“To succeed in life you need a wishbone, a backbone and a funny bone”, Emma Hadley
Noblivity Spotlights Emerging Designer Emma Hadley
Company/Designer Name: Emma Hadley Jewellery | Emma Hadley
Designer Background Summary: I design and hand make all of my jewellery pieces in my home studio. I have a professional background in fashion and a lifetime love of jewellery design. I have combined my passion for style and design with creative flair to create one-of-a-kind collections.
I studied jewellery making at the London Jewellery School and fell in love with the art of Precious Metal Clay. Since then I have developed a distinctive style combining precious metals with semi-precious gemstones, freshwater pearls and Swarovski crystals.
How did you get started?
My previous career is in fashion buying and although I loved my job I knew I wanted to create something of my own one day. I took the plunge to re-train when I was made redundant at the height of the recession it was the perfect reason to go for it. I’ve always been a jewellery lover with a hoard of compulsive buys a magpie would envy, so combined with being very creative making jewellery felt very natural. I haven’t looked back since.
What inspires your designs?
I love the intricate beauty in nature and I aim to capture the mix of delicate details combined with strong, clean silhouettes. I’m also a sentimentalist and I adore the notion of jewellery becoming an extension of your personality. I’m drawn to symbols of love, luck and harmony. I want my customers to have a connection with my jewellery and the Cherished collection gives a truly personal and special touch, all designs are inspired by my own loved ones.
How would you describe your design style, design signatures and who is your targeted customer?
My style is delicate and ethereal, and whilst being quite contemporary, each piece is timeless. I’m recognized for the personalization and attention to detail in each design. My customers are women looking for something different and special, often for a loved one. All ages have bought my jewellery but the core customer is 20-35 year old fashion conscious women.
What designers inspire you? I love the pure beauty of Alber Elbaz at Lanvin and the genius of Vivienne Westwood.
What obstacles did you have to overcome? Starting a brand from scratch is a challenge but learning new things is exciting.
How did you overcome them? Putting my heart and soul into it. I immersed myself in the jewellery industry and the design community. Constant designing, making and researching.
What has been your greatest moment on your journey so far? My first orders through my website, being stocked in the gorgeous boutique ‘Plush Jewellery’ only 6 months after learning to make jewellery, and being asked to exhibit at London Fashion Week 2010.
What has been the biggest change in your designs so far? I’m constantly improving my quality and functionality of my designs, listening to feedback from my customers and making them as wearable as possible.
If money were no object what would you do right now? Hire someone to manage some of the business side leaving me more time to design, and open my own studio/stop.
What are the best and worst things about being a designer? The best thing is making an image in my head come to life and seeing a delighted customer wearing it. There isn’t really a worst thing!
Describe your typical day?
I start early and walk our dog, then spend a few hours going through emails and priorities of the day, checking the social networks, ordering supplies, and general admin. I spend the rest of the day making orders and working on designs, or maybe doing some photography. I generally finish back on the computer responding to emails and doing updates on my website.
What’s your philosophy of life? To succeed in life you need a wishbone, a backbone and a funny bone!
If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently? Nothing.
When will you know you have made it? When Emma Hadley Jewelry is a must have.
my name is emma hadley