Maschalina in interview: Luxurious statement earrings from the heart of Vienna

How did you come to found your brand? 

Mascha Lina Borodin: "I founded my company Maschalina at the age of 20 in Salzburg. I have always loved making jewellery out of precious stones and Swarovski pearls. During my law studies, I mainly used my free time creatively and developed a special handmade jewellery style and technique that suddenly appealed to a lot of people. I then continued to pursue this signature and eventually dropped out of my studies and founded Maschalina."

How would you describe your business in 3 words?  

Masha Lina Borodin: "Luxury statement earrings".

What makes your company stand out? 

Masha Lina Borodin: "With our MASCHALINA jewellery, we offer a selection of unique, luxurious jewellery that is responsibly produced in regional workshops. It is important to us that fairly produced and handmade pieces not only look high quality, but also are. Empowering women is especially important to us! Through charity events, we have already supported organisations that fight violence against women and offer protection to victims. It is also important to me personally to be a role model for young women who want a career or a leadership position.

Where do you find inspiration for your designs? 

Mascha Lina Borodin: "I am most inspired by art historical artefacts and magnificent architecture, in whose façades many patterns and shapes can be discovered. Earrings like Bella Venezia or Venezia by Night, for example, were taken from formations of St. Mark's Square in Venice."

What are you most proud of in relation to your company? 

Masha Lina Borodin: "I am very proud that we produce our earrings in four social workshops, giving around 25 people a nice job in a positive environment. In winter, my company will have been in existence for nine years. My team and I have always experienced ups and downs and I am very grateful and happy that we have always found ways and solutions to existing challenges."

What are the biggest challenges of your profession? 

Masha Lina Borodin: "Mental health is the most important thing to run a company. I had to learn in the last few years that it is essential to listen to my body and also to give myself breaks. I love my work very much and my head is always in the game. But it's very important not to develop tunnel vision and to always think outside the box. This is the only way to break new ground, implement ideas and improvements and lead a team! The biggest challenge in the last few years was certainly to build up a local production. That's why I'm particularly proud of it."

Where do you produce your jewellery? 

Mascha Lina Borodin: "MASCHALINA jewellery is handmade in Austria under ethical principles. We initiated production in four social workshops in Vienna. Sustainability can mean many things. For us, it means processing the highest quality and durable materials. Semi-precious stones, real silver 925 and Swarovski stones are handmade into jewellery at Maschalina using a special technique. Before our pieces are sold, however, each piece is subjected to another quality control in the Viennese atelier. Pieces that end up in the 2nd choice are not destroyed, but offered at a greatly reduced price in the sale. 

What was the absolute highlight of your career? 

Masha Lina Borodin: "There were three special highlights for me! In 2014 I was acquired for a collaboration with Chanel under the creative direction of Karl Lagerfeld. I was allowed to work behind the scenes of the event at Schloss Leopoldskron in Salzburg as part of the Chanel Métiers d'Art Fashion. In 2017, we presented some designs at Milano Fashion Week. The Artistar Jewels by Vogue Accessory exhibition showcased our pieces alongside 140 other international jewellery designers and we were also published in a book volume as part of this. In 2019, we made a Maschalina Couture gemstone creation of our classic "Venezia by Night" for Anna Ermakova. She then wore these earrings at the 2019 Oscars in Hollywood."

What are your goals for the next 5 years? Where do you see yourself and your company? 

Masha Lina Borodin: "2020 was a very interesting year for us. Like many companies, we have continued to develop and, of course, focused primarily on the areas of the company that functioned despite the pandemic. That means many technical processes in our online shop and data collection were advanced and improved. I never saw myself as a pure internet company but it was shocking how much revenue can be generated online if you do a few things right. I definitely see my company going global in the next few years. We now have orders from all over Europe. My goal is to continue to grow and expand my wonderful team in the Vienna studio to create new jobs."

Who are your designs particularly suitable for? 

Mascha Lina Borodin: "Many of our customers are very positively surprised by the comfort and lightness of our statement pieces. Our mix of materials is key. Even opulent earrings are made so delicate at Maschalina that they are as light as a feather to wear. Apart from that, we have a very wide range from fine stud earrings, rings, bracelets and necklaces to large statement pieces. So I'm sure jewellery lovers will definitely find what they're looking for at Maschalina." 

See for yourself at www.maschalina.com!