In the Studio with Lucy Delius
Liberty sits down with the fine jeweller to learn what it means to design with legacy in mind
Read more
In the Studio with Lucy Delius
Liberty sits down with the fine jeweller to learn what it means to design with legacy in mind
By: Shannon PeterWhere vintage design meets modern aesthetic codes, there’s something about Lucy Delius’ particular brand of design that feels very ‘now’. But this isn’t a brand focussed on the moment, this is a brand with forever in mind. Delius’ intention is to design something of a jewellery legacy, heirloom pieces to be worn, loved and cherished for multiple lifetimes, passed between generations as totemic mementos. Everything that leaves her London studio is ‘made with weight, touch and emotional currency in mind’. And it shows. These pieces aren’t just created, they’re crafted. Incredibly special chains, pendants, rings and beyond, that once slipped on, are unbearable to part with. Here, Liberty speaks to the designer herself about creativity, craftsmanship and design longevity.
Have you always been creative?
I would say that I've always been creative, but to me, creativity is very much a muscle that you need to build and train. Now, having launched my own brand and doing what I'm doing, I'm definitely the most creative I've ever been
How did you first enter the world of jewellery?
Jewellery really found me. After leaving university, I got a job as a temp at DTC, the Diamond Trading Company, which is the rough diamond side of the industry. So every five weeks, when the diamond site holders would come to London to show their parcels of diamonds, I got to see that very raw side of the world of jewellery. From there, I went to Missoma. I was actually the first employee, and I got to see what it takes to build and grow a jewellery brand.
You describe the brand as jewellery archetypes for irreverent women. What does that mean to you?
This means lots of different things in terms of the aesthetic of the jewellery. We're really trying to blur the lines between the old and the new, taking traditional silhouettes and paying homage to them, but creating something that feels new, fresh and modern. We celebrate the origin story in all the pieces that we design, and use incredible stones as well as 14 karat gold and really focus on the wearability. The Lucy Delius woman is multifaceted. She's calm, she's confident, she's dry, and she's witty and she moves through life with ease.
Where do you seek inspiration?
I collect inspiration in probably a very chaotic way. It’s happening all the time. I follow a lot of antique jewellery dealers on Instagram and I'm always seeing little bits and pieces that kind of pique my interest. My Instagram is like the window to my soul. If you want to know what I'm thinking, you just need to go into my Instagram saved folder. Other than that, I read lots of books and I try to get out and about in London. I go to antiques markets: Grays Antiques in London is amazing. And then whenever I travel, I look at what the little jewellery stores and stalls are stocking there, and I visit markets and antique shops.
How do you ride out a creative block?
A week on the beach usually helps me ride out a creative block. Other than that, it's really getting away from my computer, actually getting out of the studio, meeting people, having conversations. When you're running your own business, you're not just designing all the time, you're also in the day-to-day of everything, so it's really good to be able to step back from it all and just sit, sometimes doing absolutely nothing. That's when the ideas start to come.
What role does craftsmanship play in your brand?
Craftsmanship is core to our brand values. My clients have pieces that have been handed down to them by their mothers, by their grandmothers, and that's what I'm trying to do. So without really focusing on craftsmanship, and without working with the best workshops, using precious metals and brilliant quality stones and diamonds, we won't create pieces that people can leave to their children.
What’s the best compliment you could receive about one of your pieces?
The biggest compliment you could probably pay me is when someone asks: where did you get that? Is it vintage? . Or: that reminds me so much of something my mother used to wear. When they instantly feel that connection with the piece, and they can already sense that there's meaning behind it, there's no other feeling.
If you weren’t designing jewellery, what else might you be doing?
I’ve worked within the jewellery sector in some way, shape or form for about 15 years, so I feel like I'm now at the stage where there is nothing else that I would rather be doing or even could do.
?fmt=auto&qlt=default&metadata=true$poieg$&w=1000&h=1300&sm=c&poi={$this.metadata.pointOfInterest.x},{$this.metadata.pointOfInterest.y},{$this.metadata.pointOfInterest.w},{$this.metadata.pointOfInterest.h}&scaleFit=poi)
