Tarnish-free, hypoallergenic and designed for effortless daily wear, Up To The Neck is about long-lasting, low-key jewellery made to live in – the kind you can stack, sleep in and style every day. And these accessories are statements in more than one way: founder Marsha never used to see Black women represented in ‘soft life’ trends or minimalist aesthetics, so she reimagined her own marketing campaigns with Black faces at the forefront.

What is Up To The Neck Jewellery?

Up To The Neck Jewellery is a contemporary brand creating timeless, everyday pieces that are minimal but never basic. Our jewellery is designed to be layered, stacked and worn in a way that reflects your personal style, whether you like it subtle or bold. The vision for UTTN is to be a go-to brand for sleek jewellery staples that customers love to mix and match with.

All Up to the Neck Jewellery pieces are practical as well as beautiful: waterproof, tarnish-resistant, hypoallergenic and crafted with 14k or 18k gold plating over stainless steel. At its heart, Up To The Neck is about helping women feel confident and comfortable in their own skin, with jewellery you never want or need to take off. 

What was the gap in the market that you wanted to fill with Up To The Neck?

The brand grew from my own love of sleek, minimal and effortless jewellery. During the rise of the BLM movement in 2020, I was actively seeking out and supporting more Black-owned businesses. At that point I realized I wasn’t finding many UK-based Black-owned brands creating jewellery that I loved. That’s when I decided to create a brand around the pieces I wanted to wear and that I knew other women were looking for too.

I wanted to offer jewellery that felt personal, versatile and allowed people to show Black pride in a more subtle way than what was on the market at that time. I also wanted to broaden the aesthetics surrounding Black women and jewellery.

When we think of trends like minimalism and the ‘clean girl aesthetic’, Black women aren’t often included in these ideas of softness. How did you want Up To The Neck to change that narrative?

When I created Up To The Neck, I wanted to see Black women represented more in the idea of softness, minimalism, and understated elegance outside of the luxury space. From the very beginning, I’ve used Black models in marketing to show that the soft Black woman in varying forms can be the majority in a commercial space. My goal was and still is simply to make it normal to see Black women of all shades depicted as soft, effortless, and versatile in this kind of style and for no-one to bat an eyelid.

It’s about representation becoming part of the everyday narrative, without ever limiting who can shop with Up to the Neck and enjoy the pieces.

“It’s about representation becoming part of the everyday narrative”

What makes your jewellery premium and long-lasting?

90% of UTTN jewellery is made from a stainless steel or titanium base with 14k or 18k gold plating, making it really strong and long-lasting. These metals don’t bend, chip, or tarnish easily and when paired with high-quality gold plating, the pieces keep their shine and colour even with everyday wear.

Each design is crafted with care, so even our most minimalist pieces feel sleek, intentional and effortless. That means you can wear your favourite Up to the Neck Jewellery pieces to work, the gym, or a night out, and layer or stack them without worrying about damage. They’re waterproof, hypoallergenic and built to last, giving our jewellery a premium finish without being high-maintenance.

It’s jewellery that works with a busy modern lifestyle and makes you feel effortlessly confident every day.

What are some of your bestselling pieces?

Some of the bestselling pieces include the dainty studs, which customers love for everyday wear. UTTN offers a mix of classic and slightly quirky motifs such as croissants, there’s something for everyone. The sleek gold hoops are also a staple, loved for their quality and how effortlessly they take you from day to night.

Also, I see a lot of love for our Africa and Jamaica map outline necklaces, especially from customers who want something meaningful while still keeping things subtle. They’re often chosen as gifts along with our Waterwave Custom Personalised Name Necklace, frequently bought for birthdays, special occasions, or simply customers treating themselves.

Overall, bestsellers tend to be versatile, easy-to-wear pieces that fit seamlessly into everyday life and can be styled up or down depending on your mood.

Your Culture Collection celebrates symbols from African and Caribbean heritage. Why was it important for you to include these in your range?

Including symbols from African and Caribbean heritage was essential because it connects directly back to why Up To The Neck Jewellery was created in the first place. As the brand has grown, so has the Culture Collection and it’s been important to me to stay connected to those roots while blending culture with commercial fashion. Trends will always come and go but culture is lasting.

The Culture Collection allows me to honour the foundations of the brand while continuing to create modern, wearable pieces. It’s about finding that balance between heritage and evolution, so the jewellery feels both meaningful and current.

How have you balanced being a founder with other life responsibilities?

I’ve really just taken everything in my stride. Up To The Neck Jewellery actually started while I was on maternity leave, and all of the early work happened during my little one’s nap times. I didn’t put too much pressure on myself to launch by a specific date; I waited until I felt I had enough in place and to a standard I was happy with, then continued to improve and evolve the brand after launching.

When I went back to work full-time, I was already in the habit of being intentional with my time and fitting the business in where I could. As the brand has evolved, I’ve learnt how to prioritise, be flexible and adjust accordingly. It’s something you naturally learn to do as time goes on.

What advice would you give to other founders juggling obligations?

My advice to anyone starting a brand while juggling other life responsibilities is to make sure it’s something you genuinely enjoy. That really helps if you have to sacrifice sleep to get things done: being excited about what you’re creating gives you that extra motivation.

I’d also say that whether you have a set launch date or not, nothing will ever be perfect in the beginning. Make sure you do your research, get feedback from friends and family who match your target customer and once you’re in a decent place, just launch and learn! You’ll naturally change things along the way and continuous improvement is all part of the journey.

What surprised you most about running a business?

Because I’d never run a business before, everything felt new rather than surprising. I went into it knowing I would have to learn as I went and that mindset helped a lot.

What I didn’t fully appreciate at the start was how many different roles you take on as a solo founder. You’re not just designing or selling, you’re also handling marketing, customer service, admin, logistics and everything in between. It’s been a constant learning curve, but that’s also been one of the most rewarding parts, developing new skills and also connecting with people who can help along the way.

What has been your biggest success so far?

I’m really proud of everything UTTN has achieved so far, but a few moments really stand out. Having the brand stocked at Somerset House and partnering with Pinterest were both huge milestones. Seeing Up To The Neck Jewellery in a retail space for the first time, especially somewhere like Somerset House, felt surreal. Partnering with Pinterest also felt perfectly aligned with the brand’s aesthetic and creative vision.

At the same time, some of my biggest successes are the customer loyalty UTTN has built and the feedback from customers who genuinely love their purchases. Those messages and repeat orders mean just as much as the bigger milestones.

I’m also really proud of building and sustaining the brand while working full-time and being a mum. Looking back at how UTTN has grown over the past five years fills me with a real sense of pride.

Where do you want to take Up To The Neck next?

I want to continue growing Up To The Neck in a way that’s intentional and aligned with the brand. Expanding our product ranges is definitely a big focus, introducing new pieces that still reflect our minimalist aesthetic while evolving with our community and the direction of the brand.

Customer feedback plays a big part in that. I’m always listening to what people are asking for, whether that’s through direct messages, conversations at events or the questionnaires sometimes included in UTTN email newsletters. It’s all saved and reviewed when planning new drops. That insight really helps shape future collections and ensures UTTN is releasing pieces people genuinely want to wear.

I’d also love to see UTTN continue to grow its presence both online and in physical spaces, reaching more women who connect with what we stand for. For me, it’s not just about scaling quickly, but about building something sustainable that continues to feel authentic. The goal is steady growth, deeper community connection, and continuing to create jewellery that people genuinely love and live in.

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