Three years after launching, innovative online retailer of custom designed engagement rings, Rare Pink, has re-branded to Taylor & Hart. The company hopes to position itself as the online leader in custom-designed jewellery as they expand their focus to include the rest of Europe and the US market.
Rare Pink was founded in 2013 by David Sutton and Nikolay Piriankov with the vision to improve the experience of buying an engagement ring. The centuries old jewellery industry, they felt, had failed to evolve, too comfortable in its ways, while millennials wanted so much more than the “off-the-shelf” offering of traditional jewellers.
Co-founder, Nikolay Piriankov says: “Customers now care much more about transparency and ethical sourcing. They also want to use this highly emotional product to tell a story in a way that reflects their values and experiences together and a ring they have played a part in designing, empowers them to do just that.”
Having raised over £500,000 investment via crowdfunding platform Seedrs, angel investors and from venture capital funds Launchub and Techstars, the team has designed and delivered almost 2,000 engagement rings online and through their central London showroom. The company decided to rebrand to position the company in the market in a way that better reflects their unique value proposition.
“Proposing with a bespoke ring is not something that many people see as accessible or even possible. We want to change that and become the go to brand for custom-made”, says David Sutton, co-founder.
He adds: “To do so we realised that the brand ‘Rare Pink’, while loved by many of our customers, was not able to communicate as clearly as we wanted, exactly what we’re all about.”
“In particular, we wanted to say: we’re proud of our British heritage. Each ring being uniquely designed, hallmarked and hand-finished in London. We specialise in custom-made. Our bespoke service being second to none. Each ring we design for our customers carries a special story and meaning that is unique only to them and that this is something that is now accessible to more people.”
During their time in Boston as part of the Techstars business accelerator, the team worked with brand experts and mentors to come up with a new name and brand strategy and it was there that they decided to rebrand to Taylor & Hart.
Nikolay explains: “’We wanted something that captured our British heritage whilst still retaining a playful modern feel. Playing on Taylor; a well known British surname, we pay a subtle tribute to London’s world famous Savile Row tailors whilst also finding a perfect metaphor for the bespoke service we offer our customers.”
“The ampersand symbolises the personal connection our customers share as they design their ring and plan their lives, together”
“Our customers often put a special meaning into their ring design, inspired by something that only the two of them share. Hearing all of these unique stories inspired us to choose another popular British surname, ‘Hart’, which we believe expresses the romance and love felt in every engagement we enable.”
The pink gem set on the inside of every Rare Pink ring will evolve into a ruby with Taylor & Hart. Through this little gem, the founders hope to keep the legacy of Rare Pink with them as they grow and expand their offering globally.
The company has used their re-brand as an opportunity to also launch their new online platform where customers can collaborate directly with designers in a unique experience that makes the process of buying an engagement ring or jewellery piece easy and affordable.
For more information visit www.taylorandhart.com
