On Adorn's annual trip to the Couture Jewellery Show in Las Vegas this year I was lucky enough to meet Richard Wu. Struck by the poetic nature of his work, his eclectic use of materials, and his ability to translate life's darker themes into beautiful jewellery, I began a conversation with him in a bid to learn more.
In person, and then via email, Richard and I covered topics ranging from his background as an award-winning jade carver, and his self-described 'contemporary oriental aesthetic', to the importance of touching clients' feelings, and his advice to new jewellers embarking on a career in luxury jewellery.
Interview: Maia Adams Read more ›
Our paths first crossed in the very early days of Adorn almost 10 years ago, when Maia and I had the privilege of meeting Marta, her sisters and her mother at their offices and workshop space just outside Barcelona. Since then, there have been some very interesting developments at TOUS including the launch of SUOT STUDIO, headed by Marta herself. After a recent catch-up call, I was eager to feature Marta on Insight and tell the evolution of the TOUS X SUOT STUDIO story. Read more ›
Back in the summer, I spent a glorious three days in Paris, immersing myself in the splendour and wonder of the High Jewellery showcases. I feel so lucky to be part of such an expressive, intelligent, innovative and - to be frank - rather exceptional industry. Read more ›
With an ambition to disrupt material hierarchy by combining craft skills and technological processes in unexpected new ways, Vrinda Agrawal's jewellery practice is as intellectually stimulating as it is physically engaging.
Fresh from graduating with an MA Design (Jewellery) from Central Saint Martins, Vrinda has launched Behind The Seen – a jewellery collection that is witty, provocative, and a touch rebellious.
Adorn's Maia Adams caught up with Vrinda to learn more about the role that cross-industry collaborations play in her work, her unique 'stone in action' setting, and who her dream jewellery client would be. Read more ›
Selfridges, London’s iconic department store on Oxford street, makes great strides in its sustainability manifesto by unveiling the store’s ambitious plan to ensure 45% of all transactions come from circular products and services by 2030. Read more ›
Colour is a universally powerful form of communication. It transcends culture, language, age and discipline. It is personal, corporate, rich in symbolism and association, and relatable. It is arresting, powerful, descriptive and needs no explanation. Read more ›
Accessories are an essential category for the majority of successful luxury brands. From iPod cases and handbags to key rings and purses, these items facilitate consumer buy-in at entry-level price points. But the benefits don’t end there. Accessories also support the booming self-purchase trend, boost brand identity, complement clothing, all whilst being simultaneously functional and fun. Read more ›
At the height of the Covid lockdown, fashion-loving pharmacist Dr. Zuzana Bastian made a couple of important realisations. She wanted to look as stylish during Zoom calls as she had previously done irl, and she wanted to do so in an environmentally sensitive way.
Putting her solutions-finding skills to work, Bastian created Jevels aka “the first NFT platform bringing jewellery and fashion accessories into the metaverse”. Since launching in October last year, Jevels has become the digital denizen’s go-to marketplace for virtual designer jewellery and accessories.
Keen to find out more, Adorn’s Maia Adams caught up with Zuzana to learn about the challenges and rewards of innovating in this fast-moving sector, her vision for a future in which virtual craftsmanship is rewarded and valued, and the joys of personalising her jewellery at the click of a mouse. Read more ›
Of all the amazing things we saw at the Couture show in Las Vegas this year, one of the most memorable and moving is The Radiance by Couture – a showcase of capsule collections created by 13 fabulous designers. As the culmination of the inaugural mentorship program of Couture’s Diversity Action Council (DAC), the initiative was created in partnership with De Beers, which provided each of the designers with Code of Origin diamonds to be used in collections that are as innovative as they are beautiful.
We caught up with the talented women behind the collections to learn about their inspirations, the discoveries they made during the creative process, and what it means to be part of this game-changing new platform. Read more ›
Fashion industry veteran Muriel Piaser launched Precious Room by Muriel Piaser in January 2019 as a meeting place for fine and high jewellery designers. Adopting a novel showroom-meets-trunkshow-meets-consultancy model, Piaser’s B2B concept includes a twice yearly event during haute couture in Paris and a prime spot at Premiere Classe. Most recently, Piaser added a lockdown-inspired digital edition to her growing suite of services and this – she says – is only the beginning.
Adorn co-founder Maia Adams sat down with Muriel Piaser to discuss how luxury jewellery brands can maintain relevance, the growth of ‘slow jewellery’, and the game-changing role phygital experiences are set to play in our sector. Read more ›
When Boucheron released their New Maharajas collection earlier this year, the jewellery industry universally called it a triumph. A reflection on Boucheron's largest and most important commission, created for the Maharajah of Patiala in 1928, it was modern, forward-thinking, and undoubtedly one of the best archive collections ever conceived. Read more ›
I met Sabrina in 2017 when we curated our first Adorn jewellery exhibition, Ceramica during LFW. At the time Sabrina was experimenting with the possibilities of 3D manufacture in jewellery, specifically focused on different material capabilities within this space. It is not surprising, given her digital capabilities, that Sabrina recently launched some of her physical pieces in digital formats on Dress X. It was time to have a catchup. Read more ›
Julia Maria Künnap is an Estonian jewellery artist and self-taught gem cutter with the ability to alter the natural state of gem materials, transforming them into sweeping brush strokes, malleable textures and molten forms. Read more ›
From collections inspired by Japanese fast food and Cyberpunk, to the role material innovation plays in sustainable practice, Oria Zhang’s delightfully subversive jewellery is designed to provoke, educate and amuse. Read more ›
Kim Jones unleashes the seductive power of jewellery by leveraging the expertise and creative direction of some of the most iconic jewellery designers and brand signatories of our time. Read more ›
One established, eponymous label; one recent CSM graduate: two refreshing updates to the classic engagement ring and the notion of ‘timeless’and ‘forever’. Read more ›
The Artemisia Mesh Top, photographed by Aaron Lacy
Saida Mouradova, founder of Object & Dawn is a pioneer. In an exclusive interview with Ann-Marie Voina for Insight, she discusses her preference for the ancient over the ultra-modern and the importance of designing for the metaverse. Read more ›
For Immediate Release 01 / 07 / 2021
Leading independent jewellery consultancy Adorn Insight is rebranding with a new name, a new look and an exciting new diversification of services. Read more ›
Building brand icons is key to future proofing brand recognition, consumer interest and loyalty. Hype culture, drops and limited editions add another layer of intrigue, excitement and expectation from a consumer point of view. Whether it’s Louis Vuitton’s signature motifs, Pandora’s iconic snake chain or the Gucci double ‘CC’ monogram, influential brands reimagine and reinvent their icons time and time again. Read more ›
A new branch of contemporary design has developed in the last years, and jewellery design has not escaped its effects. It combines the importance of the designer's own imagination and playfulness of late pre-modern era objects with the self-referential, focused-on-mass-culture, democratic approach of Bauhaus-era designs. The accent is on symbolism, rearranging well-known elements to create new meaning. Read more ›
New York-based DJ turned designer Jules Kim is an active advocate for diversity and inclusion in the jewellery industry. In 2018, she launched the BIPOC Designers mentorship programme to help support local BIPOC artisans and makers. Read more ›
The emerging jewellery designer and sculptor from Cape Town uses clay to make statement pieces that speak to his lived experience as a queer South African of Indian descent who also just so happens to love all things bright and sumptuous. Read more ›
Vine Of Love by Richard Wu
Adorn Insight X Marta Tous
De Beers
Vrinda Agrawal
Selfridges, London
Chaumet
Adorn Colour Code
Uncommon Matters X H&M
Jevels founder, Zuzana Bastian
Barbara Yixuan Wei
Boucheron New Maharani nacre necklace
Sabrina Facchetti
Balmain
XR
Jewellery’s new dictums: Repair, Rediscover, Repurpose
Julia Maria Künnap
Cyber Noodle Rush
Showroom
Delfina Delettrez | Fendi
Annoushka
The Artemisia Mesh Top, photographed by Aaron Lacy
Adorn Rebrand
Chanel
Shanghai Pearls
Game On
Iconic design - Internet-era symbolism
Jules Kim Of Bijules
Clay earring by Gitan Coopoo