Theo Fennell: Creating Rare, Beautiful, Handmade Jewellery

4 months ago

Theo Fennell is a Great British Brand 2024

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Theo Fennell: Creating Rare, Beautiful, Handmade Jewellery

Theo Fennell is an entry in our Great British Brands 2024 book.

Theo Fennell: Great British Brand 2024

‘We’ve had a good year. I’m very happy with our showroom and workshop in Chelsea Barracks, and it’s the first time in years that I’m seeing some sort of heart and humanity creeping back into commerce. So many people have been worrying that commerce has lost its soul and everyone’s just wandering around trying to make money. But people are starting again to see how wonderful it is to make things and be creative, even if it’s gardening or cooking. This is no time for brash, aggressive souls and I’m seeing an encouraging level of altruism – people are really trying to make life better for each other. So, it’s important to get involved in work that gives people satisfaction and makes them happy.

The idea of things being made by hand and the skills needed have always been astonishing to me. The old days of being interested in how shoes or suits are made or furniture is built are coming back and people are increasingly fascinated by the creative process. They certainly want more than just cheerful – but absurdly expensive – fashion jewellery round their necks, stuff with a brand label on it but designed with very little thought. So, our new handmade pieces and collections have been very popular this year.

Though AI is a great mimic, I can’t believe it could ever be Mozart or Shakespeare. But one thing it might well do is push people further towards genuine human endeavour, creativity and originality.

Now our hope is to provide schools with work benches and tools so 12-year-olds can give jewellery-making a try. After all, you’d never know you were a gifted musician without access to a piano. Our Leopards and Gilded Youth apprenticeship schemes are doing well and it would be fantastic for our trade to attract more young people.’

Theo Fennell, founder

Five Proudest Moments

1. Seeing my name above the door when we opened the first store on Sydney Street in1978. My mother said my father would be turning in his grave.

2. Opening in America in Niemann Marcus in 1988 and being asked to design a collection for Tiffany.

3. Seeing Elton John wearing a piece of Theo Fennell jewellery on television and the front page of a national newspaper in 1980.

4. Opening our iconic flagship store in Fulham Road in 1987.

5. Buying the business back in 2020, and moving into the new flagship boutique in Chelsea Barracks in 2022.

What I’ve Learnt…

Find your voice, be true to it and don’t let people persuade you otherwise.
Never sell your name unless you intend to walk away from the business.
Enjoy what you do or it’s pointless. If you set out just to make money, you’ll be a ruthless, disappointed dullard.