Meet Madalynne & Sara, the women behind Kate & Kole, a Newcastle jewellery label creating modern and timeless made to order designs.

Almost 2 years in the making, our artist collaboration with Maddy & Sara saw the release our Zodiac Pendant collection in April. Having the opportunity to dream up projects with like-minded women who have an unwaver ing passion for what they do was such an blessing. 

We recently sat down with Kate & Kole founders to speak about memorable moments in business, words of wisdom and what is means to be proud zodiac women. Much like the brand they have built together, Maddy & Sara's answers were raw, unfiltered and entirely romantic.

 

Madalynne on being a Gemini Woman.

I love identifying with the Gemini Woman, for me it means I take pride in being a creature of total emotion. All my decisions are ruled by heart and I am very much an idealist, which gives me the power to believe that anything is possible. I can also very much relate to being a sign of duality, which means there is never a dull day. I can be very up and down with my emotions, which can be frustrating (mainly for my boyfriend) but I think as a creative person this is a natural trait. You ride those highs and that’s when some of your most wild but magic ideas come to life.

Sara on life as a Leo.

I think I am a frustrated Leo, or possibly a conflicting Leo. I find sometimes I crave attention but then once I have it am overcome by anxiety. I’ve never felt completely at home being a Leo, what I was told a Leo represented never felt quite right to me. I do love to lead, but I hope more as a nurturer rather than a commander. I love to make people laugh but equally to laugh along with them. Although, I do adore lions, they are an animal I have always been completely in awe of. I would draw them over and over again when I was little, so perhaps there is a little lioness in me.

 

On sources of inspiration.

M. I am ruled by art and aesthetics. Anything that I find to be beautiful inspires me. It can be an old movie, a song, an outfit, an image. For this reason, I draw a lot of inspiration from Instagram, it is a world of constant aesthetics and that really excites me. I am constantly putting together moodboards from a range of accounts I come across that inspire me and then in turn inspire the vision for our brand.

S. I love talking to other people about their passions. I am completely inspired by what other people choose to do and chase and can talk endlessly about what they want to achieve and how to solve anything that may stand in their way. I also love the concept of home, it’s where I do my best thinking. I am a constant potter-er, I sometimes find it hard to relax but I love to be thinking, drawing, brainstorming and designing, usually in my home studio.

"Women are the most incredible creatures, we are constantly navigating. Navigating our emotions, our priorities, our relationships. We adapt and change and get stronger and break."

- Sara Spence

Memorable moments.

M. Every year we seem to hit a new highlight and that is so exciting. I think launching a bridal range was a real dream come true. Our second collection VOW II, especially felt like everything we had envisioned for this collection and shoot really came to life in such a simple space with a beautiful little female dream team. Our artist collabs have also been a huge highlight. Collaborating with Sunday Lane on our most recent collection was such a WOW moment, to now be creating something side by side with a brand that we have admired and loved from a far for so long is pretty incredible.

S. Oh my goodness this [little*] business of ours. It is just the most amazing thing to build something from the ground. And to do it with a friend is even more special. What Maddy and I have achieved over the past five years is really amazing. We both have worked full time jobs, we have worked from different cities, learned an industry that is challenging and at times unforgiving. The highlight has to be when we finish an engagement ring. I can’t believe we have been able to create a ring that represents a moment for someone that is so important. It really is an honour to be a part of that.

*I have to constantly remind myself to stop underplaying what we do.

 

Something in life that is treasured most.

M. If anything, at the moment it’s the little things. The ray of light on the bed in the morning. The sleepy walk to coffee. That first sip of a warm drink in the morning or a craved glass of wine. Warm moments in the sun. A phone call spent laughing and making future plans. More than ever, I’m treasuring every slow moment that will become memories of this time. 

S. [Baby, Fiancé, Dog of course], but treasure… I love that. I have a bracelet that has a little pineapple charm on it that belonged to my partner’s grandma. I love it because it doesn’t quite fit the woman I knew. I love thinking about this other persona that she might have had, when buying this bracelet. I also adore my engagement ring which is our Amare band. It’s lots of little diamonds, just like life, lots of special moments.

 

Words of wisdom.

S. Be kind to yourself. Having a baby is going to be tough, and doing it while running a business will be almost impossible at times. Ask for help. Have a cup of tea.

M. I second be kind to yourself. I was trying to find the words for that and what our current situation has taught us. Before this, I felt a constant feeling of never doing enough. Now I find myself constantly telling myself this, as a reminder that you’re doing your best and that is perfect.

 

An ideal Sunday.

M. I’ve always said Sundays are for lovers. My ideal Sunday is a sleep in, pancakes, a walk through leafy streets to get a coffee in the heart of Paddington and then spending the rest of the afternoon lazing on the lounge before having the time to cook a delicious meal together. Every day of the week seems so busy, I love the guilt free feeling of a slow Sunday.

S. My favourite day. I love the word, I love the letters and the shape the type makes, it’s so beautifully balanced. Coffee, walks with the dog, dinner with family or friends, and I always go to bed later than I should.

 

And lastly, on what makes a woman beautiful.

M. Honestly her energy, as bizarre as that may sound.. When I think of all the beautiful women in my life I equate it to their energy. It is the feeling you’re left with. It is how they show kindness, or excitement or optimism and how you’re left feeling after every encounter. I think of my friends as beautiful because they constantly show me support, I think of my mum as beautiful because she has always said treat others how you want to be treated and you can feel she lives by that. I think of my wonderful business partner Sara as beautiful, because without a doubt I leave every one of our many weekly phone calls completely inspired, excited and convinced that we will take over the world with this little jewellery brand of ours.

S. Firstly, Maddy’s answer made me cry and I feel like anything I write will fall so flat in comparison. And I couldn’t agree more about a woman’s energy. Women are the most incredible creatures, we are constantly navigating. Navigating our emotions, our priorities, our relationships. We adapt and change and get stronger and break. I think beauty is in the story, it is never simple, every decision we make has a list of pros and cons, sacrifices and compromises. You can’t always just throw yourself into your work, because something suffers. A woman is beautiful because it is so likely that to be where she is today, she had to let someone go in front of her.

We hope you enjoyed our newest In Conversation with Madalynne and Sara from Kate & Kole, we absolutely adore these ladies, their work and their brand. Amidst the uncertainty of this year we hope you found some inspiration here.

Discover Kate & Kole here, or follow along at @kateandkole