One of the jewellery designers I spoke to at the Pure Form event at Atzaro was Emma Chapman of Emma Chapman Jewels. A British jewellery designer currently living in India, originally discovered by fashion legend Hilary Alexander in 2006, chosen to be one of the most promising new designers, a definite one to watch!
Emma’s designs wonderful gold rings, necklaces, bracelets and earrings, her collection is a burst of colour mixed with gold, silver, precious and semi precious stones. She made the move to Jaipur, India, where she also has her workshop and where each one of her pieces are hand made by master craftsmen and stone cutters. Every piece has an individual story behind it, making each item extremely personal, creating luxurious and opulent colourful jewelry. The colours of India are bursting out in everyone one of her pieces, a rainbow of moonstone, opal, topaz and ruby’s. It gave me the feeling that I had stumbled across some real treasure!
Emma is clearly deeply inspired by India and its ancient mysticism, telling me that her love of India is a passion that never fades. She speaks with such animation when describing the stories behind her jewels. She lives in a culture totally different to ours, totally immersing herself in it, she confesses India is her obsession, a great obsession if you ask me. For this I believe her jewels are exquisite, interesting and original, she is in love with India’s culture and this shines through in her gem stone design. The jewellery is made in silver and 24 carat gold-plated (vermeil) with a rich matt finish, complimented by beautiful diamonds and gemstones. She has the most beautiful star rings set in plated gold and adorned in gems. Topaz Pendants hung in a fine silk rope design. Tear drop earrings adorned in precious gems. Her pieces really are quite divine.
It is always inspiring when people achieve their dream, with a background in theatre and film, Emma always had a love of gemstones, collecting the sparkling jewels wherever she traveled, eventually realising her dream, she started to design jewelry and is now stocked in Peter Jones, Fenwicks, John Lewis, The National Portrait Gallery, The V&A and The Orient Express as well as attracting press from the likes of The International Herald Tribune, Vogue and Harpers Bazaar Magazine. Emma also shows at London and Paris Fashion week and she is currently collaborating with Nicole Fahri on a new collection.
You see Emma is London’s link to the east, when I ask her how it is to live in India full time, she tells me it’s inspiring, colorful and peaceful. She tells me all of the designers from the west come to Jaipur, making it a large creative honey pot and a great place to be. She tells me she has a wonderful space in Jaipur and feels it is the best place for her to work. Pure Form is her second trip to Ibiza, and she wants to know more about our magical island, with a promise of a return we will for sure meet again, here on the White Isle or in the colourful mystical land that is India, until then she will be returning on her gem stone trail to the east.