If, like us, you loved watching the first series of All That Glitters then you would have seen the judge, Shaun Leane. We sat down with the incredibly talented Shaun Leane, to find out more about him and his journey to becoming a renowned jewellery designer…
Were you always destined to be a jewellery designer? How did you start out and what has defined your journey?
When I was 15, I wanted to study fashion but was too young to attend fashion school so my careers officer at the time suggested that I do a foundation course in jewellery design, which I was able to do at that age. He thought this would be a good way for me to get into the creative industries.
So I started the course and my tutor recognized I had a talent for jewellery making so encouraged me to take a traditional apprenticeship in Hatton Garden with a company that produced all the beautiful diamond pieces for the high-end jewellers on Bond Street.
I like the idea that jewellery will remain and be treasured as part of our history.
That’s where I fell in love with jewellery; I stayed with English Traditional Jewellery for thirteen years, creating everything from diamond solitaires to tiaras. I also restored some of the most beautiful antique jewels, from Art Deco to Art Nouveau, Victorian to Edwardian. I like the idea that jewellery will remain and be treasured as part of our history. There is something very romantic about that, the stories and sentiment behind a piece and to know that it has been greatly treasured and loved throughout the generations.
While I was working as a goldsmith in 1992, I met Alexander McQueen who asked me to make jewellery for his catwalk show. After a series of collaborations with McQueen, a London department store called me and said they wanted to feature my work in their Jewellery Room. They couldn’t believe it when I said I didn’t have a collection. So that was it. In 1999, I created my first range called ‘Signature’. The inspiration came from the first catwalk piece I did for McQueen and it’s remained our signature ever since. Then, in the same year, I founded the Shaun Leane jewellery house in Hatton Garden during the day and creating catwalk pieces for McQueen at night.
Describe your style of jewellery in three words
Daring, elegant and bold.
What advice would you give to a hobbyist who wanted to turn their jewellery making and designing into a business?
My tip would be to just make a start on jewellery making and practice as much as you possibly can. Then, when you have a good foundation in the basics of jewellery making, it will allow you to create a wondrous range of designs.
What is your favourite material to work with?
The beauty about our house is we use an array of materials from Diamonds to crystal, Platinum to Aluminum, and we will always use a material which will complement the design and help enhance the concept of the piece. Sometimes you have to take weight into consideration, so we would aluminium to create a larger body of structure but decorate it with precious stones and golds. For example, the recent Beetle Brooch we created, which is a fusion of aluminium, gold, sapphire, tanzanite’s and enamel all crafted to perfection using traditional skills, this is a great illustration of using different materials to achieve a fine crafted piece of jewellery.
What jewellery tool could you not live without?
My jeweller’s loupe as it allows me to see in great detail the quality of stones I am working with. It also allows me to examine the execution of my work to assure both reach the highest standard that I always strive to achieve.
Where do you get your inspiration?
I feel that art, fashion, architecture, and all elements of design feed each other and into my designs. In particular I find the sentiment and romance in literature and poetry to be very inspiring. These ideas are reflected in our collections; combining traditional jewellery craftsmanship with avant-garde ideas to create jewellery which symbolises modern romance. For instance, in literature I am inspired by Oscar Wilde in the story of the Nightingale and the Rose. Within this literature there is love, sacrifice and tragedy. In the art form of writing, Wilde captures those opposing human emotions which inspires me when I create jewellery.
I’m particularly inspired by the works of the Art Nouveau, Art Deco and Victorian period – they were so distinctive of their time. The masters of these periods were so fearless and innovative in their approach to design, materials and technology.
Who has inspired you most during your career?
Lee (McQueen) was a very good friend and an amazing role model. He was one of the most inspiring people I have ever met in my life. He was a visionary in both craft and design. The most important thing he taught me was to do and be the best you can and that ‘nothing is impossible’.
How did you come to meet Lee Alexander McQueen? How important was that relationship in developing your own personal style?
I was a traditionally trained goldsmith producing delicate pieces of fine jewellery before working with McQueen.
We met through a mutual friend who told him of my goldsmith’s training and, because he came from a similar background, having trained in Savile Row, he was interested in my craft. When he asked me to make some pieces for his first catwalk show I had to teach myself how to create large scale pieces in silver, something that I have never done before. The experience was liberating for me, opening my eyes to using unconventional materials and experimenting in design and technique. So McQueen gave me a platform which enabled me to forget about the traditional process of designing jewellery.
Our collaboration has enabled me to push the boundaries of jewellery design and come up with pieces that were really thought provoking. To me, it was important to challenge the traditional notions of what jewellery is and where it can be worn.
These ideas come through in my collections. It is a fusion of traditional craftsmanship and fashion.
What has been your biggest learning curve when starting out in business and what piece of advice would have been helpful at the time?
The biggest learning curve was in business itself. I began as a creative, a craftsman, so the business side of things I had to learn organically. I wish I had done business studies but at the time I was juggling two jobs, working alongside my two jewellery masters in Hatton Garden during the day and creating catwalk pieces for McQueen at night.
Which piece or collection has been your most memorable achievement or given you the most pride?
The bespoke diamond glove that we created in collaboration with Daphne Guinness is a piece which very much reflects the style of our jewellery house in the way that it crosses the boundaries between art, jewellery and fashion.
And your future goals and aspirations?
To continue creating museum pieces which represent the time we are in.
I love the Art Deco period for its bold use of colour, the Art Nouveau for its fluidity and femininity, the Victorian period for its innovations in the use of materials.
Your work has been called ‘antiques of the future’ by Sotheby’s no less. How does it feel to become a key part of this heritage yourself?
It was just such a compliment. When I was young, I studied all the Sotheby’s jewellery auction catalogues and was always in awe of their amazing collections of work. I feel so proud that we have realized some of our dreams. We want to create beautiful jewels that will be treasured for centuries.
Are you allowed to tell us of any high-profile commissions you have been working on?
Designing Princess Beatrice’s engagement ring was a complete honour. I worked alongside Princess Beatrice’s husband, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi to create the ring. It was a real honour and working with Edoardo was a complete pleasure as he understood design and materials, and knew exactly the aesthetic Princess Beatrice would like. I wanted to fuse their two-favourite aesthetics, Victorian and Art Deco, to reflect the pair coming together in marriage.
Sneak peek what are you working on right now?
I am working on a new collection called Sabre Deco which will be launching in Sept this year. Its style is a fusion of my organic form and art deco influence. I’m particularly proud of this collection as it combines two opposing lines of organic movement and linear structure, to create an evolution of my handwriting.
What’s next for you?
These current times are allowing me to have space without noise – to focus on projects and collections I have wanted to tap into for a while which will be revealed soon. Watch this space!
Did who you thought would win, actually win?
I had a selection of favourites but in a competition such as this and under the time constraints, the outcome of work was so unpredictable that each jeweller continued to surprise me throughout the competition.
What was your favourite make in the show?
Hugo’s penguin brooch! It was a complete bespoke piece in its execution and design, very chic whilst still portraying the client’s emotions, memories and dreams.
Many thanks to Shaun for talking to us and we cannot wait to see what the future holds for him and All That Glitters
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