Ho Ho Ho, I’d like some Hi-Ho Silver!
I’m a silver jewelry junkie, I confess.
And I’ve found the perfect silver jewelry for the perfect Christmas gifts with Hiho Silver, and it’s based in the UK in the Somerset country side, in an old piggery where it’s not unusual to see a herd of cows or a flock of chickens charge by the window or for the animals to be follow the staff through the Hiho office. Here’s the lowdown on Hiho…
With its unmistakably well-crafted, wearable jewelry and its roots firmly set within the countryside lifestyle and equestrianism, it is the go-to jewelry brand for everyone in the ‘country’ scene in the UK.
There’s a great story behind Hiho Silver, which bubbled forth as an idea some 20 years ago, on a Thai ferry round the islands. One of the founders, Andrew and his sister, had just spent the last two months travelling in India and Thailand and were heading to the islands to relax and to do some diving. They were sat on a sack of potatoes next to a really chatty American man named Willy and over the next few days (and several bottles of Mekong whisky, very hot tom yum soup and some beautiful dives) they made a real friend for life.
Willy had started a business selling Mexican jewellery in the US and offered them the chance to bring the idea over to the UK. They literally jumped at the chance of going on an exploratory trip to the US and Mexico and whilst over there, planned the first show which went well and paid for stock for the next show, and so, with a wallpaper table, a purple velvet cloth and a rucksack of silver, the Hiho Silver story started…
Within four years, Hiho Silver was doing two hundred retail shows a year at venues like Henley Regatta, Cartier Polo, Glorious Goodwood and Badminton Horse Trials and then fourteen years later had a number of shops in small market towns with a fabulous team of people running them. After 2010 the revised business consisted of stores in Sherborne and Dorchester in Dorset, UK.
Despite a vast range of beautiful jewelry to boast, in true Hiho form they stick to their roots designing, making and sourcing the best of “country jewelry” to offer their customers exclusive designs at high street prices, or “affordable luxury”.
As you’ve read, Hiho began with big chunky Mexican jewelry, which appealed to a lot of people, as it can be worn every day. It’s this big chunky, wearable jewelry that has carved Hi-Ho’s identity over the years, with very few others in the market doing the same. They have now developed their style further, including pieces designed and made in the UK – like the Pearl & Snaffle bracelet – as well as friendship bracelets and daintier pieces.
In recent times, Hiho have also collaborated with some exciting new and exclusive designers like James Veale and Alex Monroe.
I am totally in love with their designs and they also meet every budget and fashion style!
So, dearest husband, if you are reading this (which I hope you are), I would love some Hiho Silver jewelry for my collection! I highly recommend checking their website and Facebook sites out and make that woman in your life very, very happy! I’ve already picked out my favorite pieces .
Claire Bolden McGill is a British expat who lived in Maryland for three years and moved back to the UK in August 2015. Claire wrote about her life as a British expat on the East Coast and now works in travel and hospitality PR in the UK. She still finds time to blog about her repatriation and the reverse culture shock that ensued – and she still hasn’t finished that novel, but she’s working on it. You can contact Claire via twitter on @clairebmcgill or via her blog From America to England.