Larnauti
Strategic Marketing Insights for Sustainable Growth
The Client
Larnauti is an independent, female-founded jewellery brand launched during the COVID-19 lockdown. Run by co-founders Bella and Hannah, the business is built on the values of empowerment, family, and meaningful social impact.
Every piece is designed in-house and handcrafted in Italy using 100% recycled sterling silver, blending sustainability, affordability, and thoughtful design. The brand has grown organically and remains fully self-funded, supported informally by family and friends.
Larnauti rapidly expanded its wholesale presence through a major partnership with John Lewis, growing from 2 to 30 stores, plus online. With wholesale flourishing, the next major step for the business is scaling its direct-to-consumer (D2C) channel, improving its website experience, and strengthening digital marketing activity.
The Challenge
At this pivotal stage of growth, Larnauti sought support in:
- increasing brand awareness among women aged 25–30+
- strengthening their D2C presence and improving online sales
- enhancing the Shopify website and customer journey
- leveraging their charity partnerships more effectively with brand storytelling
- identifying influencers aligned with their values and aesthetic.
A team of MSc Marketing students took on the challenge, providing research-led insights and recommendations to support sustainable long-term growth.
The Project
The students carried out a structured consultancy project that included:
- a comprehensive website review
- competitor benchmarking within the sustainable jewellery market
- brand identity and audience analysis
- digital marketing strategy development
- evaluation of charity-led storytelling and influencer opportunities.
What Went Well
The final presentation was a standout moment for the client:
“The students’ final presentation was wonderful to be part of. They demonstrated exceptional engagement, maintained confident eye contact, and clearly understood their content and individual roles.”
The attention to detail across the deck and the professionalism shown throughout the project left a very positive impression:
“Their attention to detail was evident throughout the slides, and the overall delivery was highly professional.”
Communication was highlighted as smooth, consistent, and efficient:
“Having a single point of contact ensured clarity, consistency, and quick resolution of any queries.”
Did the Project Meet Expectations?
Larnauti confirmed that the project not only met, but fully satisfied their expectations:
“Yes, absolutely. The students provided a substantial amount of valuable information for us to review.”
The team’s depth of research and actionable recommendations provided the co-founders with a strong foundation for future decision-making.
Student Feedback
From the student perspective, the Larnauti project was seen as one of the most valuable and meaningful experiences of the course. Working closely with a passionate, engaged founder made the challenge feel authentic and commercially relevant rather than purely academic.
Students highlighted how valuable it was to work with a real, growing brand at a critical stage of development. The client’s openness, constructive feedback, and willingness to challenge ideas helped push the students to develop more realistic, tailored, and implementable recommendations.
The project also supported strong professional skill development. Students reflected on building confidence in areas such as leadership, client communication, organisation, and collaborative decision-making, particularly when balancing different perspectives and priorities within a consultancy team.
Most importantly, students noted how rewarding it was to see their research and recommendations being taken seriously by the business, reinforcing the real-world impact of their work and increasing confidence in their ability to contribute meaningfully in a professional marketing role.
Implementation of Recommendations
Larnauti has already begun implementing insights from the students’ work:
“We fully intend to use several of their recommendations. The insights they shared have given us areas to improve in our business.”
The students' work provided immediate and future value, particularly in identifying opportunities to optimise their digital presence.
Advice for Future Employers or Students
Larnauti strongly encourages other organisations to take part in consultancy projects:
“Having students review your business can be extremely beneficial – an external, unbiased viewpoint often reveals opportunities that can be missed when you're immersed in day-to-day operations.”
Their advice to students is grounded in practical experience:
“These projects offer an excellent opportunity to engage with real-world challenges and apply learning in a practical setting.”
And from the employer perspective:
“The commitment required from us was minimal, yet we gained meaningful insights that will support our business growth.”
To find out more about Larnauti, please visit the Larnauti website.
Do you have a business challenge that could use a new perspective?
Get in touch with us at NBSStudentProjects@ntu.ac.uk to find out how we can work together.