I’ve been a fan of Océan Bohème for a while, and have honestly, and rather ashamedly, spent hours scrolling through their beautiful Instagram profile lusting after their incredible jewellery. That sounds a bit creepy, but I assure you it is just my inner magpie and desire to shower myself in fine jewellery coming to the forefront.

What I love about Océan Bohème is that their ethos is about jewellery designed for adventurous women who have a passion for the ocean, the environment and a love for unique boho jewels. This means that every design they sell is unique and often made from recycled silver, upcycled, sea glass and shells upcycled from post-consumer goods (mainly belts).

I was ecstatic then when the opportunity arose to interview their Founder, Sara Strachan. We discuss the story behind the brand, the importance of sustainability in her business and decision-making, giving back to charitable causes and how Océan Bohème is a brand where uniqueness and individuality shine through.

Tell me a little more about your journey to launching Océan Bohème. When and where did the idea first come from? 

I had been searching for what I wanted to do for over a decade, toying with ideas of treehouse cabin accommodation, sushi roll food carts and the like. I’d wanted to learn how to silversmith for a while and leave my travel consultant office job, so I decided to train as a paddle board instructor as I used to teach windsurfing and thought that could be a good way of getting back into the watersports scene.  

Whilst on the course, I met a lady who was a silversmith and had done all of the local courses. She offered to teach me and that’s when I made my first sea glass ring!

Suddenly, it all seemed to click. I loved buying jewellery but could never find the pieces I had in my mind’s eye. I knew I could be creative (I used to make jewellery as a child and into my 20s), and I’ve loved shells & the ocean since I was a kid. I realised I could combine all of this while upholding my environmental ethics and love of travel & photography. 

Where did you get the idea of using sea glass in your jewellery? I absolutely love this concept! 

It came from my sea glass jars that were overfilling and needed to be shown off properly!

I also love the mystery of the voyage sea glass has been on, and I hoped others would like this too! 

What does sustainability mean to you? How important is it to you to recycle materials from the oceans to repurpose in your jewellery, and produce 100% plastic-free packaging?

This is so important to me.

Even before owning a business, I was determined to reuse & recycle as much as possible. I believe that we all need to do our part (along with the Government) and be the instigators of change. We need to think about the individual impact we have on the world and try to minimise this as much as possible. Therefore, I had to make my business align with this. It’s still not perfectly sustainable (not a lot is), but I’m striving to improve this!

For sea worshippers (guilty!), surfers, and swimmers, would wearing Océan Bohème jewellery in the water cause any damage to them?

All our silver jewellery can be worn in the ocean without any problem. This isn’t cheap high-street jewellery designed to be worn for a season. It’s designed to go on adventures with you for years to come! 

I love that you've partnered with Coralive to donate 5% of profits to support reef regeneration. Can you tell me more about this? 

Yes! I wanted to give back to the marine environment, so I decided to partner with Coralive.

They work worldwide growing corals and planting them when they mature. For every item of jewellery sold, we pay them to grow another coral fragment and replant it. 

What do you hope women who buy your jewellery feel like when wearing your bespoke pieces?

I’d hope that they feel proud to be supporting a small business that aligns with their ethics. While also feeling happy to be adorning themselves in jewels that represent their love of the ocean AND that they find beautiful. 

Where do you draw your inspiration from for collections or individual pieces?

I’m a bit of a wannabe castaway beach bum with a bohemian style! Anything that has this vibe inspires my designs. I even woke up the other morning after dreaming of a new necklace design, so watch this space! 

Do you have anything lined up in 2024 that we (or our readers) should know about?

I’m moving away from my tiny beach apartment to a tiny apartment in the French Alps. so I may incorporate some mountain-esque inspiration into my next designs, with more icy gemstones like moonstone and labradorite.

I am a full-time mum, so I also will be juggling running my business with teaching my toddler to snowboard and replying to customers’ questions at midnight.

You can follow along on my Instagram @ocean.boheme to watch the madness and see the latest designs! 

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Emily King is a writer and founder of the online female-led magazine The C Word Mag. After spending over 8 years in media & marketing, she’s taking the plunge and going freelance. Follow The C Word on Instagram & TikTok and if you’re looking for a marketing or paid media consultant, check her out on Instagram or drop her an email.