You can now shop these contemporary Irish jewellery brands at an exclusive six-week pop-up in Dublin
Brown Thomas is now stocking the designs of five emerging jewellery designers in its Grafton Street store as part of its 2023 CREATE showcase
Ireland’s best and brightest emerging designers have found a new home in Brown Thomas’ Grafton Street store this summer as part of the luxury retailer’s 2023 CREATE showcase.
Marking 13 years since its inception, this year’s showcase presents 28 designers across ready-to-wear, shoes, accessories, jewellery, and homewares. The idea is to nurture upcoming talent and give them a physical space to retail their products and meet like-minded makers and new clientele.
“Selecting this year’s showcase of designers was such a privilege. The standard of design is outstanding; from craftsmanship and innovation to presentation and design – it is so inspiring to see. Every year we are blown away with the development of previous designers' collections and also discovering new brands and collections,” Shelly Corkery Brown Thomas Arnotts Fashion Director said.
Irish Tatler paid a visit to its launch and found a particular soft spot for the pedigree of Irish jewellery design – here at the five crafters and pieces that caught our eye.
Siadbh
Having benefited from wearing and connecting with crystals for years, Siadbh Duffy created her namesake brand to share the crystals experience with others. Each crystal is ethically sourced from Duffy’s aligned partners in conflict-free mines in Jaipur, India, while the grade metal used for the jewellery is a choice of recycled 9ct gold, recycled sterling silver, or 14ct gold vermeil. Duffy handcrafts each piece in her Waterford studio, and she plans to introduce a repair scheme for pieces that begin to show signs of wear – further bolstering her impeccable attention to sustainability and long-lasting design. On our wish list is the moonstone ring: a gorgeous clear crystal said to be worn to connect with your divine feminine energy and heightened intuition.
Magpie Rose Jewellery
There is much to love about Dublin-based designer Diane Wood’s signature jewellery brand Magpie Rose. It feels like jewellery’s answer to dopamine dressing, and you can expect an assortment of eclectic, colourful pieces crafted from natural semi-precious gemstones on sterling silver and 18ct gold vermeil. Its exclusive CREATE collection includes statement earrings, necklaces, and bracelets crafted from the special agate stone which has a natural, sparkling disposition. Our favourite is the drop earrings in a blend of sea and turquoise blue – perfect for those outfits that need a summer’s zing.
Tracy Trainor
There is a striking feel of art made wearable to Tracy Trainor’s eponymous jewellery brand. Each piece has a soft, sculptural edge and Trainor treats each piece as such: “I love sculpting because it's so imaginative. And, to be able to apply it to jewellery? Well, the possibilities are endless,” says Trainor of her designs. Primarily crafted from sterling silver and gold, most of her collections are inspired by nature and travel; from a childhood in Japan to time spent in Iceland, Budapest, and Abu Dhabi. Her butterfly-like ring is a particularly impressive piece of design.
Shock of Grey
Shock of Grey started as a passion project during lockdown and has since turned into a full-time business for founder and designer Sarah Carroll Kelly. The brand has become somewhat synonymous with its bold, statement-making jewellery – and we suggest this brand to those who like to add edge to their outfit à la accessories. For CREATE, Kelly has designed the brand’s largest earring: Megashock comes in three colours (flame red, citrus yellow, and cobalt blue) and is a maximalist’s dream. Her designs are most notable for their use of unusual materials: wood, brass, plastic, silicone and acrylic are all in the mix.
FioSó
Founded in 2021 by designer Sara Ross, FioSó’s signature style – pairing gold tones with vibrant enamels, often with an abstract nod to art deco – has earned her a loyal customer base both on home soil and further afield. Each piece is designed by Ross in her Co Kerry studio, and her latest collection Glō unveiled as part of CREATE is a fun, neon twist of her popular Deco collection. Glō showcases gold earrings, necklaces, and rings in tactile, geometric shapes hand-embellished by Ross with delicious neon enamels in bold pinks, oranges, greens, and blues.
All designs are available to shop exclusively at Brown Thomas on Grafton Street until August 20 or online at brownthomas.com
