Meet the JUNIQE Team Meet the JUNIQE Team

Discover what inspires the people behind JUNIQE: their passions, pastimes and arty predilections…

Discover what inspires the people behind JUNIQE: their passions, pastimes and arty predilections…

JUNIQE wouldn’t be JUNIQE without our talented team of employees. Whether they’re busy keeping in touch with our artists, filling our Instagram feed with eye-catching posts, or ensuring our customers are happy with their purchases, their work is truly admirable. Find out everything from their passions and pastimes to the artworks that most inspire them.

Fernanda Santis, Social Media Manager

Around the office, Fernanda is known for her eye for aesthetics, and she’s no doubt one of the most stylish people at JUNIQE. The trendy Brazilian is in charge of our social media channels and strives to inspire our online community with each and every post. Before moving to Berlin, she was busy living many a creative’s dream—attending a course on film script writing in New York. Yet after a year in the Big Apple, she could sense Germany’s capital beckoning. Although she now considers Berlin her home, São Paulo will always have a special place in her heart: “I miss the sunshine and the food…especially the fruit. Açaí!”.

In terms of design, Fernanda loves anything she deems “visually appealing”, both within the realm of fashion and beyond. This seascape, for example, takes her breath away: “The powerful stillness of the horizon, the crashing waves...This surrealist piece by Megan Archer both moves me and makes me feel at peace—I look at it patiently, waiting for the soft satin to fly away and reveal what's behind the clouds”.

Sumit Grewal, Customer Relationship Manager

From our online referral programme to the emails you get after placing your order, Sumit’s work involves overseeing and strengthening relationships with our customers. Prior to joining JUNIQE, he completed his MBA and began working in the field of Customer Relationship Management in Munich. The place he calls home is the Indian region of Haryana, where he grew up in a small village before moving to New Delhi with his family. Interesting fact: Haryana is one of the few places in the world where people drink milk from buffaloes rather than cows.

What gets Sumit’s ball rolling is sports—be it football, running or volleyball, he’s always up for a game with his fellow JUNIQorns. Also, horses have always been a major part of his life. As a child, he used to go riding every morning with his family and even dabbled in a career as a professional show-jumper back in India. Hence his choice of an equestrian-themed print by treechild: “My horse Victor was really sensitive; he was easily unsettled and would even kick other horses. That’s why I’d have to pay attention to his ears, as they reflect how a horse is feeling. If Victor’s ears were like the ones in the photo, then I’d know I’d have to brace myself for his reaction”.

Annemarie Clabbers, Human Resources Manager

As HR manager, Annemarie makes sure everything is running smoothly for her colleagues. She’s a bundle of laughs, her optimism is infectious, and she’s known in the office for her adventurous spirit. Given that she tries to be outside as much as she can, she certainly lives up to her self-proclaimed title: someone with FOMS, Fear of Missing Sun!

In her spare time, she takes part in lots of different sporting activities—from tennis to swimming, yoga to surfing. Whenever Annemarie goes travelling, her priorities are sun, sea and sand: “I can spend hours on the beach doing nothing but watching the waves—and, even better, the surfers. This photo was taken by Ingrid Beddoes in Nazare, Portugal, a place that’s high up on my bucket list. I find it fascinating, but equally frightening, that people can surf such big waves...I really can’t wait to see them in action!”.

Tristan Bézard, Digital Designer

From display advertising to website banners, as a member of the Creative Team, Tristan is devoted to all things visual—in other words, making sure JUNIQE not only looks good, but continues to stand out from the crowd. Although he’s fallen for Berlin’s charm, Tristan does sometimes miss living in Paris: “Random conversations with strangers don’t happen as much here in Berlin. Back in France, I’d be at the boulangerie buying a loaf of bread and another customer would shout from behind me ‘No, I’d go for the other one if I were you, it’s tastier!’”.

When asked about his personality quirks, Tristan had to stop and think for a moment. But he soon had the answer: obsessive organisation. He admits he has to have things in order; for example, keeping all his books arranged by colour in the living room bookcase. But since he lives in a shared flat, Tristan does allow for a little disorganisation: “My flatmates don’t always put the books back where they belong, but I can handle it because it’s in our communal space. If it were my own bedroom, however…”. The 'German Chaos' design thus refers to, and makes fun of, that one particular thing that Tristan cannot stand.

Sabrina Schulnick, Curator and Brand Manager

She selects new artists and artworks, she puts together our online collections, and she organises collaborations with other brands—Sabrina does it all. And she’s very well-suited to her work, given her previous training as a Visual Merchandiser and her keen eye for art and design. Born and raised in Berlin, she’s proud of her roots: “We’re so lucky to live in a place with so many museums, galleries and events going on. Life here’s like the German expression Zuckerbrot & Peitsche (carrot-and-stick): on the one hand it’s wild and fun, and on the other hand, it can be overwhelming”.

Sabrina knows she’s a dreamer. “I enjoy spending time on my own, surrounded by peace and quiet. And I especially love reading into star signs and astrology—they’re so interesting. My best friend is even more into it than me, and we often spend time together doing our own little ‘astro-sessions’”. The design Sabrina picked out is 'Spring' by Amalia Restrepo. As the first artist she curated for JUNIQE, Amalia’s work means something rather special for her. “For me, this work of art stands for introspection and empowerment. I like it because self-reflection and mindfulness are a big part of my daily life. Plus, spring is my favourite time of year”.

Joël Ismail, International Customer Service Team Lead

Once a roof-raising rock star, now a trim and elegant dandy—as a leading member of our Customer Service Team, Joël has a flair for interacting with our customers, both on the shop floor and over the phone. As you may have guessed, making music is one of his main hobbies. While he can often be found strumming his trusty acoustic guitar, he’s recently started experimenting with synthesisers and electronic sounds too. Prior to life in Berlin, he dedicated his time to making wooden furniture back in his home country of the Netherlands—a talent he most likely inherited from his father, who can carve beautiful things from a mere piece of wood, using nothing more than a chisel and a saw.

Joël’s chosen design reflects his penchant for prominent faces: “I've always had a thing for portraits; many of my tattoos display faces and characters. Sofia Bonati's work is beautiful and her style is so unique. I find her use of pastel colours really interesting and unusual. I'm a proud owner of the designs 'Anastasia' and 'Emilia'; they both keep a watchful eye over me while I dive into the world of music”.

Text: Laura Veneklaas

Translation: Lucy Woods