Shaun Leane Interview: “I Like My Work To Portray All Our Emotions”

I normally focus on fragrance in this blog, but when I got the opportunity to interview jewellery designer Shaun Leane via a mutual friend, how could I say no.

The Londoner first made his mark in the 1990s in spectacular style with his unforgettable pieces for Alexander McQueen’s visionary fashion collections, including Highland Rape, The Hunger, Untitled and The Overlook.

At the time, I was captivated by the visceral drama of these pieces in brass, silver and stainless steel, although I didn’t know about the person behind the creative and technical brilliance.

Since then, the 51-year-old’s gone on to produce an oeuvre that’s unmistakably Shaun Leane, blurring the boundaries between jewellery, fashion and art. Founded in 1999, his eponymous company offers fine jewellery, engagement rings and bespoke services, among others.  His clients have included Boucheron, De Beers, Asprey, Swarovski, Kate Moss and Sarah Jessica Parker.

The beauty of his work is best said by one of his clients, Daphne Guinness, on shaunleane.com: “Genius lies in his work’s paradox: at once tenacious and bold and technically intricate. There is beauty in the balance: that struck between alpha and omega, tribalism and sleek modernity. It seems born of and outside of time, simultaneously conjuring fairy tales and science fiction.”

Not bad for a boy who dropped out of school to learn jewellery design in a youth training scheme and then pursued a seven-year apprenticeship to become a classically trained goldsmith (with a focus on restoring Victorian jewellery).

Congrats on your business anniversary last year. That’s a remarkable achievement. To commemorate this, a book was published, which is a huge undertaking in itself. How did that come about?

The book was a celebration of 21 years of the House of Shaun Leane, it was my 50th birthday last year and also the 10th anniversary of the death of my dear friend, the late Alexander McQueen. These pivotal moments made me want to reflect on the beauty of the different facets of my career that shaped and helped me evolve to be the designer, craftsman and house we are today.

The book is a real demonstration of what can be achieved if the fear of the impossible is removed. It’s a visual journey of how I embraced my goldsmith training and skills and used that as a tool to push boundaries in the concept of jewellery design, whether that be in classical jewellery, fashion or architecture. I created a style and identity which I am proud to say I have carried through to this day and have adapted to the times we are in.

Over the years it has been incredibly flattering to speak with students who now reference my work. It fills me with pride to think that this book could become part of a blossoming new jeweller’s collection and inspire and provoke them, as much as I am by the beautiful books in my own library.

How has the coronavirus situation affected business?

The advantage is that we are a multi-faceted company and have various channels ranging from retail and wholesale to online and bespoke. With the pandemic, retail and wholesale have been challenged, but online and bespoke are thriving, as in a time of uncertainty, people want to invest, financially and emotionally, in meaningful and sentimental jewellery.

You’ve won the UK Jewellery Designer of the Year award four times. Does that come with its own pressure and expectations?

It is extremely rewarding and reflective. It shows me how grateful I am that I stayed true to my vision and aesthetic, and that I have a great team who also share the same vision. I have always had a passion, believed in the work I do and persisted with integrity. Receiving these awards make me proud of what my team and I have created over the last 20 years.

“These current times are allowing me to have space without noise – to focus on projects I have wanted to tap into for a while.”

What can we expect creatively from you this year?

These current times are allowing me to have space without noise – to focus on projects and collections I have wanted to tap into for a while, which will be revealed soon.

You’ve created many high-profile pieces over the years, which are great for publicity. But a boy still needs to pay his bills. How do you balance the more commercial side of the business with the more creative side?

When I first approached creating collections in 1997, I wanted to fuse the traditional goldsmithing skills I had learned in the previous 10 years with the energy and aesthetic of modern jewellery I was creating for Alexander McQueen. The works I created for McQueen on the runway portrayed a new woman, a new energy in jewellery which reflected the persona and confidence of an individual. I wanted to translate that same design and energy into pieces that were more accessible to be worn away from the runway.

The theme of protection and contrasts between fragility and strength are common themes in your work. Do you still feel the need for armour of some sort?

My work demonstrates femininity and delicacy, and the energy of armour is to portray strength and protection. As we humans have many facets, I like my work to portray all our emotions.

Tell us more about your South African connection and how the country has influenced your work.

I have always celebrated the light, space and energy of Africa. I’m fascinated by different cultures and societies around the world and take great pleasure in having been able to highlight and celebrate so many techniques and aesthetics in my work.

Creativity is one thing. Running a business is another. Has the latter come easily to you?

When you are a young designer full of passion and drive, you want to create and create! Your business knowledge develops and is driven by the passion to execute your vision. So, for me, learning the business was a necessity and, fortunately, felt natural to me. There is creativity in all skills and running a business is one of them.

“There is creativity in all skills and running a business is one of them. “

What do you miss most about working and your friendship with Alexander McQueen?

Not only do I miss the adventure with my closest friend and all the fun that comes with that, but I also miss the passion, excitement and pure drive. I miss the camaraderie of two London boys who had a voice together to inspire and provoke. The platform McQueen had was one of creative freedom and a stage to have a strong free voice. It is an energy I still carry with me and feed into every piece of jewellery I make today.

In 2017, a Sotheby’s auction featured 46 of your bespoke works created for, among others, Isabella Blow, McQueen and Sarah Jessica Parker. Was it easy to “let go” of these pieces?

Yes, it was time for the pieces to be seen and shared, and to inspire and provoke new rising jewellery and fashion designers. My vision was for these pieces to be shown in museums all over the world to continue the energy Lee [Alexander McQueen] and I created, not to collect dust in an archive storage room. The pieces are celebrated in some of the world’s most prestigious museums such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York and the V&A in London.

You designed Princess Beatrice’s engagement and wedding rings. That must have come with all sorts of protocols working with the british royal family…

I have worked with royalty and celebrities for many years, so privacy and protocols come to me naturally. Bespoke projects should always be experienced under a blanket of privacy and mystery and then a beautiful unveil. Working with Beatrice and Edo [her husband] was like working with any other couple who are in love and excited for what’s to come. It was a complete joy to be able to be part of their memorable occasion.

As a perfume blogger, I was fascinated to read in the book that fragrance has also played a role in your life, from emptying your mother’s favourites as a child. Is that still the case? 

What I love about jewellery is these fine precious sculptures hold memories and emotions throughout our lives – they touch one of our deepest senses. Fragrance also holds this beautiful connection for us. In a second, a scent can fill your mind with memories and associations of a place, person or time.

For more info on the book Shaun Leane (ACC Art Books), visit his company’s website.