Words: Charlie Elizabeth Culverhouse
An outfit just doesn’t feel quite complete without a piece of jewellery. No matter your aesthetic, stepping out without a sparkling jewel dangling from your ears, hanging around your neck or weighing down your finger leaves you with the feeling of slight nakedness, a sense that something is missing. Whether you religiously follow Coco Chanel’s advice to look in the mirror and take at least one thing off before leaving the house or you religiously ignore the statement in favour of maximalism, it’s likely that jewellery is a must-have for each and every outing.
And it’s a good time to be a jewellery lover at the moment. There have never been more labels, both high-end and high-street, offering a myriad of fun statement earrings, dainty rings and everything in between. In fact, there are so many to choose from that it can feel overwhelming to delve in and pick just one or two to shop from. Whatever you’re after, there’s a massive new crowd of designers with plenty of exciting pieces to choose from. So meet a few of our favourite up and coming jewellery designers below and discover your new favourite piece that will last, and be loved, for a lifetime.
Yam
Photo: Yam
Yam is a Black owned and woman-operated handmade jewellery brand based in New York. The brand’s contemporary style was inspired by founder and designer Morgan Thomas’ late mother and boasts affordable and nostalgia-inducing pieces that are created using upcycled materials such as vintage beads and recycled glass and metals.
Many of Yam’s designs are inspired by vintage silhouettes, a fact that gives many of their pieces a classic and timeless feel. However, the addition of cheeky motifs, pearl accents and unique metal detailings to many of the styles launches Yam into new territory, one combining nostalgia with freshness to make each and every piece of their jewellery a welcome addition to any collection.
Tiny World
Photo: Tiny World
A brand for those jewellery-lovers who dare to be different and are after something truly unique, never seen before, Tiny World is the one and only British jewellery brand you need to know. Less known as a brand and more so referred to as a ‘slow fashion project,’ Tiny World was conceived by South London-based filmmaker Gracie Khoury, who took the idea to transform her work in stop motion animation into wearable rings and really ran away with the concept.
The result of her project is a whimsical gothic fairy fuelled line of accessories with designs that would be equally at home on the floor of an enchanted forest in the middle of a fairytale landscape as they would be in any backstreet club known for turning away those deemed not cool enough to enter. The glass-like jewellery, mostly created on commission or in collaboration with creatives, encases dainty and kitsch sculptures within their smooth structures, with all pieces made by Gracie each being individually sculpted and painted by hand.
Wolf & Moon
Photo: Wolf & Moon
Handmade jewellery brand Wolf & Moon are the pinnacle of elevated everyday essentials. Managing to simultaneously be both subtle and showstoppers, every one of their designs is fun while still remaining wearable. And this was the brand’s ultimate goal when it was founded by British designer, Hannah Davis who has gone from selling homemade jewellery at weekend markets and craft fairs in London to running an online brand with a global presence.
Their success is unsurprising when you look at just how stunning their jewellery is. With the inspiration for their designs ranging from nature to architecture, and from art to food, their accessory lines cater to a vast range of individual styles. But while the brand has grown, each piece of Wolf & Moon jewellery is still handmade by a small team of makers in their London studio to ensure that their pieces are high quality and impeccably crafted with a loving hand.
Shana Cave
Photo: Shana Cave
Shana Cave is an artist based in New York City who creates perhaps some of the most unique jewellery you’ll ever stumble across. Her work is massively influenced by her time studying both Metalsmithing and Fashion Design at Virginia Commonwealth University and at Central Saint Martins, with the unusual combination of studies working to bring something completely new to the world of jewellery design.
Each of Shana’s pieces is handcrafted, making every design one of a kind and unmistakably Shana’s. No other jewellery looks anything like the style she has debuted with, whether it’s her brilliantly kitsch rings with sweet floral shapes and dinky gemstones, the perfectly named Fig Newton Earring (which at the time of writing have not yet been sold) that manage to be both minimalistic and a statement piece simultaneously, or her dainty gemstone chains. Each piece is so incredibly different from the next while still remaining cohesive and still screaming Shana.
Each piece of jewellery Shana sells is made using 925 silver and the gemstones she incorporates into her designs range from stunning green amethyst to perfectly pink sapphires to sultry smokey quartz and everything in between. Quality is guaranteed with these handcrafted beauties, with their frivolous look doing nothing to lessen their structural integrity.