Can you share how Corali first came to be? When did you become interested in the art of jewelry design?

CS: Corali emerged during my time at the Royal Danish Academy, where I studied Art and Architecture. I spent many hours in the metal workshop, driven by an interest for crafting both large and small architectural models in steel. One of my projects was a sculpture museum, and as a part of presenting the project in an architectural model, I made miniature sculptures. One of the sculpture models for the museum, I transformed into an earring.

How did the two of you meet and when did you decide to become business partners? Can you describe your roles?

CS: Maria and I didn’t meet by chance. For quite some time, I had been searching for a partner for Corali. I had worked on Corali myself for six years, alongside a full-time study at the Royal Danish Academy and later alongside my full-time job at my own studio, Atelier Axo. Eventually, I realized that juggling two full-time jobs wasn’t sustainable in the long run. My strengths lie in creative work and shaping the overall strategy for the business. So, I searched high and low for about a year and a half until I found Maria. I got her number, left a rather messy voicemail, but she agreed to meet with me. Somehow, I convinced her to join the journey. Today, we share responsibility for the overarching strategy. Beyond that, our roles are divided: Maria oversees daily operations, including sales, production management, and PR, while I focus on creative work, such as visual identity and design.

Caroline, how do you divide your time between Corali and Atelier Axo? Do you feel the two practices inform one another?

CS: After recently becoming a mother, it’s been natural to scale back my hours a bit, though I haven’t quite found the perfect balance yet. In the beginning, everything was more fluid, but I realized that I couldn’t dive into any part deeply if I kept jumping back and forth. So now, I structure my week with dedicated days for Corali and Atelier Axo. What fascinates me about both architecture and jewelry, is their ability to move beyond trends and resonate through time. Both fields demand immense attention to detail—and, to some extent, construction. What I don’t find in one field, I find in the other. Architecture offers a scale and complexity in composition and construction that I find endlessly enriching. Yet, despite all the drawing, you’re not as hands-on with the materials as you are with jewelry. That’s where the joy of shaping something with your own hands becomes truly extraordinary.

All pieces from Corali are both designed and made in Copenhagen – was the decision to keep production local an intentional one? Can you share more about the jewelery making process?

MH: Yes, it has always been the intention to keep production local and handmade in Denmark, and we’ve certainly achieved that. We can walk to our goldsmith's workshop, which is on the same street, and bike to two out of three of our foundries. The foundry that is furthest away is only an hour by car. We have a very close relation to all of our goldsmiths, whom we visit several times a week. We only work with solid, precious recycled metals, 14k gold and 925 sterling silver, and one of the highest quality diamonds, Top Wesselton VVS diamonds. Our colored stones are all natural and have all been hand cut. We use onyx, Carnelian and Aventurine, to mention a few. All pieces are made to order, which is also a more sustainable way of working instead of creating a large stock of our collection.

CS: Yes, there are several reasons behind that decision. Naturally, it’s not financially advantageous to have local production, but beyond the sustainable aspect, it was important for me to preserve Danish craftsmanship, so that not everything is exported abroad. I wanted to ensure fair working conditions and maintain a close relationship with my production. Then, I had to dive into an entirely new field. As an architect, it’s common to have a broad understanding of the different trades in the construction industry, so I felt that I needed a new form of education. The best way for me to achieve that was by working directly with the goldsmith and be seated next to her while she worked, which I did the first two years. It was the best way for me to understand the material and the workflow.

Where do you find inspiration when designing a new collection? What is your creative process like?

CS: Inspiration for each collection comes from various places. Until now, I’ve been deeply inspired by nature, but I can feel myself increasingly drawn to furniture and architecture as well. In my creative process, I often use my father’s old camera to photograph things or places that inspire me, and I make little sketches in a large notebook. Over time, these begin to form into families or themes I can explore. That often becomes the starting point for a collection.

Is there a Corali piece you find yourself wearing most often?

MH: The Curva Diamond Ring is always on my finger, which was gifted to me as a 30th birthday present from my partner. If I could choose a silver piece, then it would be the Breton Earrings with onyx stones, as they are a timeless classic, and work well both in the summer and winter, the perfect everyday earring, if you ask me.

CS: The Tut Ring — I never take it off. It’s named after my beloved grandmother, who wasn’t fancy but a true star. She used to sing jazz at small restaurants and worked as a receptionist in an architectural practice. She was the warmest person with a heart of gold. 

Who is the Corali customer? Do you have a dream client?

MH: To be honest, we do not aim after a certain group of people, but most of all, we wish for our friends and people we know to be Corali customers. So perhaps it's mostly our community. Rather than choosing the customer base, we like that Corali works with all ages and genders, so it is more the customer that chooses Corali.

CS: Peggy Guggenheim would be our dream client, if she was alive. It would be the wildest dream to see our Peggy Necklace on her in her extremely beautiful home in Venice.

Have you ever spotted one of your pieces on a stranger? What was that experience like?

CS: Yes! It happens once in a while and every time I feel so proud. Most of the time I call my boyfriend to tell him, because I get so excited.

MH: We also tend to receive messages from friends and family whenever someone on TV wears Corali. It's so sweet of them; they seem to get almost as excited as Caro and I do!

Outside of the studio, what sources of inspiration do you gravitate towards?

CS: I love spending weekends with my family and our dog at our country house. It’s a kind of refuge, where I get close to nature, breathe fresh air, and embrace a form of slow living. Taking an outdoor shower in the autumn, with steam rising from the water as I look out over the fields, where a deer might be grazing or perhaps a flock of geese is basking in the sun. Sitting on the floor by the fireplace with a cup of tea, playing with my son. I believe having all the elements gathered in one place (earth, air, water, and fire) creates a unique sense of peace.

Winter is around the corner – are there any pastimes you look forward to during the colder and cozier months in Denmark?

MH: Besides being busy in the office with Christmas gifts, I have a tradition with some of my closest friends, where we make a bunch of homemade Christmas wreaths together at my mom’s house, and give them to our loved ones. Last year I also made one for Caro and the office, but one I always make is for my dad’s grave. I also tend to go on long walks with my dog, Lulu. The city is filled with small flickering lights as it gets quite dark after 4 PM, and if it’s snowing, Copenhagen looks like something out of a Christmas movie. It gets so cold here in Copenhagen, so I love a sauna infusion during winter. There is one close to where I live that is an old bath house named ‘Sjællandsgade Bad’, from when people in Copenhagen did not have baths themselves. It is run by volunteers, so every trip is different, but the place is so beautiful, and I just love the heat, the cold punches, and the different oils. My favorite might be menthol or lemon grass.

You recently launched a new collection but is there anything else on the horizon for Corali we can look forward to? 

MH: We wish to travel a bit more in 2025, especially NY and Paris, so we might be planning a few pop-up if time allows us.

[Corali portrait by Amanda Bødker.]