JADE JAGGER On rocks and rock’n’roll

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Golden delicious Fortnum & Mason is famous for its iconic food hall, traditional afternoon teas and luxury hampers, but more recently it created a buzz by launching a new jewellery room and playing host to the British Fashion Council’s Rock Vault exhibition. Curated by leading British jewellery designer Stephen Webster, founder and creative director of Stephen Webster Ltd (based in Mount Street) and creative director of Garrard, the exhibition ran for four weeks following its preview at London Fashion Week. It showcased creations from emerging designers and was part of Fortnum & Mason’s ongoing enterprise to support craftsmanship and design. For its permanent range, the jewellery room will be selling collections from designers including Vivienne Westwood, Stephen Webster, Jade Jagger, Lara Bohinc, Bex Rox, Katie Hillier and Susan Caplan, while designs by Nicholas Kirkwood, Christopher Kane, The Diana Vreeland Legacy Collection, Stefano Poletti and Vanessa Seward feature as part of the Atelier Swarovski collection. Jewellery was previously a small part of Fortnum’s offering, but its position has been elevated – literally, to a cosy corner of the second floor. The area is a calm, intimate space, which has a seating area with its own bar (Rocks Bar) where customers can relax with a drink during consultations. “We wanted a beautiful room that was very different to anything out there – not only in the collections but also in the ambience,” says Fortnum’s fashion and accessories buyer Amanda Ware. Amanda, who has been with the company for 31 years, is the woman responsible for deciding which designers to take on board. “I think as I have developed as a buyer, my taste has become slightly more fashion-forward,” she says. “While we recognise we have a classic customer and want to have beautiful, elegant product, there is a need to punctuate it with some hip and happening things. Also, price-point and design wise, I want to make it a very eclectic mix and to widen the demographic of customers, so a senior gentleman could come in here and CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: KATIE HILLIER DOTTY BUNNY PENDANT NECKLACE, £425 MAWI NECKLACE, £360 BEX ROX CENTURY RING, GOLD/ORANGE, £200 ALEXIS BITTAR MAURITIUS CUSHION RING, AQUA, £185 FORTNUM & MASON MIGHT BE BEST KNOWN FOR ITS EDIBLE TREATS, BUT NOW IT’S THE PLACE TO GO FOR DELECTABLE JEWELS FROM THE LIKES OF STEPHEN WEBSTER AND BEX ROX, THANKS TO THE LAUNCH OF ITS NEW JEWELLERY ROOM 31 jewellery
32 jewellery “The high street is really catching up, so if you are going to pay a little bit more there’s got to be something unique about it” Amanda Ware buy a beautiful piece for his wife of 40 years, and equally a younger chap can come in and get his partner something that’s a bit more fashion-forward. I think there is pretty much something for everyone here. “I’m always looking at things that catch my eye – it has to be gut instinct. Also, if I’m honest, sometimes I tap into something that I don’t necessarily think will be a commercial success but I think is important to be there for a certain reason – it could be that it’s press-worthy, or that it has a wonderful integrity in the way that it’s made.” Amanda admits that she’s made some brave choices for Fortnum’s, citing designer Alice Menter, who combines everyday objects such as nuts, washers, zips and bolts, as an example. “I think she is innovative and clever, but I had great courage in my own convictions when I bought that one,” she says. “I also love Carlos Maronna, who is a Spanish sculptor. I loved the fun of his jewellery – I thought it was very innovative and very, very different. Yes, one wouldn’t look at it and think it screams Fortnum’s, but to me it’s very cleverly done. It’s all sterling silver. This is something that you wouldn’t get anywhere else in the UK, and I just thought it was fabulous. It made me laugh, it made me smile, and I just thought it was really clever.” Fortnum’s was also one of the first to stock the brand Mawi, which has since taken the fashion world by storm with its statement pieces. “We couldn’t sell it at first, because at the time we didn’t have a purposeful area and it wasn’t surrounded by other similar, complementary collections,” says Amanda. “So it’s great that the company has really supported this department with a beautiful refit.” Amanda is confident that the eclectic mix of timeless and affordable jewellery on offer at Fortnum’s will attract customers looking for something that little bit different, and that the store will become a destination for jewellery. “It’s getting harder and harder out there,” she says. “The high street has really caught up, and is doing designs based on the major fashion houses, so if you are going to pay a little bit more there’s got to be something unique about it. We are trying to offer pieces that are exclusive to Fortnum’s or not widely available. I’m finding that people are becoming more discerning and are moving away from the big brands. As much as some of the pieces are very desirable, they want something different.” I ask Amanda if the revamped jewellery room is part of a bigger strategy for Fortnum’s to become more fashionforward and to widen its appeal to a new generation of customers. “I think it’s probably the first of several projects that are going in that direction,” she says. “Having been responsible for other areas as well, such as lingerie, millinery, bags and accessories, I think there are lots of things we could do to develop those. I love the fact that we are moving forward.” CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: ALICE MENTOR MINNIE NECKLACE, £210 ATELIER SWAROVSKI BY CHRISTOPHER KANE, BOLSTER NECKLACE SILVER NIGHT, £420 NECKLACE BY MELANIE GEORGACPOULOS, £2,875 DURBAN BEAK POST EARRING, GOLD/YELLOW, £120
Page 1: mayfair times In this issue Jade Ja
Page 4 and 5: 6 news A topping day for art Grayso
Page 6 and 7: 10 news One of India’s leading fa
Page 8 and 9: 14 events George Bellows Exhibition
Page 10 and 11: 18 theatre AFTER FINDING FAME WITH
Page 12 and 13: 22 23 art It’s taken a while for
Page 14 and 15: 26 27 jewellery AS HER JEWELLERY GO
Page 18 and 19: 34 35 jewellery NOUDAR JEWELLERY to
Page 20 and 21: 38 food & drink PIERRE GAGNAIRE Pie
Page 22 and 23: 42 charity Teenage kicks MINT LEAF
Page 24 and 25: 46 47 business Tweets, likes, check
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Page 49 and 50: 96 property A landmark for Finchatt
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JADE JAGGER On rocks and rock’n’roll

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