CARE BY: Malene Helweg-Larsen

What does your morning routine look like?

My mornings are usually quiet and peaceful. They are significantly different today than they were 10 years ago, now that the 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 hot boiled water. It is an old Japanese custom that I have adopted. The body just receives and does not have to spend energy on anything. Wednesday morning is Yoga morning, and it doesn't get better than with Louise Juul Severin as a yoga instructor! It is just a fantastic way to start the day.

After yoga, we often take a trip to Øresund, which in winter is followed by a sauna in Taarbæk lakeside bath. 

How do you best spend an hour in your own company?

It has to be with a book. Books have always been a part of my life.

I both read and listen to many books. And I go to a bookbinder once a month. My grandmother was a bookbinder and I loved her workshop. My grandfather was a writer and publisher.

My garden is also a good bet.

What is your best advice for showing self-love and prioritizing yourself in a busy everyday life?

There is no doubt that practicing yoga and playing tennis is really 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 holds some fantastic Mindful Walking Meditation tours in Dyrehaven, as well as yoga retreats, both at Hotel Kong Arthur in Copenhagen but also abroad.

I often get inspired and get ideas for new designs, although my thoughts shouldn't really fly off in the middle of 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 shop, I decided to only create new designs when I'm inspired.

The decision to move to New York after finishing my apprenticeship is probably the biggest influence on my life, besides starting a family of course. I developed a lot here, both personally and professionally.

If you could give your younger self one piece of advice on how to create a balanced life, what would it be?

In my family and the circle I grew up in, everyone went to high school. But since I was determined to be a goldsmith, and I am also dyslexic, it was a natural choice for me to opt out, but it brought with it uncertainty.

Did I become smart enough, good enough, now that I didn't get a high school education?

Fortunately, I have learned that a craft education combined with the school of life has been at least as good - for me.

So my advice would be that one can be just as good as the other.

Your best tip for a strong and healthy body and a balanced mind?

Sleep - it's an absolute must for me to get a good night's sleep! And of course, exercise. I love going for walks, and every now and then, I also get to run or bike to work.

Has good craftsmanship always been your passion?

As a child, I was allowed to use my hands in a ceramicist's workshop, and from the age of six, I knew I wanted to be a goldsmith. My mother is a dentist and my father is an architect, and the goldsmithing profession is a very good mix of the two. I have always worked with my hands and been around many different crafts. When I was 17, I moved to London for six months and was a trainee seamstress at the old, venerable brand Aquascutum, but it was always goldsmithing that was my dream. When I had to apply for an apprenticeship, I actually only applied to one place, Georg Jensen. For me, Georg Jensen was the pinnacle of Danish goldsmithing, and I was lucky enough to get one of the few coveted apprenticeships.

Do you have an easy beauty tip that we can share with others?

My best beauty tip is to make sure you get good sleep and drink lots of water. But I got a “Save my face” silk pillowcase 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 can’t really tolerate health products with e.g. chamomile and other natural ingredients. So I’ve always had to stick to pharmaceutical products, especially the La Roche-Posay series has helped me a lot.

If you could freely choose an activity that would give you 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 jewelry here on the website .