Named after its founder, Shaun Leane has created some of the most respected designer jewellery masterworks of the twenty-first century, many of which take their inspiration from the ferocity of nature. Whether it’s the Hook, the Sabre, the Quill, the Cat Claw or the Serpent’s Trace collection, each and every Shaun Leane jewellery design wonderfully induces the strong, fluid lines seen on earth.
A Brief History of Shaun Leane Jewellery
At just 15 years old, Shaun Leane took to the bench in London’s jewellery quarter, Hatton Garden, and trained as an apprentice in diamond mounting and antique restoration. Here, he quickly understood the importance of a technical education in an atelier, honing his attention to detail and careful craftsmanship. In 1992, just a year after completing his apprenticeship, he was introduced to Alexander McQueen, who himself was only just starting out in the world of fashion. McQueen fell in love with Shaun’s work and so commissioned him to create Victorian-style silver fob watch chains for his fourth post-college show.
From that moment, Shaun Leane and Alexander McQueen were inseparable; by uniting their passions for avant-garde design they changed the history of the catwalk forever. They worked together for over 17 years right up until McQueen’s death in 2010 creating masterpieces like the famous ‘Jaw Bone’ mouthpiece worn by several male models during his Spring/Summer 1998 show. The relationship also acted as a catalyst to Leane’s growing quest to launch his own range of Shaun Leane jewellery, something he eventually did in 1999. Combining the predatory references seen in Leane and McQueen’s past work with his own contemporary flair, the modern-day Shaun Leane jewellery collections are celebrated around the world and have endowed the jewellery brand with the UK Jewellery Designer of the Year award on four occasions.
The Shaun Leane Jewellery Collections
Taking inspiration from the shapes, sights and sounds of nature, many of Shaun Leane’s jewellery collections take their name from animals and plants. One of these is the Shaun Leane Cherry Blossom line which is motivated by the Japanese Sakura cherry blossom tree. The collection showcases a stunning combination of lustrous pearls, brilliant cut diamonds and fine enamel that looks absolutely breathtaking on the body. Another example is the Shaun Leane Cat Claw jewellery collection which evokes the sharp curves of cat claws. This collection has found recent popularity after Adele was spotted wearing a pair of Shaun Leane Cat Claw hoop earrings on Saturday Night Live.
One of Shaun Leane’s best-selling designs is the Shaun Leane Hook earring. Inspired by the sweeping curves and sculpted silhouettes seen in nature ech pair of earrings is distinctively sensual, sophisticated and offers a hint of rebellion in its primal personality. The Shaun Leane Hook earrings are available in sterling silver, gold and black rhodium. More recently, the brand combined their Hook design with freshwater pearls to create the Shaun Leane Hooked Pearl jewellery collection. The contrast between the ferocious barbed architecture and the organic freshwater pearl buds reminds us of a flower with thorns, beautifully depicting the two sides of femininity.
If you’d like to learn more about Shaun Leane jewellery and shop his stunning collections of British designer jewellery for yourself, head over to the C W Sellors website here. Alternatively, get in touch with the team by calling 01335 453453 or send us a message at sales@cwsellors.com.
