Lauren X Khoo’s bespoke jewellery: ‘customers should have a say in the design process’
- Founded in 2013, Lauren Khoo’s eponymous line is available in Hong Kong, New York and Singapore, through Dover Street Market
- Edgy and girlie, the designer can find inspiration anywhere, from gummy bears to balloon animals and temples
What attracted you to the world of jewellery? “Like many Asian women, my late grandmother would work with her jeweller to design pieces. I would accompany her and sit under the table and watch. I studied subjects from visual arts to architecture, and worked at Sotheby’s. It was my mother who suggested I make a career out of jewellery design.”
Why do you focus on bespoke creations? “I was inspired by the times of Queen Victoria, and I loved that the designer had a relationship with the client. If you are buying jewellery you should have a say in the design process, so you feel part of its creation. This is what’s lacking in the industry today.”
How would you describe your style?“I can go edgy and I can be girlie, but with a difference. So, for example, I’ll take a magnolia, make it huge and use white gold, matt yellow gold and black gold to add an edge. I also use traditional materials, like gold and diamonds – they never go out of style.”
Why do you design ready-to-wear collections? “I’m lucky that people who come to me already like my style. Unlike fashion, I don’t work on seasons. I don’t design based on what I need, but what inspires me: art, architecture, travelling or what’s going on in my life.”
What pieces are your favourites? “I have made over 200 pieces and they are all so different. One of my early collections featured stackable rings in materials like burnished gold and diamonds that were inspired by the pinnacles on top of temples.