Jewellery brand Tutti names new managing director

Contemporary jewellery and lifestyle brand Tutti has appointed former Whistles executive Helen Williamson as its fractional managing director.

Based in North Shields, Tyne and Wear, Tutti has allowed Williamson, who has more than 30 years of experience in the fashion industry, holding C-Suite roles at Whistles, Hobbs and Ted Baker, to return to her native North East coast, and support the brand’s ambitious plans to become a global lifestyle brand.

Commenting on her new role, Williamson said in a statement: “I wanted to return to my native North East to give back my experience in the fashion industry and help more scaling businesses achieve success.

“We are seeing the growth of many more regional brands. The North West and Midlands have generated some very well-known success stories, and I’d like to see that replicated in the North East. As the industry evolves beyond London, the emergence of fast-growing regional brands gives more people opportunity to build careers closer to home.”

Tutti, founded in 2004 by Kate Rose, celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2024 and is currently stocked in John Lewis and Fenwick, as well as sold via its own direct-to-consumer website.

As part of the brand’s growth plans, Tutti has invested in a new concept store and studio located in Harbour House, in the heart of the regeneration of local fishing port, North Shields, near Newcastle. Harbour House is a reimagined market building that has been transformed into a vibrant hub of lifestyle businesses, including an artisan bakery and a yoga studio.

Kate Rose, founder of Tutti, added: “Finding the right home was crucial. I would never have just picked a pretty store on a high street for the brand, which is why we’ve never had our own shop until now - but this space is more than a store, it sums up a lifestyle. We have designed our studio and concept store to be a calming space that creates an emotional connection, where customers can see our designers at work.

“Meeting Helen at this point in our brand journey has been pivotal, and I’m excited to work together to realise our ambitions to take Tutti to the next level and become a global lifestyle brand.”