The renowned British jeweller, tapped by icons and idols from Device Gun Kelly to Elton John, launches a men’s selection that punctures jewellery’s gender norms
Wrapped around the beating heart of Stephen Webster’s renowned jewelry do the job is the thorn, a motif that studs an pretty much 25-yr archive of edgy, daring items. Today, the British jeweller celebrates the enduring icon and pioneering aesthetic with the Thorn Dependancy assortment.
The original thorn was inspired by tattoo magazines Stephen experienced picked up even though honeymooning with his spouse Anatasia in Rio, Brazil in 1999. He drew the intricate thorn style, like that of these iconic 90s armband tattoos, on the stretched pores and skin of Assia’s expecting tummy. On returning home from the holiday break, he established the first Tattoo Thorn collection. This is the 1st whole assortment they’ve revived – a men’s collection, but styled gender neutral – with present day new twists.
When we capture up with Stephen and his daughter and collaborator Amy Webster over Zoom, he’s a 7 days into a excursion to Bangkok for stone purchasing and traveling to suppliers – a journey he employed to make regularly pre-pandemic. Now, the excitement is back, and Stephen is looking for inspiration. “The enterprise is developing in the far more bespoke area, people today want matters that really feel significant,” he says. “They want concealed messages, birthstones, engravings. It’s possible it is pandemic brought on – seeking to feel close to other people – but there’s a desire for some thing more particular.”
“Going into the archive and picking up the thorn motif, seeing how we can twist and modernise it to attractiveness to the present-day jewellery wearer, was so thrilling. We got to go to city!” says Amy. Amy, who started off out as a movie editor, joined her father’s enterprise a few many years in the past and has formulated in craze investigation, internet marketing, and styling campaigns. It is a tiny but mighty staff that takes the do the job familially and individually.
“When you’re at the entrance-stop creatively you simply cannot stagnate, but you also can’t miss out on the chance to glimpse back and reflect and revive. Amy and her technology can do that,” adds Stephen.
A wiley, inventive way of working conjures up jewelry that has captivated an epochal clientele of icons and idols from Elizabeth Taylor to Elton John, Ozzy Osbourne, and Angelina Jolie. Webster helped to visually determine one particular of 2022’s wildest pop lifestyle moments yet – that, currently being Device Gun Kelly’s proposal to Megan Fox. The ring, created with MGK by Webster, is a toi et moi fashion ring of two interlocking thorn bands to be a part of the couple’s birthstones – diamonds and emeralds. Following the proposal, they drank each individual other’s blood. Who else to imagine a rock and roll ring that displays the excess-as-hell goth pair-du-jour’s everlasting really like than jewelry rebel Webster?
“He’s a phenomenal canvas and collaborator for us,” Stephen says. “He highlights these extremes you can consider it to, but also how you can discover comfort and ease in your possess style.”
As he says, “we’re in a renaissance period of time of jewellery”. It’s an enjoyable room to be, as gender norms are obliterated on the runway and the pandemic invigorates a collective want for items that are sentimental, exclusive, and explain to a tale. And ofc, rock is obtaining a instant – from the theatrics of MGK-Fox and Miley, to the nocturnal aesthetics of Indie Sleaze leather, studs, and latex at Versace, 16Arlington, and Coperni, and normal article-pan bash extra.
The Thorn Dependancy collection speaks to Webster’s hardline, ferociously amazing aesthetic and a deft means to seize a zeitgeist. Individuality and personalisation come before gender, and the assortment celebrates the line’s traversing of masculine and feminine aesthetics – a sensibility his jewelry has played with extended just before the mainstream cultural landscape, wherever MGK stacks his rings in excess of painted nails, or Harry Styles wears pearls.
“When we to start with launched the men’s assortment far more than 20 yrs back, there wasn’t a lot on the marketplace that was intended and out there for men,” says Stephen. “It was form of odds and sods genuinely, and I imagine that manufactured it come to feel extremely enjoyable. Men, I assume, found it very tricky to comprehend obtaining jewellery and had an uncertainty as to what suited them or was suitable. We have been a component of an instruction in this globe. Now with this assortment, we’re equipped to lean even far more into the gender neutral, be extra free creatively.”
“It’s currently being worn in means that I’ve by no means noticed before – it’s much far more theatrical and worn in far more adventurous methods,” adds Amy. “Thorn Dependancy came together at the right time.”
Thorn Dependancy comes in sterling silver and 18K gold, earning it as obtainable as it is buildable and adaptable to designs. The signature Thorn connected chain is woven by way of signet rings, pet dog tags, ID bracelets and razor tag earrings. The pieces can be customised with polished metallic, pave set, or with inlaid stones these kinds of as Malachite, Lapis, and Tiger Iron.
“We’ve released far more silhouettes and color – I have always truly savored color in my women’s jewelry. There’s a glamour and age that feels like it is for any one, with the icon of the thorn getting centre phase,” Stephen claims, adding that Amy has been instrumental in expanding how the brand name demonstrates a particular person of her youthful generation obtaining their personal place for their jewellery.
“Even my buddies who I would see as tremendous creative, trendy, and outgoing can be intimidated by the thought of obtaining jewelry. A component of the collection is about encouraging accessibility. Silvers are a extremely superior entry level, especially for folks who want to do that layered glance,” Amy states. “We’re introducing some abnormal stones, like the Lapis – it’s deep blue with gold specks. Malachite is this stripy eco-friendly and Tiger Iron seems to be like it has metallic rivers jogging via it. It is all unique, effortlessly personalised, no gender norms. It appears to be like pure, raw, and natural and organic, which also demonstrates that closeness persons want to come to feel to character these times. And, Stephen’s love of gem-searching of course.” As the assortment carries on to broaden and create, Stephen hopes to introduce an remarkable substance – fossilised dinosaur bone.
Old planet craftsmanship is modernised with Webster’s underground-encouraged touches, all with ethical production in mind. Once again, some thing Webster was doubling down on in advance of sustainable motion was anticipated and demanded. This assortment is crafted using recycled silver and 18ct recycled gold. “We have a environmentally friendly group,” suggests Stephen. “It’s all facets of the company.” He was one particular of the initial jewellers to attain a Truthful Trade Gold Licence, and gained Grosvenor Britain and Ireland’s initially sustainability award previous year.
“As a jeweller, we’re about the ‘slow fashion’ – I want to make amulets, loved ones pieces, things that are likely to final a life span,” Stephen says. “That’s a responsibility as a artistic man or woman and a sustainable business enterprise.” Like a thorn, Stephen Webster stays sharp on design and compound – don’t slumber on the sleepers or the signets.
Thorn Habit is out there to look at completely at Stephen Webster’s No Regrets Lounge, Mount Street London. Rates start out at £50