As part of my industry-led consultancy services, I am currently carrying out a market research for a jewellery brand, who are aiming to explore the London market. This has led to some interesting learnings for me, and to finding out a lot more than I already knew about jewellery designers and retailers.
Naturally, I always work with an eye to sustainability, and I’ve been positively noticing how many jewellery designers have this in mind, and how successful they are being at being stocked and showcased by major retailers.
One such retailer is Boticca.com, which presents a truly vast and wonderfully curated selection of accessories. Headquartered in London, Boticca.com is a global online destination for unique jewellery, bags and fashion accessories, creating a unique experience of international discovery by connecting fashion-forward customers directly with top independent designers and brands from all over the world. The globetrotting style hunting team has handpicked more than 260 emerging designers from over 40 countries. The site now offers a selection of over 6,500 pieces in its marketplace, which is curated and edited to illustrate the culture, stories and inspiration behind each of the collections on the site.
Below, some examples of the great pieces I found:
Ines Susaeta - Cliffs of different shores provide the main raw material and inspiration for the jewellery. Cliffs, eroded by the wind and the sea, offer a wide variety of shapes and unique textures. Inés selects one by one exclusive stones and the most special textures for her jewels. As Inés uses raw materials provided by nature to produce jewellery, she is committed to contributing to the preservation and care of the environment. She devolves 1% of annual net sales to 1% For The Planet, an environmental group working on the awareness and improvement of corporate responsibility in the business community.
Saloukee – “For years I have created traditional metal jewellery models in paper, as preparation for larger works. It was at this point that I realised that I loved working with the malleable, ephemeral nature of paper of the models, much more than the metals which had made the final outcomes. My unique use of materials enables me to create amazingly innovative, wearable, statement jewellery, precious to each and every wearer. All pieces are handcrafted in my London studio”
Caipora Jewellery - Caipora presents the best Brazilian designers & ethically produced jewellery. All unique, intriguing and gorgeous pieces that embrace sustainability principles and strive towards a better relationship between the environment and the people. Each design has its own story and ideals.
Linnie Mclarty - Award-winning designer and artist-jeweller Linnie Mclarty launched her own company in 2009, producing the unique sculptural jewellery that made her a finalist in the nominations for LJW ‘Jewellery Designer of the Year’ 2011, and recently won her the John Paul Dejoria Award for Excellence. Linnie tries to work ethically and responsibly: she is one of the first licensees worldwide of certified Fairtrade, Fairmined Ecological gold, from which 15% of the bullion price is guaranteed to go towards ensuring a fair wage for the miners as well as funding the development of schools, healthcare, fresh water and mid-wives in the mining dependant villages. No chemicals are used in the extraction of the ore, and no child-labour is involved. Linnie also works in 100% recycled silver and uses ethically and responsibly sourced gemstones with a transparent and traceable supply chain. All pieces are hand made in her London studio. She tries to ensure that the story behind her jewellery is equally as lovely as the jewellery itself.
Gina Melosi – “Initially I used glass in its rough and rugged state, more for its physical characteristics and socio-political connotations than for its clarity and gem-like aesthetics. While technically wearable, my glass shard jewellery is not for the faint-hearted. So I sought to alchemise those pieces into a luxurious, fashion-forward collection in precious metal inspired by broken glass fragments. The result is SHATTERED fragments, my directional debut collection for A/W 2011-2012. It is cast directly from shards of glass into recycled metals and set with fair-trade gemstones. Although my work is design-led, I believe environmental practice should be an integral part of this process.”
Michelle Oh – “I take inspiration from curious organic sources to create statement pieces that redefine luxury, challenging concepts of preciousness and presenting it in a new and raw fashion.Wherever possible I try to use ethically sourced materials. Every piece is lovingly hand crafted by me in my studio in London.”
