July 21, 2014

Making Waves: Ilene Steele’s Jewelry Debut

Photo courtesy of Ilene Steele Jewelry







             London is a metropolis overflowing with budding designers and their creations, so allow me to introduce one such designer who is making a name for herself this summer. Ilene Steele’s first collection, the Wave Collection, was launched this past May. Like a magpie drawn to all things shiny, I felt an immediate magnetic pull to Steele’s jewelry, which she handcrafts all herself. With their subdued colored stones and modern geometric shapes, the pieces have real potential to become the new “girl about town” accessories.

Photo courtesy of Ilene Steele Jewelry



             Steele calls New York home, but has set up shop in Hatton Garden, which is known for being London’s jewelry quarter. Her collection is comprised of precious and semi-precious stones set in 18kt gold bands, silver cocktail rings, and dainty stud earrings. Whether you stack the rings or wear them on their own, a multitude of options are available to best show off your jewelry personality.

Photo courtesy of Ilene Steele Jewelry 
             The choice to call the line the Wave Collection was deliberate and well thought-out, acting as a very unique identifier for Steele’s work and her overall ethos. The jewelry’s stones all face the wearer, opposed to facing forward, in homage to seafaring positions and the capricious nature of natural bodies of water. Not only that, but the stone placements are angled so as to accommodate both the wearer and the admirer. This simple attention to detail constructs the rings as mini masterpieces, regardless of what direction you view them from. 

Photo courtesy of Ilene Steele Jewelry


             Steele’s collection is consistently nautical. Her choice of stone color excellently highlights the various tones of rippling water - from crystal aquamarines, to murky browns, to seaweed greens. The range of jewels also helps to remind us that we need to create a harmonious relationship between the “ebbs” and “flows” of our nonstop, hectic lifestyles.

Photo courtesy of Ilene Steele Jewelry 
             Taking her work one step further, Steele stays true to her message in her method. Through the ancient practice of cuttlefish casting, a wave-like texture is embedded into the ring bands. For Steele, designing and constructing exist concurrently, as she exercises her knack for balance, symmetry, and synergy. Personal orders for rings and earrings can be requested, where Steele will individually craft the jewelry to your distinct taste.

Photo courtesy of Ilene Steele Jewelry 
             The Wave Collection mimics the highs and lows of life, while striking a happy medium between the fluctuating ocean tides, currents, and waves and the fluctuating needs, hopes, and extremes that plague everyday human existence. Now that’s something I think everyone can relate to, so make a statement without even saying a word with a piece from Steele’s classic jewelry range. If Steele’s first collection is anything to go by, we should be expecting great things from her in the future.

Photo courtesy of Ilene Steele Jewelry


             Check back for an interview I will be conducting with Steele in September for a discussion on the Wave Collection!

             Prices start at 150 pounds. Get your hand and ear adornments from Wolf & Badger online here and in store, at the Clerkenwell Collection (for directions, see here), or from Steele’s official website here.

Photo courtesy of Ilene Steele Jewelry

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