StyleNest chat to distinctive and inspirational jewellery and silverware designer, Theo Fennell to find out about his bespoke designs and where he gets his inspiration from. Located in the heart of Chelesea, we find out about Theo’s local London haunts and top tips on how to make the most of your jewellery.

You went to art school, before joining the world of jewellery design. What first inspired you to choose this path?  

The foundation courses at Art School in those days were superb and technical so you did a bit of everything during that year, pottery, sculpture, perspective, technical drawing etc etc as well as arseing about. It gave you a great grounding, separated the wheat from the chaff and allowed you to choose what you felt you would be best at. In my case I thought portraiture, but I was wrong. I was not a great portraitist and, needing a job, took the first one I was offered as a ‘creative type’. It was with some splendid and Dickensian silversmiths called Barnard’s and it was complete kismet that I fell in love with the trade and working in miniature.

You are known for creating unique one-off pieces, can you tell us about one of the most exciting projects you have been commissioned to work on?

They are all exciting otherwise I wouldn’t do them. Each has its creative, technical and aesthetic set of problems and solving these is the delight of it all. We are lucky that we have so many extraordinary patrons who trust us and like to work with us and the number is growing rapidly. I think people with style are bored by pieces you can see everywhere and have little flair. They want something individual and beautifully made which becomes part of their identity.

Do you have any advice for those who are looking for a truly bespoke piece but are uncertain where to begin and don’t have a clear idea of what they may like?

Be sure when you want it for, the more time you allow the better the result is likely to be. This is not absolute as we have made things in a day that have thrilled but don’t risk it. Be sure you know how much you are prepared to pay and what kind of thing you want but be prepared to be adaptable and enter into the spirit of it all. This should be real fun, a fascinating trip with a happy ending.

What are your main inspirations during the design process? And where do you find most of your inspiration?

A thousand and one things, from portraits and pictures of all sorts to music, architecture, books, nature…I just keep my eyes and mind open and find inspiration and interest every day. The moment of an idea is a mysterious thing, however.

You recently partnered up with Goodwood. Can you tell our readers about any exciting projects you may be working on?

I am superstitious so never discuss current or future projects in case I put the wood on them but we are working a lot with diamonds at the moment and inventing new ways to set them with the help of the talents of our amazing workshop.

You are surrounded by and work with a wide variety of precious stones and metals, do you have a particular material you most like to work with?

I love working in gold and really beautifully coloured stones of all types. I am always enthused by new discoveries both in materials and techniques. I also love designing silver pieces. A table full of hand-crafted silver is a wonderful thing and we make it all here so it keeps alive a great British tradition and we still have the very finest craftsmen over here.

You also have a range of lifestyle pieces, great for gifting and for the man or woman who has everything. What was your inspiration behind this?

Especially in silver, this a very old tradition; just the contents have changed so a car where there would have been horses and an oil derrick where there would have been a spice ship, say. I think designing pieces that are really well made that will last through the centuries and identify the giver and the owner and entertain is one of the great tests and joys of what I do.

Your flagship store is located in Chelsea, which are your favourite spots to eat at? And where do you head for your shopping sprees?

I love Café Colbert and for a pre-movie bite Sophie’s Steak House or Muriel’s Kitchen at South Ken. I can buy books forever at Sandoe’s or otherwise wander up the Fulham and King’s Roads mindlessly. If I have time to kill in Selfridges or Harrods I am in trouble as I am in almost any shop.

What sets Theo Fennell apart from other jewellery brands?

Our principle aims are originality and beauty of design and craftsmanship. We are not just looking to sell stuff, we want our patrons to be really exhilarated by buying one of our pieces and for it to mean something to them. Jewellery and Silverware should aim to bring real joy, maybe be a bit sentimental but be, anyway, emotionally charged. They should both make life just that bit more enjoyable.

In a few sentences, can you tell our readers what an average day is like in the life of Theo Fennell?

There really is no average day and I would be mad to attempt to answer this question.

When you’re not busy in your workshop, what do you like to do to relax and unwind?

I read, I listen to music, I play the guitar badly and sing worse, I play golf, go to museums, watch TV and sport a lot, go to the theatre, go out, arse about….all sorts of things.

For those looking to reinvent an old piece of jewellery or perhaps an heirloom, what is the best way to achieve that?

Have some idea of what you want and how much you want to keep the spirit of the piece. Don’t be obsessed with necessarily using all of the composite pieces as you can then end up with an unsuccessful hybrid. Get the best out of the best bits.