CARE BY: Malene Helweg-Larsen
WHAT IS YOUR MORNING ROUTINE?
My mornings are usually quiet and peaceful. They are significantly different today than they were 10 years ago, because my children have grown up. I really enjoy being able to take it easy in the morning. For breakfast I eat Cultura with muesli and drink a cup of warm boiled water. It is an old Japanese custom that I have adopted. The body just receives and does not have to use energy for anything. Wednesday morning is Yoga morning, and it doesn't get any better than with Louise Juul Severin as a yoga instructor! It's just a great way to start the day.
After yoga, we often take a trip to Øresund, which in winter is followed by a sauna in Taarbæk lake bath.
HOW DO YOU PREFER TO SPEND AN HOUR IN YOUR OWN COMPANY?
It must be with a book. Books have always been a part of my life.
I both read and listen to many books. And then I go to bookbinding once a month. My grandmother was a bookbinder, and I loved her workshop. My grandfather was a writer and publisher.
I also love spending time in my garden.
WHAT IS YOUR BEST ADVICE FOR SHOWING SELF-LOVE AND PRIORITIZING YOURSELF IN A BUSY DAY?
There is no doubt that practicing yoga and playing tennis really is something that benefits both body and soul, so I prioritize that in a busy everyday life. And then I give myself a yoga retreat every now and then. My yoga instructor Louise Juul Severin offers some fantastic Mindful Walking Meditation tours in Dyrehaven and yoga retreats, both at Hotel Kong Arthur in Copenhagen but also abroad.
I often get inspired and get ideas for new designs, even though my thoughts are not really allowed to fly away in the middle of the yoga class :)
HAVE YOU MADE A DECISION IN YOUR LIFE THAT HAS BEEN PARTICULARLY GOOD FOR YOU?
It's hard to choose one!
But from the beginning in the store, I decided to only make new designs when I am inspired.
The decision to go to New York after finishing my apprenticeship is probably the thing that has had the biggest impact on my life, apart from starting a family of course. Here I developed enormously both personally and professionally.
WHAT ADVICE, ON CREATING A LIFE IN BALANCE, WOULD YOU GIVE YOUR YOUNGER SELF?
In my family and the surroundings, I grew up in, everyone went to high school. But since I was determined to be a goldsmith, and am also dyslexic, it was a natural choice for me, but it brought uncertainty.
Did I become smart enough, good enough, now that I didn't get a high school education.
Fortunately, I have learned that a vocational education combined with the school of life has been at least as good
- for me.
So, my advice must be that one can be as good as the other.
YOUR BEST TIP FOR A STRONG AND HEALTHY BODY AS WELL AS A MIND IN BALANCE?
Sleep - getting a good night's sleep is an absolute must for me, so I make that a high priority. And then, of course, to exercise. I love going for walks, and in between, I also go for a run or cycle to work.
Has craftsmanship always been a passion?
Yes, craftsmanship has always been a big part of my life.
As a child, among other things, I was allowed to use my hands in a potter's workshop, and from the age of six, I knew I wanted to be a goldsmith. My mother is a dentist and my father an architect, and the goldsmith profession is a very good mix of the two. I have always worked with my hands and been around many different crafts. At 17, I moved to London for half a year and was a trainee seamstress at the old time-honored brand Aquascutum, but it has always been the goldsmith trade that was my dream.
When I had to apply for an apprenticeship, I only applied to one place, at Georg Jensen. For me, Georg Jensen was the best in Danish goldsmithing, and I was lucky enough to get one of the few coveted apprenticeships.
DO YOU HAVE AN EASY BEAUTY TIP THAT WE MAY SHARE?
My best beauty tip is to make sure you get good sleep and to drink a lot of water. But I got a "Save my face" silk pillow as a gift, which I ended up not being able to sleep without and I can see and feel that it makes a difference to my skin. I have atopic eczema, and therefore cannot really tolerate health products with e.g., chamomile and other natural ingredients. So, I have always had to stick to pharmaceutical products, especially the La Roche-Posay range has helped me a lot.
IF YOU COULD CHOOSE AN ACTIVITY OF YOUR OWN CHOICE THAT WOULD FILL YOU WITH LOTS OF ENERGY - WHAT WOULD IT BE?
I am a very social person and am very dependent on spending time with family and friends - in their company I recharge.
Follow Malene's creative and beautiful universe here on Instagram and find her fine handmade jewelery here on the website.
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