Aussie netballer courts unique jewellery

3.7 k views | Posted February 28, 2012 | By Aaron Weinman

Melbourne Vixens netballer Sarah Wall has added jewellery designer to her name with a flamboyant new fashion and accessories label, Jeanieboy.

The Melbourne Vixens star launched the sports specific jewellery line earlier this month after five years of preparation with the help of Vixens teammate and former Australian Diamonds captain Sherrelle McMahon.

While recovering from injury, McMahon modelled some of Jeanieboy’s pieces, garnering positive responses from the Herald Sun.

Speaking to Jeweller, Wall said the promotion her fellow netballers have given her was priceless.

“My teammates have been amazing and supported me to do something with my designs,” Wall said. “They’ve helped me choose colours and pick designs, I couldn’t ask for better mates.”

Wall said the collection, which features bracelets, apparel and footwear, appealed to a variety of women but focuses on the pop-culture of Australian netball, encouraging female participation in sport.

“My sports specific jewellery stemmed from sports fashion I noticed in the USA and I thought why can’t we add fashion and accessories in Australian netball,” Wall said. “It’s essentially the idea of netball and fashion – therein lies my point of difference.”

From clicks to bricks
Wall may have just launched her online store, but she has plans to stock her ranges in fashion stores, initially identifying three retail boutiques in Melbourne and one in Warrnambool.

“I want to tailor my brand within boutiques as a lot of the targets revolve around young women and young girls, particularly in the netball circles,” Wall added. “Essentially my pieces are unique to sport and netball so I’ve combined the sport with fashion and jewellery.”

Wall has hit the advertising trail hard this year with heavy promotions via the company’s Facebook and Twitter pages, CBD billboard advertising and great support from her Vixen teammates regularly sporting her designs.

“I am promoting primarily to young women so anyone partaking in an active lifestyle; the products are perfect for them,” Wall said. “Social media has been a great advertising tool as it’s connecting conveniently with the target market and I was lucky to score some billboard advertising in Melbourne’s CBD through my management team.”

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In addition to online marketing, Wall has targeted local netball associations, doing everything possible to create as much exposure and brand awareness.

Jeanieboy products are solely designed by Wall, who five years back, began making custom-made cuff bracelets out of pinewood, which she sold to order. Although not part of the Jeanieboy collection, Wall hopes to add bespoke pieces to her jewellery ranges.

“I still do one-off pieces but it’s very time consuming,” Wall said. “People are still ordering from me and I’m hoping this is something to add onto Jeanieboy in the future.”

Philanthropy
Not only is the athlete designing fashion jewellery, Wall has established a program in collaboration with Victorian Police, ‘Jeanieboy Dream Catchers Netball Academy,’ assisting adolescent girls from less fortunate areas of Victoria.

“My intention is to enrich the lives of young girls through netball, being positive and reactive,” Wall said. “It’s important to target young adolescents through these critical years in their lives.”

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