86. Lab-grown diamonds were underestimated. Here's how they're disrupting luxury | Nathalie Morrison
About this episode
James Reed interviews Nathalie Morrison about the impact of lab-grown diamonds on the luxury market and changing consumer values.
Most people underestimated lab-grown diamonds. Conventional wisdom says that luxury is about heritage, exclusivity and the power of a brand. So why are consumers embracing them so quickly? And what does that tell us about the future of luxury businesses and the shift in consumer values? In this episode of All About Business, James speaks with Nathalie Morrison, founder and CEO of Astrea London. Her high-end jewellery brand focuses on ethical luxury, using the top 1% tier of lab-grown diamonds and 100% recycled gold to offer flawless purity that gives consumers more carats and less weight on their conscience. Within just one year of launching, Astrea hit $1 million in sales, prompting Nathalie to leverage her banking network to raise £4 million at a £14 million valuation. The company has since attracted celebrity backing from Sarah Jessica Parker, who became both an investor and creative director after meeting Nathalie in New York. Together, James and Nathalie explore the rapid shifts in consumer behaviour and the strategy required to position a disruptive brand at the highest end of a competitive market. They discuss the unique marketing channel she created by opening luxury…
People in this episode
Host: James Reed
Guest: Nathalie Morrison
Topics covered
- lab-grown diamonds
- luxury market
- consumer behavior
- ethical luxury
- disruptive branding
Keywords
- lab-grown diamonds
- luxury
- ethical luxury
- consumer values
- Astrea London
- Nathalie Morrison
- disruption
- jewelry
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Astrea London
Places: New York, Mandarin Oriental
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