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Some jewellery brands become famous overnight. Heavenly London has taken a quieter route. Over the past few years, the British label has found its way onto everyone from Jennifer Lopez and Rachel Zegler to Suranne Jones, Erin Doherty and the Princess of Wales, becoming one of those rare brands that’s just as likely to be recommended by a stylish friend as spotted on the red carpet.
Behind it all is second-generation owner Maddy Sangster, who transformed the kitchen-table business her mum founded in the 1990s into one of Britain’s most exciting independent jewellery brands. Six years after taking over the family business, she’s turned Heavenly London into an A-list favourite, while staying true to the philosophy that made it so special in the first place: creating timeless jewellery women actually want to wear every day.
Maddy Sangster has turned Heavenly London into an A-list favourite
It all started with Maddy’s mum, Belinda Sangster, who began making jewellery from her kitchen table, threading pearls onto almost invisible fishing wire before sending mail-order catalogues to friends. The business steadily grew, but everything changed when the Princess of Wales began wearing her designs.
‘She identified something that not many people had at the time,’ Maddy says. ‘The idea that you could wear a diamond alternative but it didn’t have to be cheap and nasty. It could actually be really beautiful.’
When Maddy bought the company from her mum six years ago, she saw an opportunity to reinvent it for a new generation of women, and the overhaul was dramatic.
‘My poor mum was horrified,’ she laughs. ‘I changed everything. The website, our suppliers, packaging, staff, advertising, PR… everything. It really did go through a whole 360 rebrand.’
But rebuilding the business wasn’t just about a new logo or fresh packaging. Maddy also had to rethink what Heavenly London stood for. The turning point came after an honest conversation with SheerLuxe founder Georgie Coleridge Cole.
‘I’d never really liked the diamond-alternative side of the business,’ Maddy admits. ‘I used to find it a bit cringe. But Georgie said, “That’s your bread and butter. You’ve got to stick with it, but you’ve got to make it really cool.”’
It was exactly the push she needed. ‘I just had this nagging feeling that it could become something much bigger.’
She wasn’t wrong. Since taking over the family business and overseeing the rebrand, Heavenly London’s turnover has grown almost tenfold.
‘The business my mother built was incredible and had a devoted following,’ Maddy says. ‘My job has been translating that devotion into a modern brand, and the growth has come from customers who found us online and stayed.’
Heavenly London’s collections span cubic zirconia, moissanite and lab-grown diamonds
Today, Heavenly London ships worldwide, with the UK remaining its biggest market. Its collections span cubic zirconia, moissanite and lab-grown diamonds, offering women an accessible alternative to traditional fine jewellery without compromising on design.
The timing couldn’t have been better. As attitudes towards lab-grown stones and diamond alternatives shifted, Heavenly London was perfectly positioned to capitalise on the change.
‘People are much more willing to wear alternatives now,’ Maddy says. ‘The difference is so much smaller than it used to be.’
Rachel Zegler, Emilia Jones, Erin Doherty and Suranne Jones have all embraced the brand, but Maddy says there’s one woman responsible for changing Heavenly London forever.
‘The Princess of Wales, for sure,’ she says without hesitation. ‘Back then she was the original influencer. It was a butterfly effect. Overnight the business went from this teeny tiny company to booming.’
The Princess has worn Heavenly London’s Pearl and ‘Diamond’ Earrings on numerous occasions, and Maddy says every time she steps out in them, the effect is almost instantaneous.
‘Suddenly, there will be this flurry of activity on the website, especially from America. You know exactly what’s happened because her followers are so loyal.’
Jennifer Lopez is another high-profile fan, wearing Heavenly London’s Sienna earrings during an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel before choosing the Eva earrings and the Beaux ring for a New York Times photoshoot.
‘The Sienna and the Eva have been on a roll ever since,’ Maddy says. ‘We also recently sent Jennifer a bespoke commission, so I’m hoping we’ll see her wearing that too. I honestly still pinch myself that J.Lo is wearing our jewellery.’
Despite dressing Hollywood stars, Maddy insists she never designs with celebrities in mind.
‘I always design things that I want to wear,’ she says. ‘I think, “Is this going to look good on the woman wearing it?” rather than trying to create some huge statement piece.’
Its Axis rope necklaces have nearly sold out
The same philosophy extends to every detail, right down to the shade of gold the brand uses. ‘A lot of gold-plated jewellery has a very orange finish that I don’t think looks good on anyone. We’re really specific about the gold we use. It’s a very pale, almost silver gold, and I think that’s much more flattering.’
Inspiration rarely comes from trend forecasts. Instead, Maddy spends any child-free afternoons browsing antique shops, where vintage pieces often spark ideas for future collections.
‘I’ll see an old Art Deco ring and think, “We need to make something inspired by this.”’
She laughs that she’s ‘guilty of designing too many things’, often overwhelming her suppliers with new ideas. Yet even after years in the business, she admits she can’t always predict what customers will fall in love with.
One piece Maddy almost didn’t launch was the Josephine ring.
‘I kept sending it back to our supplier saying, “No, change this, change that.” Then I put it on Instagram and everyone was saying, “We need it!” It’s now our best-selling ring.’
The brand’s latest collections have proved just as successful. Its Axis rope necklaces have completely sold out, while the Cage earrings sold out within a month of launching before being restocked. Pinky rings, meanwhile, have become one of the brand’s signatures, with the Chip and Nox styles consistently among its bestselling pieces.
Pinky rings have become one of the brand’s signatures
Despite the success, Maddy has no interest in releasing endless collections simply for the sake of it.
‘I don’t agree with putting things out there just for newness’ sake. If something works and people know us for it, why change it?’
That thoughtful approach runs through every part of the business. Heavenly London is B Corp certified, produces in small batches and keeps waste to a minimum.
‘We’re tiny, but we really don’t waste anything.’
Despite supplying jewellery to Hollywood stars, Heavenly London is still remarkably hands-on.
‘It’s literally me,’ Maddy laughs. ‘People think running a jewellery brand is glamorous, but it’s so tough. Gold prices change, politics changes, import duties change. You have to wear many hats.’
Many of the orders are still packed by Maddy herself, often while juggling life with her three young children.
‘People quite like seeing the reality of running a business,’ she says. ‘I don’t mind showing some of the chaos behind the finished product.’
Around 90% buy jewellery for themselves, rather than waiting for it to be gifted. ‘Jewellery has spent decades being framed as something you wait to be given,’ Maddy says. ‘Our customer isn’t waiting.’
Asked which piece every woman should own, she doesn’t hesitate.
‘A tennis bracelet. There’s nothing chicer than a white shirt with the sleeves rolled up and a tennis bracelet.’
The next chapter for Heavenly London is already underway. The brand has just secured its first order from Selfridges, meaning shoppers will soon be able to discover the collection in one of Britain’s most iconic department stores.
For Maddy, it’s a particularly emotional milestone.
‘My mother founded this business in 1993, so to see it on the shelves of a store with that kind of history feels like the two eras of the brand shaking hands. We are so pumped about this.’
