What do Jessica Gomes, Jessica Mauboy and Jessica Alba all have in common? Besides the obvious, they all LOVE Luke Rose Jewellery – the edgy yet elegant label creating statement jewellery right around the corner from Flaunter HQ in Surry Hills, Sydney.
Not surprisingly, Luke Rose Jewellery has been recognised as a finalist in the prestigious Jewellery Design Awards for 2017 and featured in publications such as Vogue and Grazia, just to name a few.
Recently we caught up with founder and designer Luke Rose, to learn about his story and the brand’s bright future…
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Hi Luke! Can you tell us a little bit about who you are and your background?
I’m a jewellery designer from London now living in Sydney.
After graduating, I worked at renowned jewellers Jess James in London’s Soho. I started as a workshop assistant but was soon promoted to Head of Workshop, eventually becoming Head of Design and Production. I stayed with the company for 10 years until becoming self-employed in 2009.
In 2010, I won the Lonmin Design Innovation Award in London. It really raised my profile and ensured that work kept coming my way. Then, in 2013 I became one of only two designers to win the award for a second time. It felt amazing, but by this time I had tired of working to commission and was ready for an adventure…
How did you get started with your brand? What was your inspiration?
I’ve been holidaying in Australia regularly since back in 1996, I absolutely love being here! I actually lived here for a year in 2002, but since returning to London in 2003 I have always dreamt of living in Sydney permanently. I’ve also always dreamt of having my own jewellery label, so when we finally emigrated in 2014, I saw it as the fresh start I needed and an opportunity to build something great.
I launched Luke Rose Jewellery in 2015 and I’m loving the journey.
What is your favourite aspect of your job?
Creating new collections for sure. I love the whole process from start to finish, the mistakes and failures as the triumphs. It’s such a great feeling when you come up with a design that just works, especially when it then goes on to be a best seller.
What would you say is the most challenging part of your job?
Probably time management. As I’m still doing most of the work myself, it’s difficult finding enough hours in the day. I also find it hard to focus on one collection at a time. As soon as I’ve finished one I’m already thinking about the next one.
Do you have any advice for people who want to run a business like yours one day?
Patience and perseverance. I’m a pretty impatient person and want things to happen quickly, but things take time and a lot of hard work. Also, trust your gut feeling. I’ve made so many mistakes by not listening to my intuition.
What do you love to do when you aren’t designing or managing the business?
Since moving to Sydney, I love to explore. We have a number of friends who live on the Northern Beaches, so we visit them a lot. We also love trips to the Blue Mountains, especially in Winter. A perfect weekend would be spent in an Airbnb with an open fire that accepts the dog, long walks and lots of food and wine!
What’s on the horizon for Luke Rose Jewellery?
I’m currently working on a new SLIDE collection with coloured stones. I’m hoping to launch the collection next February at my first solo exhibition, which I’m really excited about. It’s going to be at Courtesy of the Artist Loft in the Strand Arcade… I hope to see you there!
Then it’s off to Europe to find stockists in London and the UK, taking the first steps to make Luke Rose Jewellery a global brand.
What is your dream for the future?
My dream is to be an international, luxury jewellery and accessories brand. I love what I do, so I guess the most important thing is that I still love what I do 10 years from now.
What’s the best and worst fashion purchase you’ve ever made?
Best: My Giuseppe Zanotti high-tops. They’re a bit bling but I love them!
Worst: Probably too many to mention LOL.
And finally, some questions about your experience with Flaunter 🙂
HOW DID YOU DISCOVER FLAUNTER? You were highly recommended to me by a friend who owns her own shoe brand [Extraordinary Ordinary Day] here in Sydney.
WHY DID YOU NEED FLAUNTER? WHAT DID YOU USE BEFORE US? I had a great PR girl for a year but it’s such a big expense for a start-up business. When I stopped working with her I still wanted to have some way of featuring in the press without having to spend too much time focusing on it.
HOW HAS FLAUNTER ‘CHANGED YOUR LIFE’? I now love being able to see who’s downloaded my images, an opportunity which I didn’t have before.
WHY WOULD YOU RECOMMEND FLAUNTER TO OTHERS? It’s such a great way of reaching out to journalists without having the expense of hiring a PR company and so easy to set up! As I mentioned before, I love using the Report section to see how many views my account is getting and which journalists have downloaded my images.
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