About Noko Designs
Hi, I'm Marnie.
I grew up in Cambridgeshire, UK, studied at Bristol, worked in London then moved back to the area in 2007. I studied Textiles at school and thought I would follow my passion into University but a career in travel with blue seas and white beaches hoodwinked me! My designs are certainly reflected in my years working in travel as part of the Oceans & Islands Team.
I swayed several times over the years to go back to textiles going to night courses in soft furnishings and the like but it wasn't until after having my two sons that I finally took the courage and left the travel industry. I then worked for a well known American Jewellery & Accessory company and in 2015 decided to branch out and start creating my own designs.
My jewellery is inspired by some of the amazing countries I have visited during my time in the travel industry and my love of all things bohemian. I source beads from all over the world and incorporate them into my own designs. All the cowrie shells, for example, I collected from a work visit to French Polynesia. The hotels give you the shells as a welcome. I am thrilled now to be able to drill holes in them and incorporate them into my designs. Some of my pieces are made completely from scratch by me and others I get a helping hand with from some great jewellery finding suppliers in the UK and abroad.
My company is named after my first fur baby, my late Dachshund, Noko. We thought we’d made the name up from a shortened form of Orinoco from the Wombles of Wimbledon. However, I have seen when posting on Instagram many use the hashtag #noko. So I googled its meaning and in the ‘urban dictionary’.... ‘Noko is a term frequently used by creative people Down Under and in French-speaking countries, implying beautiful and functional design’...Pretty stoked with that for my company!
My husband created the design of my logo and on my logo tags by forming the name Noko into a dachshund. Hope you like it?
I take all the photos of my jewellery designs and often rope in friends to model for me. I do find it incredibly difficult to photograph. Some designs I am still not happy with the photos as they just don't do them justice, but I hope you can see potential.
I have two energetic sons and one energetic husband, BMX rules in our household. Our latest addition to the family is Beaker, a standard-sized red dachshund. I am also an ambassador for SheShredsCo (https://sheshreds.co), who support women in male-dominated sports. You'll receive 10% off their products with my name MarnieMillington at check out. I love to wakeboard, ski & longboard and you'll often find me at Cambridgeshire's Wakeboard Park.
Thank you for visiting my shop. If you have any questions or like a little tweak here or there on any of my jewellery designs, just ask.