We love a few rocks so when we stumbled across Neola Designs on Twitter we jumped online immediately to hunt down the mastermind behind these gorgeous gems. Founder of Neola Designs talked to us about her passion and particularly striking rocks!!!
What’s the story behind the creation of Neola?
I have always been the creative and imaginative one in the family and later in my career in consulting. Art, design, architecture, and travelling have always been my thing. During my consulting years these were my escapes to express myself, to be creative and to do what I was really passionate about. Two years ago I finally escaped for real and left the corporate world to set-up Neola. I was finally living the dream – being creative and designing jewellery was finally my profession. The catalyst for this change was Pietra. Pietra is our most popular cocktail ring. I had it made just for myself during a holiday. Several people asked about the ring and commissioned me to do one for them. It was such a boost of confidence that I decided to do a course in jewellery making and launched my first collection in a pop-up store in Notting Hill. The response was incredibly positive and I decided to leave brand consulting and set-up Neola.
What’s your target audience and geographies?
The wearer of my jewellery is sophisticated and stylish and likes to make a statement. My customers appreciate the unusual and different. As different as they might be – they have one thing in common – an appreciation for a distinctive aesthetic and eclectic influences. They love to inject colour and vibrancy into their outfits. They look for something unique, something that stands. An escape from the ordinary.
Our geography spans from Ireland all the way to Bahrain, but our main market is in the UK where we first begun.
What inspires you in terms of Jewellery?
My brand Neola reflects my passion for different cultures, nature, art and architecture. I take inspiration from varied sources, resulting in a broad spectrum of designs ranging from organic natural shapes in feminine hues to more geometric lines with contrasting shades. My fashion forward collections are designed for strong women, who seek the unusual and appreciate eclectic influences. I want to provide an escape from the ordinary – injecting colour, vitality and a bit of magic into our everyday lives.
Your favourite eatery in the UK?
I love food and travelling – they are one of my big passions in life. I had the most memorable and enjoyable meals in simple shacks on remote beaches, savouring the catch of the day rustled up by the fisherman himself. Unfortunately this doesn’t happen every other day. I equally enjoy the fine dining in one of the many exquisite restaurants in London. My absolute favourite at the moment is a restaurant, which must have one of the most unusual names – it’s Ametsa with Arzak Instruction. I’m not making this up. Wonderful flavours, innovative presentations, daring combinations, just an unforgettable experience. The team behind top Spanish restaurant, Arzak, brings their award-winning Basque cuisine to the Ametsa restaurant at the Halkin, a beautiful boutique hotel in the heart of Belgravia. A team of five from the acclaimed restaurant in San Sebastian – which holds three Michelin stars and is often described as one of the best restaurants in the world – arrived in London to run the restaurant. Ametsa’s approach is rooted in the traditions of ‘New Basque Cuisine’, pairing earthy flavours and Basque techniques with a modern twist. I love that the chef, Elena Arzak is one of the few famous female chefs and cooks alongside her father. It’s the fourth generation of the Arzak family to head up the restaurant since it opened in 1897. It’s a truly unique experience and an escape from the ordinary.
What’s in? Please use this space to discuss say 5 key pieces, which we can also promote with your photos
Celestine Cocktail Ring- £185
This sophisticated Celestine cocktail ring has been inspired by architectural features, creating the impression of two gemstones suspended in mid-air.
The design strikes a unique balance between bold statement and subtle elegance, which is achieved by combining clear and minimalist lines with vibrant colours. The ring features two striking marquise cut gemstones and is set in 18ct gold vermeil.
Pietra – £155
Make a statement with this elegant cocktail ring! The Pietra cocktail ring has a striking and contemporary design. The unique and distinctive piece features a baguette cut semi-precious amethyst gemstone in a raised prong setting. The linear setting and cut is contrasted by several organic, interwoven gold bands. The inspiration for this design comes from architectural and fluid shapes that fuse together bold statement structures with intricate details.
Charleston Earrings – £245
The art deco inspired earrings feature several gold chain tassels give it a contemporary look & feel. The distinctive design has an intriguing quality resulting from the freely moving gold tassels.
Liana Ring – £145
The fluid shapes are inspired by nature, resulting in a feminine and intricate design that stands out for its uniqueness and individuality. The statement ring has a wide ring band, which consist of five interwoven gold strands.
Equilibrium – £85
The geometric ring stands out for its subtle elegance and clear lines, it features four baguette cut semi-precious gemstones
Alessia – £135
Award winning Alessia cocktail ring with a captivating design. A signet ring has been the inspiration for this elegant cocktail ring. The ring has a classical shape and applied contrasting feminine details, giving the design a contemporary and fresh look and feel.
So there you have it – Christmas presents all in one blog!
www.neoladesign.com
https://www.facebook.com/NeolaDesign
https://twitter.com/neoladesign
https://instagram.com/neoladesign/
https://www.pinterest.com/neoladesign/
http://www.neoladesign.com/blog/
0207 693 6483
Offers for L2E2T followers
We would like to offer the L2E2T followers 25% discount on our Neoladesign.com website when using the code L2E2T25 at the checkout. This is valid until the end of November. (30th November 2015)
