Pippa Small
London, England
London based designer Pippa Small believes every stone or shell has a magical story to tell. Enchanted by these tiny portable works of art, Pippa strives to find a way to allow them to speak in her jewelry. Beloved by jewelry aficionados from all over the world, Pippa’s designs bring a fresh and authentic perspective that is a delight to experience.
Pippa completed a Masters in Medical Anthropology at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London. Her interests in human rights among minorities, indigenous peoples and tribal groups led her to work with grass roots local organisations in Borneo, Thailand and India, looking at ways of protecting indigenous lands, knowledge and biodiversity.
Her aesthetic is informed by her lifelong passion of traveling, particularly to Jaipur, Rwanda, Chile and Kabul. As her travels began to inspire her distinctive jewellery designs, Pippa soon gathered a following of admirers. This traveling led not only to her design inspiration but also to her production model. The artisans that bring her designs to life are sourced from the small communities of her travels. Their livelihood and traditional artistry is at the forefront of her company. Pippa opened her first shop in 2007 in Notting Hill in London and soon after opened a shop in Santa Monica, California.
Pippa holds the firm conviction that the importance of safe and creative jobs, reinforcing a sense of cultural identity and tradition through jewellery is hugely important. In so many parts of the world there are so few opportunities and a complex mix of the impacts of climate change and conflict are forcing people from their homes. A job, and giving a sense of pride and accomplishment, provides vital alternatives.
Pippa was named ambassador of the human rights organisation Survival International and awarded an MBE by the Queen in 2013 for ethical jewellery and charity work. She won Ethical Jeweller of the Year and the prestigious Walpole Corporate Social Responsibility award in 2016. Pippa was also named winner of the Green Sustainability Award by Town and Country magazine. She continues to venture further in exploring ways of making jewellery, reviving traditional skills and techniques in communities in Central and South America, Southern Africa, Asia and the middle East.
Margery Hirschey
Denver, Colorado
Margery Hirschey is one of the new sensations of the jewelry world. Her exquisitely unique take on lapidary and gem setting has created some of the most refreshingly innovative, one-of-a-kind jewelry pieces in the world. Playful and fun, artisanal and luxurious, Margery’s creations feature unexpected shapes and breathtaking color combinations. Each piece is made entirely of 100% recycled 18k and 22k gold and hand cut stones.
Trained as a fine artist and having studied couture dressmaking with the late New York couturier, Charles Kliebacker, Margery launched her jewelry line in 2008. Special gems are paired with silver and gold, making for an easy elegance that can be dressed up or down. Each piece is a work of art inspired by ancient goldsmithing but with a very modern sensibility, designed for today’s very modern woman.
Today Margery makes jewelry from her studio in Denver, Colorado. Margery believes in designing while inspired by the natural world. The irregularity you see in the gold margins she creates around the raw beauty of the stones mirrors the irregularities you find in nature. Through an artistic eye for color pairings and the use of thoughtful asymmetry, the natural beauty of the materials is able to truly shine. Each piece has a free-wheeling and playful energy. Her jewelry is a perfect union of art and fashion.
Designers in Kin
Yasuko Azuma
Brooklyn, New York
Yasuko Azuma’s collection focuses on earthly delights such as the changing of the seasons. Each of her creations is hand-carved and hand-finished. She describes her “diamond dust” texture as “trying to capture the moment on an icy cold day in winter when the motion in the air sparkles when it freezes.” Yasuko replicates this feeling with light hammering which creates a subtle glimmer through the matte finish.
