Irish Design Spotlight: Zo&Co

Tell us about you and your brand
My name is Zoe Kennedy and I am 24 years old from Skerries, Dublin. I started Zo&Co during my final year of college in the midst of lockdown in 2021 as I struggled to find tarnish-free jewellery that wouldn’t break the bank. I saw the need for high-quality but affordable jewellery that I couldn’t find on the market at that time. I always wanted to be my own boss from a young age, and thought it was the perfect time to set up the business when I was finishing up my marketing degree.

Zo&Co is an Online jewellery company focusing on high-quality but affordable pieces. Our pieces are waterproof and tarnish-free and are the perfect accessories to elevate a day or night look. We also focus heavily on personalisation by offering unique engraved and personalised pieces. 

Our innovative and special personalised collection makes Zo&Co unique in the Irish Market. We design many of our personalised pieces in-house to offer distinctive staple pieces to our customers. We also offer a fast turnaround time for our engraved collection. This is one of our key USP’s at Zo&Co.

Since launching just under three year years ago, Zo&Co has grown at a rapid pace with over 30,000 Irish and international customers. We’ve also held two pop-ups in that time, collaborated with popular Irish influencers, moved into our second office space and I was recently chosen as one of the Irish Independent’s 30 under 30.

What is your mission?
At Zo&Co, it’s very important to us to offer high-quality pieces that are affordable and will not tarnish your skin. We are constantly keeping up with the jewellery trends for our customers and offering something unique in the Irish market. 

Did you always know you wanted to be a designer?
From a young age, I always loved all things fashion and had such a passion for art and design. I would spend hours coming up with new outfit ideas and loved shows such as Project Runway etc. I have always loved jewellery too – I feel that jewellery puts the finishing touches to an outfit and can really elevate any look whether you are just heading to the shops or going on a night out. Sourcing and designing new collections is one of my favourite parts of my job! I have always had an eye for stylish pieces that are unique.

What kind of items do you stock?
We offer everyday staples and personalised pieces that everyone can wear. They make the perfect gift for yourself or for a loved one! We are very confident that we offer styles to suit everyone – from chunky to dainty, minimalistic to bold staple pieces. We offer a range of gold and silver jewellery with a focus on providing engravable and personalised pieces that our customers will love. Our products are made from stainless steel, titanium and 925 sterling silver which will not cause your skin to turn green like many cheaper metals on the market.

What new brands or items are on your radar?
A brand that I fell in love with over the past year is Odd Muse. They offer high-quality workwear and dresses which are timeless and I know that I will wear anything I’ve bought from them over and over again. So far I have five dresses from the brand and my obsession continues to grow! They have an amazing presence and I am very inspired by their founder Aimee Smale. Two Irish brands that I am so excited to try at the moment are Robyn Trout’s upcoming Sunglasses Brand MAiE which is launching very soon and Ally McGrath’s new eco-friendly swimwear brand, Ohana Collective. They have the most unique swimwear designs and the quality is amazing.

Was money/funding a concern when starting out?
I invested all of my savings into starting Zo&Co. Months before starting the brand, I bought stock and packaging little by little to build it up before launching as it can be expensive to buy everything at once. Zo&Co started with a small collection of around 20 pieces and we have built our collection up to over 100 products over subsequent years. It was a risk at the start using all my savings as I wasn’t sure what the outcome was going to be but the brand has grown rapidly and we have also been able to sustain the growth without any additional funding.

Best business advice you’ve gotten
The best piece of advice I have received as the business expands is to not be afraid to hand control over to other people. This was one of the main challenges I struggled with as a young entrepreneur. At the start of my business journey, I thought I could manage all aspects of the business myself but since hiring staff, I have learnt that it is important to hand over control and tasks to others in the company in order to focus on expanding the business.

Favourite fashion/design accounts you follow
I absolutely love Sophie Murray’s style and have followed her since the very start of her influencer journey. I love her capsule looks and how authentic she is. I also love Eabha O’Donoghue, another person I’ve followed for years. Her daily TikTok content is great! 

Best fashion purchase
I started to invest in high-quality dresses last year and Odd Muse has definitely been my favourite purchase so far. I love how versatile their pieces are. I feel so confident in them and get so many compliments when wearing them. I would highly recommend them, especially for important events such as a graduation, birthday, wedding etc. 

Other Irish brands you love
I live in activewear during the week as I am constantly on the go, so Bound Apparel is my go-to for active wear. They are an Irish company founded over three years ago by Abbie Beggs and Riain Gilna – two young entrepreneurs who have built the most amazing brand. Their leggings are such high quality for a very affordable price. As a pale Irish girlie during the winter, I live in Dripping Gold Tan! I swear by their gradual tanning moisturiser. Suzanne Jackson has been an amazing mentor to me over the years. Howrad Studios founded by Ciara and Rachel Howard is my go-to for stationary. They have the trendiest stationary sets! For a slick back hairstyle, I love the Smooth Company founded by Aine Kennedy. I will never leave the house without my Smooth Stick! Kalo, founded by Kate O’Neill and Michael O’Malley is another amazing Irish accessory brand. I also love Femfuelz. Founded by Kylie and William O’Donoghue, they specialise in sports nutrition products specifically designed for women’s needs. I use their products everyday and they have helped so much with my gym recovery and gut health.=

Most useful learning since setting up a business
Organisation is key when setting up a business. At the start, I used to go with the flow every day and not have a set work schedule or think ahead for launches. Since then, I have learnt a lot about planning and how important is it for a launch to run smoothly. I now plan ahead for new collections and events at least six months in advance to make sure I don’t run into any hurdles in the process! We are signing off our Christmas sets in March for 2024… I would have never have thought about planning this much in advance when starting the business!

Proudest moment so far
My proudest moment so far was being named as one of Ireland’s 30 under 30. I was so honoured to have been chosen for this. As a young entrepreneur, it can often feel like you are never doing enough and you can compare yourself to bigger brands who may be doing better. It felt amazing to be recognised for the work I have done building up the brand to where it is today in just under three years,  especially alongside the incredible other nominees!

I want my brand to be remembered for… we want to become the go-to place for customers to shop for jewellery. I want to be remembered for our innovative and staple pieces that are made for everyone for everyday wear. We constantly keep up with the jewellery trends to satisfy our customers and our customers’ feedback is so important to us! 

If I could have anyone wear my designs it would be… I would absolutely love to get Alix Earle in Zo&Co! She styles her jewellery really well, and we are a massive fan of her at Zo&Co. She is a TikTok queen and she is definitely on our mood board for 2024! 

Imagery provided by Zoe Kennedy