelijne returned to Nepal to develop jewelry with the workshop that would also find buyers in Europe. The idea for the first bracelet came while sharing tea: shards from a decorated teacup were turned into small elements for a piece of jewelry – the first Lucky Bracelet. Soon, people in the Netherlands were sending their own old cups, which were made into new jewelry in Nepal. In this way, the young brand combined personal memories with craftsmanship and new orders for the workshop.
This idea gave rise to a collection of handmade jewelry and gifts. A Beautiful Story now works with workshops in Nepal and India. Long-term partnerships, artisanal production, and reliable income opportunities for the craftspeople involved are at the heart of the company.
Since November 2022, A Beautiful Story has been B Corp certified. The certification assesses the company against social, environmental, and business criteria; it is not an environmental certification for each individual piece of jewelry. Among other things, the brand is committed to pay based on the “Living Wage Plus” principle, which aims to go beyond covering basic living costs.
What has remained from the very beginning is Cathelijne’s conviction: jewelry can tell a personal story – while also giving the people who make it a livelihood. Discover the jewelry from A Beautiful Story, featuring symbolic motifs and carefully selected materials.
