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Georgina El Mountassir
Founder of Etta Gray, the handcrafted statement jewellery brand, unifying artisans from all around the world, Georgina El Mountassir ensures there’s something for every woman, no matter the budget. She talks to WOTC about not wanting to settle and the incredible story behind the brand.
WOTC: Where did it all start for you?
Georgina: I was a young single mother for a long time in London. I worked in a very corporate job in the City for years, before moving out to Dubai with my son; working hard to provide him with the kind of life and opportunities that I wanted for him. After fifteen years of headhunting for the legal sector in London and the Middle East, I got to a point where I wanted something for myself which would give me a creative outlet, and this is how Etta Gray started. I launched the business in October 2020 and it has been a steep but fun learning curve. I don’t have a background in marketing, business management, or fashion but it has been a fantastic experience so far. Major publications have taken an interest and people have responded so positively to the pieces. It has been even more successful than I had anticipated it would be in the first year, which is great.
WOTC: And what prompted you to take that step?
Georgina: I have a drive to not be satisfied with settling with a salaried job, as great as it is. I wanted something that could expand my horizons. I also wanted to have something that I could take ownership of. Working in any career is great, but if you are part of a large organisation, your time and your day is constrained by the way they want you to work. I felt that too stifling and I wanted to start my own business. My first idea was to launch a recruitment business, but that felt too much like swapping like for like. I thought ‘If you’re going to do something different or launch out on your own, why not do something left of centre for you and see how that works?’ Because in a corporate environment, it's very straight laced, there’s no real room for personal expression or freedom and I’ve always had a creative urge that I’ve never really explored. So that’s why I decided to go down the jewellery route and create something incredibly personal.
WOTC: And tell us a little about the business
Georgina: Etta Gray produces statement hand crafted jewellery, made by artisans in Turkey and Italy in small batches, with colourful semi-precious stones and gold. It was born out of my own personal love of statement jewellery, particularly earrings, and an inability to find jewellery on the market that was both statement and quirky, but also well made, without spending thousands. Current fashion trends are very much about simple, gold jewellery, which tends to be a little ‘same-y’, but unless you’re paying Bulgari prices there is nothing middle of the range that is really expressive of individual personality. I wanted to curate a collection that you can look at and think ‘Well, no one else is going to have anything like that.’ The woman who wears Etta Gray will be remembered for her great taste in jewellery, and not simply fade into the background. I sourced artisans who bring their own creativity to a design process that is collaborative. As the business grows, I want to produce collections that support traditional craftsmanship, weaving in the cultural influences and individual flair of each artisan, wherever they are in the world.
There is also an underlying philanthropic element that I am keen to incorporate. When I first had this idea, on the personal side, I was in a very, very difficult relationship which was abusive in many ways. In that environment of control, my entire financial backing was from him. When I finally managed to escape that situation, I was left without financial backing and support with the plans that had been made. I figured ‘Well look, I’m going to press ahead and do this by myself’, so I invested my savings into it and started in a smaller way. What I want to do further down the line is donate five percent of my annual profits to charities that provide refuge and support to survivors of domestic abuse.
WOTC: And what advice would you give to other women that also want to take that plunge, but perhaps don’t have the courage?
Georgina: I would say you only live once. If you’re wondering about whether to take a risk I would say just do it! You only really regret the things you don’t do. If you try and fail, at least you can say that you tried and take the lessons from that experience. There is nothing worse than looking back on life and thinking ‘I could have done that, if only I had had the courage to step out and do it.’ You don’t have to start big; you can start small and build out, but you do have to start.