From packing jewellery at the kitchen table of her student room to having two stores in Amsterdam’s Nine Streets: the growth of UNWIND Jewelry is a story of continuing to build, experiment and constantly take the next step. What started in Breda in 2021 has grown into a recognisable waterproof jewellery brand with a strong visual identity and an ever-growing physical presence.
For our latest shoot, Lisa Romee and her team stepped into The Livingroom. It was the perfect opportunity to talk to the founder about entrepreneurship, branding, jewellery photography, social media and getting as much content as possible out of a single shoot day.
For our latest shoot, Lisa Romee and her team stepped into The Livingroom. It was the perfect opportunity to talk to the founder about entrepreneurship, branding, jewellery photography, social media and getting as much content as possible out of a single shoot day.
From student room to a recognisable jewellery brand
In the early days, UNWIND was literally a one-woman operation. Lisa Romee made and packed the jewellery herself, photographed the products and managed the social media. Everything happened from her student room in Breda. Lisa Romee: “UNWIND first really felt like a brand when people I didn’t know started wearing UNWIND and sharing it online.” That feeling became even stronger when UNWIND opened its first store on Runstraat. Suddenly, the brand didn’t just exist online, but had a physical place where customers could walk in, browse and literally experience the world of UNWIND.
That first store also meant a huge change behind the scenes. “Suddenly, we had to hire a whole team, and my role completely changed: from being the person who did everything myself to becoming someone who had to lead a team.”
That first store also meant a huge change behind the scenes. “Suddenly, we had to hire a whole team, and my role completely changed: from being the person who did everything myself to becoming someone who had to lead a team.”
This makes a piece a true UNWIND piece
UNWIND’s jewellery is made to be noticed. Statement shapes, strong details and a luxurious feel are all part of the brand identity. At the same time, the jewellery should above all remain wearable. “Our designs need to be special enough to stand out, but still wearable.” That means waterproof jewellery that you don’t constantly have to take off, but that fits seamlessly into everyday life. A true UNWIND piece should feel luxurious without being out of reach. That combination is an important part of the brand identity.
UNWIND’s jewellery is made to be noticed. Statement shapes, strong details and a luxurious feel are all part of the brand identity. At the same time, the jewellery should above all remain wearable. “Our designs need to be special enough to stand out, but still wearable.” That means waterproof jewellery that you don’t constantly have to take off, but that fits seamlessly into everyday life. A true UNWIND piece should feel luxurious without being out of reach. That combination is an important part of the brand identity.
Why photography is essential for jewellery branding
For a jewellery brand, imagery is anything but an extra. You’re selling a small, tangible object, but online you also need to communicate the feeling, quality and world surrounding that object. Lisa Romee describes photography as “very important”. “It can sometimes be very difficult to capture in an image what you want to communicate and what you want people to feel. A recognisable visual identity helps with this. The goal is for someone to recognise an image as UNWIND before the brand name even appears.”
That is exactly where branding photography goes beyond simply taking a beautiful product photograph. Colour, lighting, styling, models, location and composition all need to come together to create a recognisable visual language. A good jewellery photograph shows the product. A strong brand image makes you feel something as well. According to Lisa Romee, the difference lies in the story behind the image. “It doesn’t always have to be perfect or polished. An image with character, where you can feel something and imagine yourself in it, often stays with you much longer.”
For UNWIND, this means combining different types of imagery. Close-ups are important for showing details and designs, but lifestyle shots literally bring jewellery to life. A moving earring. Sunlight falling across a necklace. A model posing dynamically. A strongly styled overall look that immediately communicates the world and style the jewellery belongs to. Jewellery photography is therefore not just about sharpness and product details, but also about atmosphere.
Shooting jewellery might sound simple, because the object is small, so how much can really go wrong? Quite a lot, actually. Metal and shiny surfaces react strongly to light. Every reflection can become visible, and when you also add a model, movement and atmosphere, things become considerably more complex. Lisa Romee: “Especially with video, this can be a challenge. A piece of jewellery needs to remain small and delicate, while at the same time being clearly visible in moving footage.”
That is exactly where branding photography goes beyond simply taking a beautiful product photograph. Colour, lighting, styling, models, location and composition all need to come together to create a recognisable visual language. A good jewellery photograph shows the product. A strong brand image makes you feel something as well. According to Lisa Romee, the difference lies in the story behind the image. “It doesn’t always have to be perfect or polished. An image with character, where you can feel something and imagine yourself in it, often stays with you much longer.”
For UNWIND, this means combining different types of imagery. Close-ups are important for showing details and designs, but lifestyle shots literally bring jewellery to life. A moving earring. Sunlight falling across a necklace. A model posing dynamically. A strongly styled overall look that immediately communicates the world and style the jewellery belongs to. Jewellery photography is therefore not just about sharpness and product details, but also about atmosphere.
Shooting jewellery might sound simple, because the object is small, so how much can really go wrong? Quite a lot, actually. Metal and shiny surfaces react strongly to light. Every reflection can become visible, and when you also add a model, movement and atmosphere, things become considerably more complex. Lisa Romee: “Especially with video, this can be a challenge. A piece of jewellery needs to remain small and delicate, while at the same time being clearly visible in moving footage.”
One shoot day, as much content as possible
At UNWIND, a lot of thought goes into what a shoot needs to deliver. Not just campaign images, but content for different channels and different moments. A landscape banner for the webshop requires something different from a product photograph, while Reels and TikTok call for vertical and moving content. Lisa Romee’s advice to other jewellery brands is therefore clear: “Create a very clear shot list beforehand and don’t just think in terms of beautiful images, but also about the purpose of each image.”
For every piece of jewellery, UNWIND wants to create at least a lifestyle image, a close-up detail shot and a standard worn image. By also photographing different combinations and details, one setting can produce multiple types of content. And yet, not everything has to be planned down to the last detail. “It’s especially important to us that the atmosphere on set remains relaxed and fun, because ultimately, you can see that in the images too.”
For every piece of jewellery, UNWIND wants to create at least a lifestyle image, a close-up detail shot and a standard worn image. By also photographing different combinations and details, one setting can produce multiple types of content. And yet, not everything has to be planned down to the last detail. “It’s especially important to us that the atmosphere on set remains relaxed and fun, because ultimately, you can see that in the images too.”
Social media as a driving force behind UNWIND’s growth
From the very beginning, social media has played an important role in UNWIND’s growth. Not just as a shop window for new jewellery, but as a way to build a community. Without a large marketing budget, the brand was able to take people along on the journey of UNWIND. Campaign imagery is part of that content, but so are behind-the-scenesmoments, styling videos, new arrivals and images from the stores. This makes a jewellery brand feel less static. You’re not just showing what you sell, but also who you are, how you work and where you’re going.
That is exactly the power of a strong content strategy: one shoot doesn’t have to mean one campaign. With the right preparation, a shoot day can become the foundation for weeks of different content. For this shoot, UNWIND chose The Livingroom, but the team was already familiar with our studios. They had previously photographed in The Loft, and that experience was so positive that Lisa Romee also wanted to try another studio. “The light is always amazing at your locations and there is endless space to be creative.”
From the very beginning, social media has played an important role in UNWIND’s growth. Not just as a shop window for new jewellery, but as a way to build a community. Without a large marketing budget, the brand was able to take people along on the journey of UNWIND. Campaign imagery is part of that content, but so are behind-the-scenesmoments, styling videos, new arrivals and images from the stores. This makes a jewellery brand feel less static. You’re not just showing what you sell, but also who you are, how you work and where you’re going.
That is exactly the power of a strong content strategy: one shoot doesn’t have to mean one campaign. With the right preparation, a shoot day can become the foundation for weeks of different content. For this shoot, UNWIND chose The Livingroom, but the team was already familiar with our studios. They had previously photographed in The Loft, and that experience was so positive that Lisa Romee also wanted to try another studio. “The light is always amazing at your locations and there is endless space to be creative.”
The golden tip for a successful studio shoot
Lisa Romee’s most important piece of advice is perhaps the most practical one: prepare properly. Decide in advance which outfits work with which pieces of jewellery, which models will wear which looks and which images you need. A clear shot list provides direction and prevents valuable time from being lost on the shoot day. But according to Lisa Romee, preparation doesn’t mean planning everything down to the last detail. “I think that combination of structure and creativity is the most important thing.”
And that is exactly the sweet spot of a good studio shoot. You know what you need, but leave enough room for the unexpected.
And that is exactly the sweet spot of a good studio shoot. You know what you need, but leave enough room for the unexpected.
What’s next for UNWIND?
As if two stores in the Nine Streets weren’t enough, there is already plenty of new content in the pipeline. UNWIND recently opened a second store on Hartenstraat in Amsterdam. This gives the physical world of the brand even more room to grow. Behind the scenes, the team is also working on a new silver collection, which is set to launch this autumn. Lisa Romee is keeping the rest under wraps for now: “We can’t reveal everything just yet, but there will definitely be lots of new imagery, new designs and hopefully some exciting collaborations too.”
We can’t wait for all the upcoming updates! And secretly, we can’t wait until we get to welcome UNWIND back into our studios either.
Do you also own a jewellery brand, or are you looking for an inspiring photo location in Amsterdam for your product photography? Explore our daylight studios and book your time slot now.