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This week, Sasha was featured in Apparel Magazine, sharing the story behind the brand, craftsmanship, and journey so far. Read the full article below or view the original feature via on the Apparel website here. Sasha is a slow-crafted jewellery and accessories brand creating one-of-a-kind pieces by hand in New Zealand. Each piece is thoughtfully designed, ethically made, and created in small quantities.  Founder, Sasha Ćurin, has always been creative, drawn to art, making things, and learning new hobbies. Her mother was a big inspiration as she owned a surf and streetwear store in Auckland for nearly two decades.  Ćurin spent hours in the back room drawing, sketching, or watching new stock arrive, and sometimes tagging along to buyers’ meetings, which shaped her thoughts on design and retail.  Growing up around Omaha Beach, she also spent most of her time outdoors, collecting shells and swimming; coastal freedom still influences everything she makes. “Jewellery started simply because I couldn’t find pieces that felt like me. I was looking for bold, personality-driven pieces, but most jewellery out there felt delicate and minimal,” s aid Ćurin. “I started teaching myself the basics so I could make pieces I wanted to wear. Crochet came later, when I saw how accessories could be reinterpreted in a modern way.” After university, Ćurin moved to Croatia and spent a lot of time along the coast, wearing jewellery she’d made herself, and people would stop to ask where it was from.  She soon realised there was genuine interest beyond friends and family and identified a gap in New Zealand's accessories market for pieces with more personality and substance.  With Sasha, Ćurin has brought a fresh design sensibility and a slower approach, featuring pieces that aren't trend-driven or mass-produced. She added that some of her favourite fashion pieces were passed down from her mother, and believed that the stories behind vintage treasures led to great conversations.  Mass-produced items don’t hold the same value, and so every Sasha piece is created with time and attention, making it special. While everything is handmade, Ćurin has structured production in small runs so stores can still reorder reliably.  I'd love to see more stores take chances on artisanal brands, not just because it supports local creators, but because it gives customers access to something meaningful. It shifts the culture around fashion toward greater intentionality. At the same time, the biggest challenge has been getting in front of the right audience and showing why the pieces are different.  “The challenge hasn't been the product; it's been finding ways to get it into the right hands and spaces because I know once people experience the work, they understand what makes it special.” Material choice also plays an important role, especially for pieces worn every day. Ćurin first discovered stainless steel jewellery while in Greece and loved that it was durable, hypoallergenic, and could be worn daily without tarnishing.  She also spent time sourcing natural stones and pearls from international suppliers, experimenting until she found shapes, colours, and textures she loved. I only work with natural materials because they have a feel and energy that synthetic alternatives can’t replicate. For crochet bags, Ćurin came across a Portuguese company producing yarn from surplus fashion textiles, giving discarded materials a second life. The yarn is 90 percent cotton and a blend of up to 10 percent other recycled fibres. Their philosophy on quality and sustainability aligned perfectly with Ćurin’s approach. As they are made from recycled materials, colours are often limited, so the bags are naturally small-batch. “Premium is about the full experience I provide: quality materials, durability, and thoughtful presentation from packaging to display. Every touchpoint is considered so the customer feels the care that went into making it. That builds trust and loyalty.” Sasha isn't for one age or style. It's for anyone who wants pieces that feel personal, bold, and thoughtful, and Ćurin wants to keep pushing the design forward by incorporating more global influences, experimenting with new materials, and exploring categories beyond jewellery and bags.  At the same time, growth has to be strategic. Ćurin has been focused on working with the right stockists, stores that understand the value of artisanal design and want to invest in pieces with depth.  I'm not interested in being everywhere. I'm interested in being in the right places, with partners who see what I'm building. Article originally published by Apparel Magazine.

A simple guide to brass, copper and stainless steel jewellery. Jewellery is often something we wear every day. It sits on our skin, travels with us, and becomes part of our personal style and memories. But something many people don’t realise is that the metal your jewellery is made from makes a huge difference to how it wears over time. A lot of jewellery on the market today looks beautiful when you first buy it, but after a few weeks or months it can tarnish, change colour, or even leave marks on your skin. That usually comes down to the metal used. The most common metals used in affordable jewellery today are brass, copper mixes, and stainless steel. Each behaves very differently, so it’s worth understanding what you’re actually buying. What Makes Each Jewellery Metal Unique Brass jewellery Brass is a mix of copper and zinc. It has a warm golden tone, which is why it’s often used to imitate gold jewellery at a lower price point. Because it’s inexpensive and easy to work with, many mainstream jewellery brands use brass or brass-based mixes for their pieces. The downside is that brass reacts with air, moisture, and sweat. Over time it oxidises and tarnishes, often turning darker or developing green tones. This reaction can also transfer onto your skin, leaving green marks, especially in warm weather or when jewellery gets wet. Copper jewellery - pure vs mixed metals Copper itself is a natural metal that many people love. Some even believe wearing pure copper has wellness benefits, and it’s been used in jewellery and adornment for centuries. The important thing to understand, though, is that most jewellery sold today isn’t made from pure copper. A lot of mass-produced jewellery uses copper mixed with other cheaper metals  to reduce cost and make pieces easier to manufacture at scale. These mixes often behave very differently from pure copper. Because of this, jewellery can oxidise quickly, darken, or leave green marks on the skin. Some mixes can also cause irritation, especially if worn daily or exposed to moisture. So while copper itself can be beautiful, many pieces on the market today aren’t using pure copper, which is why they don’t always wear well over time. Stainless steel jewellery Stainless steel is very different. It’s strong, durable, and made to withstand daily wear, which is why it’s used in things like kitchenware and medical tools. In jewellery, stainless steel keeps its colour and shine without easily tarnishing or rusting. It’s also generally hypoallergenic, making it a much safer option for people with sensitive skin. Silver stainless steel will stay the same colour over time, and even gold-plated stainless steel holds up much better than gold plating over brass or copper bases. This durability is the main reason I choose stainless steel as the foundation for all my jewellery pieces. I want people to be able to wear their jewellery every day without worrying about it changing colour or reacting with their skin. Why so much jewellery still uses brass and copper mixes The reality is that brass and copper mixes are widely used because they’re cheaper and easier to produce in large quantities. This makes them popular for fast fashion and trend jewellery. The problem is that these pieces often don’t last long, meaning they’re replaced quickly and often end up discarded. Jewellery becomes something disposable rather than something you keep and love. When buying jewellery, it’s worth checking what metal sits underneath the plating. Pieces can look identical in store but wear completely differently over time depending on the base material. Skin reactions and everyday wear If you’ve ever taken off a ring or bracelet and noticed a green mark on your skin, that’s the metal reacting with moisture and your skin’s natural oils. Some people are more sensitive than others, but brass and copper mixes commonly cause irritation or discolouration, especially when worn daily or in humid environments. Stainless steel is far less reactive, which is why many people find it much more comfortable for everyday jewellery. Caring for your jewellery Different metals need different levels of care. Brass and copper usually need polishing to maintain their shine and to prevent skin staining. Stainless steel, on the other hand, requires very little maintenance. A gentle clean every now and then keeps it looking good, making it ideal for jewellery you want to wear often. Choosing jewellery that lasts There’s nothing wrong with enjoying fashion jewellery, but it’s helpful to know what you’re buying and how it will wear over time. For me, jewellery should be something you wear again and again, not something that loses its shine after one season. That’s why material choice matters so much in my own designs. Using stainless steel means pieces stay beautiful longer, feel comfortable on the skin, and become part of your everyday life rather than something you replace. When choosing jewellery, it’s always worth asking what sits underneath the finish. Understanding the materials helps you buy pieces you’ll actually keep and love.