The Laings Journal
Professional Profile
MEET SARAH ALEXANDER
Head Designer, Sarah Alexander has been at the forefront of bespoke design at Laings for over 30 years. Bringing to life the imaginations of some of Laings most unique clients in her artistry, skill and dedication to design. The Anu collection is an expression of Sarah’s heroic journey as a designer, showcasing her unique style and undeniable talent.
Tell me about your unique identity as a designer?
SA: As a designer my identity would be classical elegance meets timeless beauty, laced with just a hint of drama.
What art movement/artists inspire your design?
SA: My inspiration comes from all over. I lovethe elegant symmetry of Art Deco, the intricacies of the Victorian era, the decorative realism of Art Nouveau, the glamour of 1940s and 50s Hollywood. In art school, I remember being very inspired by the costume design of The Ballet Russes.
Could you share insights into the design process for the Hero of Bespoke collection? What were the key design elements and principles that guided your creative decisions?
SA: The Hero of Bespoke was a celebration of the design talents we have in our company, a chance for the Designers to have artistic freedom and let their imaginations run wild. We decided that each designer would create a collection that reflects their own unique style and influences as an artist.
The opportunity to work with such wonderful gemstones was also inspiring … as I have mentioned before my personal quest to find the perfect blue sapphire was central to my Anu pendant…. I looked at so many stones before fore I found ‘the one’ and everything in that moment just came into focus.
The collection is greatly inspired by floral motifs from bouquets to paisley prints, do you often find inspiration for bespoke pieces in the world surrounding you?
SA: The natural world is something that inspires me greatly, the oceans, rivers,woodlands and forests. I find them endlessly fascinating. The Anu pendantin particular is inspired by the magic of an enchanted woodland forest and the creatures within.
Why do you believe bespoke jewellery holds such an allure? What sets it apart from more curated jewellery?
SA: Bespoke is a wonderful collaborative journey, whether it’s creating exciting new pieces with beautiful diamonds and gemstones or re-imagining an inherited piece of family jewellery into something that can be carried through the modern day. The unique fingerprint we can bring to the artistry of a piece elevates the character of the creation.
This collection features a range of different designs, was it important to you all that there be pieces that suit varying styles and tastes?
SA: Each Designer brought a sense of style reflecting their own personal influences to their collections– through this we were able to capture an eclectic range of styles that would have wider appeal to our clients but at the core a collective love of elegance, beauty and outstanding craftmanship.
How do you work with clients to help them realise their vision when creating a bespoke piece? What is the collaborative process like?
SA: At Laings our Bespoke Service is a journey – time is spent with our clientsfirst discussing our ideas and understanding their vision. This enables the designer tofirst translate the concept into a hand-painted presentation drawing. It’s important to take this time to get to know our clients so that they trust us to be able to make their dreams into a reality that not only looks beautiful but has great structural integrity.
What feelings do you want to encapsulate in your designs?
SA: The customer’s expectations are always at the forefront when I am creating a selection of designs to present to them. It is so important to embrace their style preferences in a way that translates into a working piece of jewellery.
What does the future of bespoke design at Laings look like?
SA: Laings Bespoke department is flourishing, we have become a much larger team than before, with an in-store designer based in all our locations. The volume of clients we’ve undertaken has increased dramatically over the last year or so, especially for unusual gemstone pieces. With our excellent industry resources, we are able to offer the most exceptional stones at an excellent value to our clients.
Our Bespoke heritage is being preserved and celebrated through our Hero of Bespoke collection which has been a wonderful showcase for our combined artistry and craftmanship.
Explore Bespoke Design with Laings.
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