De Anna Kiernan Jewellery

This evening, we discover more about Inspired:London featured designer, De Anna Kiernan Jewellery

What is the name and background behind your company?

At seventeen I had the opportunity to train with a prestigious jewellery company in Bermuda and began my jewellery apprenticeship. Here I trained under two exceptional jewellers, gaining invaluable technical skills.

Being young I wanted to travel and explore other areas of design, which led me to London a few years later where I studied at Central Saint Martins, completing an Architecture degree. I soon realized that jewellery was the area of design I wanted to be working in as I missed the very hands on nature of designing and making that jewellery allows. I then completed the Jewellery MA at The Cass where I was able to draw on both my technical skills in jewellery and the broad design perspective I gained studying at CSM, and it was during my MA that I developed my first independent collection. I then worked for a large jewellery brand where I was able to experience the commercial side of the industry. Shortly after this I decided I had the tools and skills in place to go out on my own and De Anna Kiernan Jewellery was formed!

Where are you based?

I work from my lovely Clerkenwell Studio at Craft Central in the heart of London’s jewellery quarter.

How long have you been in business for?

De Anna Kiernan Jewellery was established almost a year ago.

What do you love most about living in London?

I love that on any day of the week I can hop on a tube or bus and go to an exhibition or art gallery for inspiration. I also love just sitting at a café and taking it all in. London is such a fascinatingly diverse city to observe.

Who or what inspires you?

My work is greatly influenced by the geometries of modernist architecture and the natural contours of the female form and looking at how to harmoniously combine the two.

The begining of a new collection can come from a small detail in a building that intrigues me and then working out how I can relate this to the natural contours of the body is where it all begins. Its about finding that balance in contrast between the bold and the subtle and the geometric and the organic. The line and how the eye follows the line is key, so how a piece fits the body in a very specific way is important or how the play with angles and light creates a visual illusion.

What advice would you give designers starting out?

Get networking!

What is new for your company?

As an emerging brand this year has been packed full of new and exciting opportunities and experiences. The latest news was being selected as a 2012 KickStarter and having our first trade show at IJL, which was a great success.