A new line from Scottish jewellery designer Jane Gowans.
Recently I’ve been in something of a jewellery rut. The high street’s current offerings have left me feeling uninspired, and quirky designer pieces by the likes of Katie Hillier or Alex Monroe are beyond my budget to say the least. While my penchant for vintage trinkets shows no signs of waning, they really aren’t up to constant, everyday wear – no matter how pretty. And it’s not just a middle ground in terms of price that I’m lacking; I feel like I’m at an in-between stage in my style – a ‘statement’ piece from Topshop no longer feels ‘me’ and most design-led jewellery seems targeted at a more mature (monied) customer. Luckily Scottish jeweller Jane Gowans has offered the answer to all my jewellery woes in the form of her new collection: JG Minis.
If there’s one Scottish designer that’s synonymous with homegrown talent for me, it’s Jane Gowans. Her contemporary take on traditional craft has honed a unique aesthetic – minimal but intricate, tough yet elegant. Her designs are timeless but fashionable and, what’s more, each piece is made in Britain, hallmarked in Edinburgh and hand finished by Jane in her Dundee workshop. The fashion industry has certainly taken note: Jane was nominated as Accessories Designer of the Year at the Scottish Fashion Awards last month, and launched her own successful pop-up shop at Harvey Nichols Edinburgh this Summer – her star is firmly on the ascent.
Jane’s designs are exquisite pieces of art in their own right but intrinsically wearable too, and since I first saw them up close at London Fashion Week – which I posted about here – I’ve been desperate to get my mitts on my own. The new range, JG Minis, distills Jane’s signature sculptural style into pieces that can be worn and cherished every day. With the same focus on design and quality craftsmanship, the playful collection consists of two simple friendship bracelet-style designs: ‘flock’, inspired by feathers and ‘shoal’, inspired by fish scales (a wee preview of Jane’s upcoming 2014 ‘Chimera’ collection too). The designs are available in either sterling silver or plated with 18kt gold vermeil, with six different brightly coloured threads to choose from.
A simple idea executed brilliantly – tapping into fashion’s ongoing taste for jewellery layering as well as the nostalgic connotations of friendship bracelets, the pieces can be worn individually or stacked together for a variety of vibrant looks. The price point is accessible too, between £25 and £39 depending on the metal you go for, which I think is perfectly reasonable for a piece of unique, lovingly handmade independent design. The collection is exclusively available on the Jane Gowans website – it’s already had some great press, and has been worn by the likes of Laura Whitmore, so be sure to get them before they go. Just in time for Christmas too!
I went for the silver ‘shoal’ bracelet in hot pink – it was a tricky choice but the pink and silver combination won me over. It fits seamlessly into my jewellery collection and perfectly echoes my personal style. I’ve worn it non-stop since it arrived a couple of weeks ago, beautifully packaged and with a handwritten note. For these shots I paired my JG Mini with another pink wardrobe favourite – my Jonathan Saunders/ Edition knit (post here) and lovely new kilt skirt from M&S. Safe to say, I know I’ll be wearing my JG Mini with everything – and maybe hint to Santa that it needs a few pals…
What’s your jewellery style? Do you have a favourite jeweller?
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[…] contemporary jewellers with an enviable client list that includes Emili Sande and Emma Thompson. As one recent commentary […]
[…] and that goes for accessories too. I expressed my high street jewellery fatigue in my post about Jane Gowans, as I find myself increasingly turning to independent designers such as Jane for something unique […]