FASHION

Diamond
Geezer
Stephen Webster’s cutting edge gems shook up a previously
traditional industry, injecting a dose of much needed glamour
and rebellion. Emma Mills talks to him about being an
artisan, embracing glam rock and why he has to live by the
sea. With exclusive images by Sarel Jansen
Visiting Stephen Webster’s jewellery store in
Beverly Hills is a unique experience, and
perhaps the best demonstration of the kind
of kudos and glamour that encapsulates the
brand. Part bar, part shop, part art gallery,
it is a fitting showcase on for what is now an iconic lifestyle
brand. “I’d like to have some more stores like the one in
Beverly Hills,” explains Stephen at his Mayfair offices. “It’s in
an iconic location [Rodeo Drive]. Our bar and lounge is called
No Regrets, I show art that I like and have musicians and DJs
that interest me and we have evenings with 300 people spilling
onto the pavement enjoying the atmosphere. And it’s great; it’s
turned into something else. It’s still come out of the jewellery
but it’s taken the brand to another place.”
The Stephen Webster brand is indeed a vital force in the
world of jewellery and as Stephen will attest, the people
buying his jewellery subscribe to the lifestyle associated with it.
Stephen’s glamorous, rockstar life has been well-documented,
but, as he says, that’s okay, because it is the biggest driving
force in his design. “My life is completely an inspiration for
what I do and what I create. You apply what you like in life
to what you do. Otherwise it’s all a bit fake; you’d be making
it up. So, everything I do, even the collaborations with other
brands, is driven by the things in my life that I love.”
He points to a bespoke Harley Davidson petrol tank
nestled on a windowsill amidst photos of the various
personalities and celebrities he’s designed jewellery for. “That
completely came together because of the kind of lifestyle I
have and the people I meet. We were one of the first brands
that made a launch a real party, you know, a good night out.
Now brands work with us because they want to buy into the
image that comes with the brand.”
Clearly business is booming. But it wasn’t always this
way. As with any brand that brings something aggressively
different and new to the market, it has taken many years of
working and waiting for the success that Stephen and his