This week, Emirates Woman speaks to Ruby Beales, Jewellery Buying Manager at Liberty, who shares her career journey in the retail industry and her vision for Liberty’s jewellery space.
Welcome to the Emirates Woman weekly series ‘How I got my job as…’ where we speak to some incredible entrepreneurs and businesswomen both based in the UAE and globally to find out about their career paths that led them to where they are now; what their daily routines look like; the advice they’d give to those starting out; and the hurdles they’ve had to overcome.
Since joining Liberty in 2019, Ruby Beales has worked hard to position the retailer as a destination for artisan jewellery. The jewellery room on the store’s ground floor currently boasts 57 brands across fine and fashion, many of which are exclusive to Liberty. An emphasis on craftsmanship, personalisation, storytelling, and curation is at the core of Ruby’s strategy, as is a focus on independent brands.
Ruby Beales, Jewellery Buying Manager at Liberty
What was your favourite subject at school?
Strangely, it was PE! I was extremely sporty growing up, I was a gymnast and in every possible sports team at school!
What was your first job?
My parents instilled a very strong work ethic in us when we were growing up, so I was encouraged to get a part-time job as soon as possible. My first job at the age of 15 was working in a care home, and I loved being surrounded by so many people with interesting life stories.
My first full-time job after I graduated was at Burberry, where I coordinated the press samples for magazine shoots, which felt extremely exciting at the time, sending Burberry runway looks for editorial shoots at the magazines I’d devoured as a teenager. It was during this time that I met Kate Moss and assisted her for a day in Milan, definitely a high point of my career!
What inspired you to enter the merchandising and jewellery space?
Whilst working at Net-a-porter in the PR team during the mid-noughties, I realised I wanted to be closer to the actual product and buying process, so I applied for an internal entry-level buying position in the Jewellery team – securing this role was really the turning point in my career. It was a very steep learning curve to say the least! Pivoting into such a different role was an eye-opener, but I knew the change was the right one. I am inspired every day by the Jewellery brands and craftspeople I work with – the true artisans who make Liberty the special place it is.
What are the key elements of your role?
What makes Liberty different to other stores is that sense of discovery – something that’s always been part of our heritage. So protecting this and retaining our reputation is key to the role. I am always looking out for the next exciting name in the jewellery world.
I think appreciation of craftsmanship, culture and the ability to spot potential within a very crowded marketplace are all crucial. Relationship-building and nurturing brand partnerships are vital (and something I particularly enjoy), alongside numeric skills and a need to prioritise and juggle lots of projects – a buyer’s life is a busy life!
What are some of your brands that we should keep on our radar for FW25?
In the fine jewellery space, I am so excited to launch Hargreaves of Stockholm at Liberty this November. This brand is extremely special, all hand-crafted in 18ct gold and has a mystical and ethereal feel to it, without being too whimsical or sweet. Look out for the Guardian Hare and Bear rings, which are my personal favourite pieces from the last big buying trip I went on. At the more contemporary end of the scale, we are introducing US fashion Jewellery brand Julietta in October, which is statement, bold and the perfect brand to set off an evening or holiday look. I love the vintage feel to the pieces, and I love anything adorned with a shell motif. I expect this brand to be a real hit this holiday.
Talk us through your daily routine.
To be honest, I am not much of a routine person, much to the dismay of friends and family! There are certain simple non-negotiables in my day-to-day, like a good cup of tea first thing in the morning – but otherwise I am quite a ‘spur of the moment’ person, I like to think of it as being adaptable more than disorganised!
What advice do you have for anyone looking to follow in the same footsteps?
Find time to learn as much about the department or team you want to work on – I always wanted to work in jewellery, so I spent lots of my spare time learning as much as I could about stones, metals, techniques and jewellery history. Find a mentor or someone kind with their time to bounce ideas off or to ask advice from, everyone started from the beginning at one stage.
What is the best piece of advice you ever received?
Be on time, worry less about what people think of you, and invest in gold! And what is the worst? As a young girl working in fashion, to buy some Chloé boots than pay the mortgage that month!
Tell us more about the services offered at Liberty’s jewellery department.
We introduced Maria Tash piercing to the store well over a decade ago, at a time when there were really no other retailers offering such a service. We are still so proud of this partnership – to this day, it’s the most popular service in the store. In addition, we have lots of other services we offer to customers, such as welded bracelets from Missoma, engraving onto keepsakes from Astley Clarke and a special ordering service on fine jewellery with brands we stock in store.
What has been the biggest challenge you had to overcome?
Adapting to life in London at 22 years old was an eye-opener for a young girl from Norfolk. I was homesick and craved the countryside, but gradually adapted to living in the city that I now love so much. London has offered me so many opportunities career-wise and exposed me to so many other cultures.
What are your goals for the future?
One day to live by the sea.
– For more on luxury lifestyle, news, fashion and beauty follow Emirates Woman on Facebook and Instagram
Images: Supplied
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: emirateswoman.com
