Q & A with An Alleweireldt
Location: London
Discipline: Jewellery
Biography:
This year is my 20th year in business.
Oxx Jewellery London stands for Modern and minimal jewellery. It was set up by me, Belgian An Alleweireldt in 2003 after finishing my jewellery MA at the prestigious Royal College of Art and my BA in product design in Antwerp, Belgium.
Below are some major exhibitions, collections & prizes won in the last 20 years:
Goldsmiths Fair – 15 consecutive years, 2008-2023
Craftmanship and Design Awards 2023 – Gold & Bronze award
Collect at the Saatchi Gallery with Design Flanders 2014-2015
Made in Marylebone, 2014 – 2021
Exhibition in Kobe, Japan 2015
Collections for the Design Museum shop 2014-2019
Collection for the Tate Modern shop
Collection for The Barbican shop for their Bauhaus exhibition
Collection for the Barbican shop for their Pop Art exhibition
Collection for the Southbank centre shop
Describe your creative practice/process:
I thought there was a need for more exciting jewellery, the unconventional, where form follows function and pieces are comfortable to wear, where everything is not what it seems and can often be worn in different ways, where pieces are timeless and can be unisex, but above all, where customer service and honesty is paramount.
100% recycled materials, no plating and always 18ct gold unless you ask for it to be made in 9ct or 14ct gold. Everything is designed and made by myself in my London workshop, so the quality control is as good as it gets. I use a combination of handmade skills with CAD design & 3d printing.
Your influences and motivations:
I thought there was a need for more exciting jewellery, the unconventional, where form follows function and pieces are comfortable to wear, where everything is not what it seems and can often be worn in different ways, where pieces are timeless and unisex.
What is the best advice you have received? Tell us any benefits you have experienced. What advice would you give to an aspiring maker?
I can not remember any advice I was given along the way, but to anyone starting out I’d say experiment, look for what you like and search for your own style. Don’t do that by copying or looking at other jewellery….you’re ALWAYS one step behind and it will be obvious.
See An Alleweireldt’s work at MADE London 3 – 5 November.
An Alleweireldt – Oxx Jewellery, London. Ring of Change, 18ct gold, from £1950.
An Alleweireldt – Oxx Jewellery, London. Double loop pendant, 18ct gold, from £895.
