Meet Alice Millner, founder of Alice van Cal, fine jewellery that inspires its wearer to find gratitude in life's beauty. Joins us as she shares her inspiration, the power of colour-therapy, and the importance of helping others.

Alice’s mission is to create unique pieces that hold true significance and can be worn and treasured every day. Known for their signature patent-pending ‘invisible’ clasp titled ‘The Alice’, design that can be worn as a necklace, bracelet, earring drop and a hand jewel, from dusk to dawn.

Following on from the brand’s partnership with Lady Amelia Windsor in 2020, Alice van Cal has recently partnered with self-development coach Roxie Nafousi to create content for their social platforms themed around motivational mantras.

Their jewellery can be worn through subscription service in partnership with Covett, who offer a personalised approach to shared ownership in the jewellery market.

Website: Alice Van Cal | INSTAGRAM: @ALICEVANCAL

“I was born and raised in Belgium and always had a need to use my creative side to feel fulfilled. I then moved to London in 2010 for a job at Baume & Mercier. I stayed there for 4 and a half years and every day after work, I would visit the Cartier workshop which ignited my passion and understanding of jewellery design. The former head of the workshop took me under his wing and taught me how flexible gold can be which inspired me to focus on my idea of the transformable Alice.

It then took me years to work on all my prototypes in order to start commercialising them and for my first son to be born to give me the confidence to launch Alice van Cal in November 2018.”

What inspired you to set up your own jewellery line?

I always say some people need to tattoo themselves when something special, happy, or sad happens to them. Well, I need to create jewellery to remind myself of a feeling or a special moment in time.

My inspiration has always been to translate emotions into jewellery, through the colours, the flexibility of the metal and at the same time offer a timeless, yet versatile and elegant designs for women to wear as a second skin.

What are your future goals for the brand?

Keep creating and keep giving back. I think it is so important to give back to the community, so I am always trying to do that with the collections I launch. Also, to share our message of feeling the gratitude in life in order to become the best version of ourselves and accept ourselves as beautiful the way we are.

What would you say is the biggest lesson you’ve learnt since setting up your business?

To listen, follow and apply what your gut tells you. When you stay true to yourself your creations will always be unique. It took me a long time to recognise and accept that we are all here to share a message, a gift and there is nothing cheesy about this. I needed the help of an external consultant to write down what was really the message of Alice van Cal, what I was trying to say, what I was trying to give and I have learned how amazing it is that any person who decide to go for it and launch their company must have their own vision, embracing it and shout it loud.

What were the main steps to setting up Alice van Cal?

The very first step was that I started creating bespoke jewellery for a few years before Alice van Cal. I know that my creations are unique and special, but for long I wasn’t confident enough with the idea of starting my own company and brand.

Having the most supportive partner and giving birth to my first son Joshy were the secret elements to our successful recipe and gave me the confidence I needed to start my brand!

It took me 4 years and about 100 prototypes to get the “Alice” right. I was looking for a jewel that would be beautiful from all angles, delicate and at the same time strong. First there was the bracelet, the hand piece and the pendant, and then I thought that I absolutely must find a way to transform them into earrings as well! I drew an oval link in the beginning that would connect a stud with the oval drop, but as everything, it took a few prototypes to get it right. I then decided to make it resemble an ‘8’ shape, so that there is no extra metal visible.

What are your most valuable business resources?

Everyday life and the beauty of it is my inspiration.

Being surrounded by independent woman growing up; I always knew I would one day have my own company.

I also believe it is important for everyone to have a mentor, whether you own your own business or not. For me, one of my mentors is the head of the Cartier workshop. During my time at Baume & Mercier he saw my passion for jewellery was a sparkle that needed to grow and be nurtured so he shared all his knowledge, expertise, and advice with me.

Have you faced any challenges as a woman in business? If so, how have you dealt with them?

I think the beauty of the jewellery industry is that most people who are deeply rooted within it are truly there for passion.

There is no difference between men and women. The only challenge I faced as a woman were my two pregnancies and the fact that I still baby brain at times. I feel like my brain may never come back to the way it was before, but I am still hoping, let’s see!

What are your 5 go-to tips for running your business?

1. Listen to yourself and find the right balance for you.

Even in the most time sensitive moments, if you need 30 minutes to relax, take them, otherwise you won’t be able to focus well for the rest of the day.

- Put time aside for everything in the day and plan a routine schedule. From 8am until 9am, time for the kids from 9am until 11am time for emails and calls etc.

2. Find time for self care every day

Even if it’s something small. Being a mother of two and running a business, it is vital for me to take care of myself every day so that I can fulfil well my roles as mother, wife and businesswoman. Sometimes this means just having the time to take a shower.

3. Learn to say no (respectfully)

Saying no helps you establish healthy boundaries and gives clarity about what people can expect from you.

4. Surround yourself with the right people

Not only in terms of the people in my team or the people I do business with, I have realised the importance of having the right people also in my personal life.

Having children and a business to run, I don’t have time to waste with / to focus on people that have a bad energy or influence on me. So I only surround myself with people I truly care about and who have a positive impact in my life.

5. Have fun and celebrate your wins

It is important to celebrate your successes after all the hard work! It will give you more motivation and energy to get on to the next step. I celebrate absolutely everything in life!

What do you wish you had known before you started?

There are so many things, if I had known them, I probably wouldn’t have launched my company!

Running the business is most of the work I do

Although I am a creative person and my passion is jewellery design and interacting with clients, most of my days I spend dealing with admin, business strategy, selling and bookkeeping to name a few. I am not necessarily passionate about all those tasks, but they are vital to keep the business growing.

Engaging with your audience

Your customers want to know who is the face behind the brand so that they know who they are buying from and if they can relate to that person. I am camera-shy so it took me a while to understand how important it was for people to see me and now that I do more of it I have gained a lot more confidence. I personally engage with my audience on Instagram and respond to their inquiries because it is very important to understand their pain points and see how I can make their lives easier.

It is a lonely place

I knew that from the beginning but there are times that you feel that all the pressure and responsibility is on your shoulders. Thankfully I have my partner, my family and friends with whom I can always ask for advice or get emotional support.

Don’t forget to have fun

You start a business and all you can think about is getting it right, so you spend lots of hours working non-stop. I would feel guilty about having fun because I thought that I was potentially missing out on opportunities for work or whether there was something I could have done to push my business ahead. Now I make it a priority to have fun – charge my batteries. When I am feeling my best is when I can perform the best.

W E A L T H

How do you define wealth?

Since COVID, I definitely believe that health is the biggest wealth and am so grateful for it. For the rest, I think that wealth is a state of mind, financial comfort and freedom. Feeling happy and fulfilled is my biggest and daily aim.

What is the best financial decision you have ever made (business or personal)?

When I was working at my first two jobs (at ING Tax Shelter and at Lola & Liza clothing brand) I gave my first pay check to my father, as a way of saying thank you for everything he did to help me become the person who I am today. He taught me the value of money and that is why I feel that those pay checks were my first and best financial decisions.

Soon after I started investing in my jewellery designs by paying for materials and jewellers to produce my prototypes. Developing The Alice, a clip pendant that can be worn in 4 different ways, took 4 years of research and I had over 100 prototypes made until we found the perfect balance between a sturdy piece and a delicate gem. I am so glad I started this early as it gave me the freedom to take my time until I was 100% happy about it, and I continue today to run my business in this way, only compromising when it is absolutely essential.

What did you learn about finance and money when you were growing up?

What I’ve learnt from a young age is the more successful you are, the more you have a duty to help others.

I grew up in a family where helping others is in our DNA in the sense that we are so fortunate that we have to give back. My grandmother created a few rehabilitation centres for children with disabilities which include “LA FERME NOS PILIFS”, a recognised centre with social and ecological purposes. I would spend much of my free time at the centre helping my grandmother and learning the values of Generosity and Gratitude which are now embedded in the DNA of the brand.

We are currently developing new packaging in collaboration with the centre. The Alice Black and White Diamond Sphère was created in partnership with the ADOT Foundation. All the profits from its sale will go towards the Soneva Foundation and Mothers 2 Mothers via ADOT.

For the Blue Tit collection, we’ve partnered with UK charity Trees for Cities and are donating a share of the profits for every piece sold from the collection.

Who manages the finances in your household?

I have a very balanced relationship with my husband and we both run our own businesses, which is a blessing as we can consult each other on finances and all the other aspects of running a business. I trust his opinion and find it refreshing to have his point of view as an outsider of the jewellery industry and I consider him as part of the Alice van Cal Team.

Which area of finance do you wish you knew more about?

Import-Export Duties and VAT – especially now with Brexit, it feels like speaking another language to me.

What’s your guilty pleasure purchase?

Buying precious stones and designing bespoke jewellery for myself.

What does a typical ‘day in the life’ look like for you?

None of my days are the same but I always start in the morning by spending time with my kids.

Then I take time for email and calls catching up with my team and with the various workshops that produce our jewellery. At the moment I am developing new packaging so I spend a lot of time comparing samples and communicating with factories. I also love to meet customers especially for Bespoke orders, where I sit down with them and listen to their jewellery dreams. At the end of the day I always dedicate some time to spend with my husband, so we try to go for a walk either before or after dinner so that we can also debrief about our day.

Who is your role model?

My family, but in particular, my mother and my grandmother are two of my biggest inspirations. My mum has always shown me that a woman can lead her life as she wants, and with passion. I am also inspired by my grandmother, who created Ferme Nos Pilifs, a farm on the outskirts of Brussels where disabled people can work. She taught me that giving to people is a way of life and I always strive to live by her example. This is why I give to selected charities every month – I don’t advertise it but it is important to give back. I have created a necklace for the ADOT Charity Foundation and 50% of its sales price will be donated to the charity.

What is your earliest memory of jewellery?

My earliest memory of jewellery is playing with my grandmother’s locket necklace, filled with pictures of my uncle whom I sadly never met. I wear it discreetly beneath my clothes when I feel like I need her strength to be with me. The empowering energy that a piece of jewellery can bring never ceases to amaze me.

Speaking of your jewellery choices, what are your ‘go to’ staples?

I never take off my stacked Alice van Cal Union Bracelets and I love playing with my Alice pendants in different ways, depending on the occasion.

What are your top tips for staying grounded?

I practice gratitude every day, I do a list of three things every evening for what I am grateful for and try to do a breathing exercise every morning. I like to listen to positive affirmations whenever I find time.

We have a collaboration between Alice van Cal and Roxie Nafousi, a manifesting expert and self-development coach who creates mantras for us every week to share with our audience which I also apply for myself. They are so great and really bring a positive energy into my day every time I do them.

Also, since I create jewellery and I am a big believer in colour therapy, I always wear one of the rainbow signature pieces, to remind me that we need every colour that exists to enjoy the journey of life.

A selection of pieces from Alice van Cal

What’s next for you?

I am launching a new collection in November focused on being the best version of yourself which is a subject that is really close to my heart. I believe that a piece of jewellery has the power to not only provide natural energy from the precious stones but also to guide the wearer on a journey of powerful self-growth. With my brand I want to bring through the message of guidance and self-growth with clear symbolic characteristics.

What are you currently reading and listening to?

I am not currently listening to anything but here are the books I am reading at the moment:

“Je rêvais de changer le Monde” by Marek Halter

“Le Bal des Folles” by Victoria Mas

“De Filipson À Nos Pilifs – La biographie de Nelly Seiler” by Nandy Mahieu

“Je Sais Pourquoi Chante l’Oiseau En Cage” by Maya Angelou

Top Instagram accounts to follow?

@roxienafousi

@beamingdesign

@celestebarber