By Danielle Radojcin
British jewellery designer Alex Monroe grew up in Suffolk surrounded by fields, the River Orwell and the creatures which inhabit both. The charming, tousle-haired craftsmen, trained at Goldsmiths School Of Art in London, has used nature to inspire his whimsical, intricately beautiful jewellery for the past 20 years. To celebrate his anniversary, he has created the 20:20 collection for Liberty - a reworking of his favourite pieces - alongside which will sit his Christmas collection, titled ‘Original Sin.'
"My inspiration, right from the beginning, has been using nature as a metaphor or tool to pull out themes of nostalgia, of Englishness and the delicacy of a bygone age," he says. A nine-carat gold bumble-bee pendant studded with diamonds, for example, hangs from a delicate gold chain, while a cool-looking golden apple on a chain refers to the original sin of Eve tempting Adam in the garden of Eden (for which the paintings of nature-obsessed Sixteenth Century painter and engraver Lucas Cranach were his inspiration).
In this environmentally-conscious age, fans can rest easy that when they wear a piece of Alex Monroe jewellery, it has not been tarnished by unethical practices: "I hand make every design, then I've got a great gang of girls - all talented craftspeople - who sit in a workshop and make the jewellery with me... then I get on a bus and take it up to Liberty," he says.
Personal service is important to Monroe, and he also makes pieces to order. "I love that if a mother rings up from Somerset and wants a special ring made for her daughter for her wedding - we'll sit down and make that item for her." He is equally thrilled when "I bump into someone who bought a piece of mine 20 years ago and still wears it".
It is this kind of devotion to his customers which has kept Monroe in business for 20 years. Sara Dappiano, head of accessories buying at Liberty, says, "Alex Monroe's quirky collections have long been a favourite with Liberty customers... we are delighted to work with such an individual and eclectic designer."
When anyone can pop into Primark and buy a diamante-embellished, mass-produced bangle, it's nice to know there's someone out there producing quality, eye-catching pieces which won't max out the credit card. "I think the pieces really mean something to the wearer. It's the opposite of bling. It's not about showing off. I think people wear my jewellery for themselves. Not to make a statement to anyone else." Which, at the end of the day, is what wearing jewellery should be all about.
Alex Monroe jewellery is available to buy online at www.alexmonroe.com, and at Liberty. Check his website for more stockists.
For our favorite Alex Monroe pieces, click here
