In our continuing series of interviews with inspiring designer-makers featured in "Inspired:London - A Guide to Handmade in London", we are delighted to catch up with Ayshe Brandts of Brandts Jewellery.
What is name and background behind your company?
My company is called Brandts Jewellery. It is my surname, and I think together with
my logo and branding material conveys the right impression about my brand –
contemporary, unfussy, sophisticated.
Where are you based?
Central London (Earl's Court).
How long have you been in business for?
One and a half years.
What do you love most about living in London?
I love the fact that it is so multi-cultural and open
minded. You could be from anywhere, wear
whatever you like, and nobody bats an eyelid.
Everyone is at home here. My
Reflections of London collection is a great reflection of this – a collection
inspired by patterns found on the manholes in the streets of London – some
Moorish, some gothic, some inspired by the Arts and Crafts movement. London has layers of culture, architecture
and design inspired by waves of immigration from different places that took
place over the centuries.
Who or what inspires you?
I am obsessed with shapes and forms created by nature, and,
from the ridges on the surface of a cardamom pod to ripples in the sand on the
bottom of the sea. I like to
re-interpret these and apply them to my jewellery, for example the Spice Island
collection. I am also inspired by people
like Santiago Calatrava – he is the ultimate designer as he is both and
engineer and an architect, so he has the ability to create exquisite structures
which also work effectively. For me, form
and function always go hand in hand, you cannot have one without the other.
What advice would you give designers starting out?
Do your research so you understand the market and how you
fit into it, identify your audience (you cannot be all things to all people),
keep a firm control of your costs, sort out your finance and prepare to work
very hard!
What is new for your company?
Although the Reflections of London
collection is a year old, I am adding new pieces to it (friendship bracelets
for men) and due to the London 2012 Olympics there has been intense interest in
the range, both from the retail and trade augience. The collection launched on Glamourpods (Hong
Kong based company) in August this year and will be launching on Seek and Adore
in October.
Ayshe Brandts - Brandts Jewellery will be featured in Inspired:London 'Guide book to Designers in London' by Mary McDermott from We Make London
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