The best ideas begin spontaneously, impulsive, and are most likely a little crazy. Mehmet U. Inan had the idea for the brightly coloured bracelets in his head for quite some time, but when he told his long time friend Raffaella Iten Metzger about it over lunch and then suggested that she should design the bracelets, everything suddenly happened very fast. Raffaella was immediately enthusiastic about the idea, which she thought was crazy but somehow genius. Just a short while later, on 1 May 2009, the two ran through the pouring rain to the notary’s office in Bern – one of the few cantons where people were still working despite the national holiday – and founded their company Fashion Statements GmbH: Sal y Limon was born!
The creative Swiss duo’s concept is as simple as it is clever: the basic range is a vivid, brightly coloured collection of bracelets, to which new colours and looks are added each season. The infinite diversity is addictive and awakens people’s instinct to collect.
“With Sal y Limon (Spanish for ‘salt and lemon’), you can add that special something to an outfit. By throwing in a pinch of salt and a dash of lemon, you can pep up the basics and make the whole thing much more exciting. Sal y Limon does for an outfit what seasoning does for food – it’s the icing on the cake, and always fresh and trendy!” says Mehmet U. Inan about the brightly coloured bracelets which can be combined with one another in ever-changing ways.
This is the recipe for success which the accessory label is using to win over new fans around the world every day. The brightly coloured world of Sal y Limon has something for everyone, and offers inspiration forever new combinations.
While we are talking about inspiration, where do you get ideas from in an age in which trends follow one after the other and innovation has become part of everyday life? “I am generally a person who goes through life with eyes wide open, I always have been,” says Raffaella, who is responsible for the cheerful Sal y Limon designs.
“Whether I am travelling and looking at the top of a column of an old building, sitting in the zoo and studying a peacock’s plumage in detail or looking at an art déco book and getting inspired: you just have to look carefully and suddenly inspiration is there. It’s good that I always have my little sketch book with me, otherwise I would probably forget lots of creative ideas.”
And Raffaella and Mehmet are far from running out of ideas. Their next innovation is the launch of the SYL watches, which would be the perfect accompaniment to the brightly coloured statement bracelets. Other than that, the high-energy pair still have a few things planned: “Our long-term goal is to open a flagship Sal y Limon store in all of the fashion capitals in the world, and we’re a lot further ahead with the theory in some areas: there are still many great surprises to come! Every woman should be able to find a suitable Sal y Limon bracelet for a good price.”
Since its launch in 2009, the SYL brand has continued to grow and is present, now even with its own shops, in over 15 countries and cities like Milan, Zurich, Geneva, Hong Kong, Amsterdam, Dubai, Munich, Hamburg, Florence, Rome, Seoul and Paris. In Germany, you can find Sal y Limon at Breuninger, Appelrath&Cüpper, Engelhorn&Sturm, Ludwig Beck, Schmuck Arts, Bertram Ackens, Brooks, Casa Ambiente, Douglas, Nuance Duty Free Shopping and in selected boutiques.
An average of 14 colours is offered each season, whereby the new collection can be combined without difficulty with the earlier ranges. The bracelets are made of a nickel-free alloy of zinc and copper and are available in various sizes from small to extra large. Each bracelet is painted by hand and finished with real gold or silver. The standard size with a clasp fits on every wrist. Prices range from EUR 22 to EUR 50 depending on size and model.
Sal y Limon is available ground floor Red Sea Mall Jeddah
www.salylimon.com
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