Welcome back to Ten Minute Tuesday, our short and sweet interview series. This week we chat to Marianne Fentiman, founder of ‘Carpe Crystals’.

Can you introduce Carpe Crystals to our readers who are not familiar or knowledgeable on the crystal and mineral sector?

Carpe Crystals is a family-run business based in the UK. We source and sell crystals and minerals from all over the world, from small tumble stones – which are designed to carry with you – to large statement pieces for home or display.  Each crystal and mineral has a healing property and, when used correctly, can manifest healing in many areas of your life from fixing your finances to alleviating stress.

Recently, Carpe Crystals have teamed up with handbag and purse designer Salunke to create sustainable, cruelty-free, luxury crystal purses made from innovative vegan material ‘Pinatex’; each of the limited-edition purses are carefully hand-made by us as a completely new and unique product. We have also just released our “Crystal Whore” teacup and saucer sets, which are made from the finest bone china, hand slipped and cast here in the UK!

What inspired you to start your business? 

I was unhappy in my day job and through a series of events that – at the time – I considered to be devastating and unfortunate, the Universe very quickly pushed me into starting my own business. I turned to crystals, meditation and journaling to help manifest my ideal life. I’ve always loved crystals as they have consistently been a huge part of my family’s life, and I dreamed of sharing my passion for and knowledge about them with the world. Long story short, I am now the proud owner and founder of Carpe Crystals, which was born in 2019.

What is the most common reason that your clients voice pre purchasing crystals and minerals?

Some of our customers buy crystals for their renowned healing properties and others purely for their ornamental beauty. We also do live sales on Instagram around 3 times a month which I think has also provided entertainment and a social outlet. We have created a wonderful community through social media and I have met some fantastic humans! Many of our customers have made friends online and we always have a lot of fun on live sales!

Why is the cleansing and charging with Rahanni healing important for the crystals and minerals before they are posted to the recipient? 

Many crystals are said to pick up vibrations and energies and therefore need to be cleansed before use to ensure you are getting the best from them. There are a few special types of crystals that are self-cleansing as they are powerful enough to not pick up other energies.

We use Rahanni healing – which is similar to Reiki – to cleanse and charge crystals before they are sent out to customers; both my mother and I are qualified in this. We believe it to be the most powerful form of healing and many of our customers are overcome with joy and emotion when they receive their pieces. We also offer a service for personal crystal programming for specific needs or desires for an extra £5.

How has your fashion design background helped with the Carpe x Salunke collaboration?

When undertaking my Fashion Design degree I was always trying to do something different, from combining an unusual mix of materials, such as knitwear and metal studs, to creating a light-up dress that reacted to music, so I have experience in problem-solving when it comes to trying to create something brand new!

It also helped that I am experienced in making things by hand and knowing the time and hard work that it takes. Working with Pinatex (a leather substitute made from pineapple leaves), had its challenges but we felt it was worth it to be able to create a product that is ethically sourced, sustainable, cruelty-free and vegan without having to compromise on quality or luxury.

Find out more about Carpe Crystals here>