BEHIND THE DESIGN | Isla

October 13, 2020

The Isla Collection was born out of an idea I had since last summer. I wanted to create a design with repetition inspired by patterns and line drawing, but at the time I wasn't sure how to translate the idea using metal. During the pandemic, life shifted, giving more time to sit down and design a collection to release in autumn 2020.

The elements of the design is focused using a continuous flow of triangular patterns and lines using only precious metal wire. The collection was inspired by English artist, Josh Bryan, who creates unique, detailed triangulation portraits using a fine pen. Each piece is individually hand-formed creating outlined visual movement and negative space with a hint of sparkle.

I wanted a feminine name for this series and researched names with meaning and their origins. Isla stood out so much, and to learn it's meaning, made the creation of this collection morph into something unique and profound.

So, where does the name Isla come from you ask? The name, Isla, is used mostly by Scottish culture, but it's origin is Great Brittan or Spanish. It is derived from an island called Islay, located on the west coast of Scotland. The meaning of Isla is dynamic, vibrant, brilliant, and bright as sun. Those four words alone are empowering and provocative. Who doesn't want to feel this way when they were jewelry?

The process started out with a series of sketches then translated into a series of forms using bronze wire. The undertaking continued for many days and hours of making sure the angles were formed just at the right length, changing and adding inches here and there until the satisfaction of the design was desired. The Isla hoops were the first creation and from there, lead to a cohesive collection of earrings and necklaces.