Cool and quirky
Summer style and statement jewellery really do go hand in hand.
You can keep a summer dress light, airy and simply and then elevate it with some killer accessories and for me the most important pieces to add to any look is always going to be jewellery.
There are so many Irish jewellery brands I love but one in particular always stands out for me if you want to make a cool and quirky style statement and that’s eve ray designs.
Jewellery is a great way to mark an occasion and a lot of my own jewellery pieces have special meanings and remind me of milestones in my life.
The contemporary Irish jewellery brand, eve ray designs, has launched a new collection called Vintage Love and added new pieces to current collection Schiaparelli & the Sea.
The Vintage Love collection is inspired by its designer Maeve Barry and her love of vintage costume jewellery and by her family and friends who have shaped that passion.
Each piece is named after someone who has inspired her style, including her great aunts Monica and Bee and her aunty Caroline, who's glamour and collection of jewellery ignited Maeve's interest in accessories from a very young age.
The Schiaparelli & the Sea collection, which launched in 2023, is inspired by Maeve's love of the sea - in particular growing up next to Banna Strand in County Kerry. With a nod to Italian designer, Elsa Schiaparelli, and her use of mixed metals and unusual objects after Maeve visited her exhibition called Shocking! The Surreal World of Elsa Schiaparelli in Paris in 2022.
The new images for Schiaparelli & the Sea were shot on location on Banna Strand in County Kerry on a sunny day in June. While the Vintage Love collection was shot on Maeve's sister's property outside Tralee, with the family pony making a cameo! Photographed and styled by the designer herself, she had a very clear vision of what she wanted for both shoots. Incorporating props like her late grandmother's beautiful vintage sheets as part of the backdrop.
Local Kerry based model, Sydney Sargent, showcased the unique handmade Perspex and clay jewellery with confidence and flare, transforming each look to suit each collection. It was a family affair with Maeve's sister, Joanne Barry, assisting on both shoots.
I’ve always loved a sea motif and this season that’s really coming through in jewellery trends but if you’re looking for something a little bit different then the shark eye shell pendant in blue with a gold rope style necklace is the one for you. It adds colour and texture to light summer neutrals and is a piece that you’ll cherish forever.
I’m also obsessed with anything to do with charms and for me the heart charm bracelets are a modern take on a classic jewellery theme.
This would make a gorgeous gift for the jewellery addict in your life. Jewellery is such an easy way to change up a look and you can go as minimalist or as maximalist as you wish.
Wear one standout piece and allow that to shine or create a bit of drama with layering. The choice is yours.
eve ray designs is based in County Kerry, where Maeve makes and designs all her work. The brand is stocked in several independent shops and galleries around the country, and all pieces are available online at everaydesigns.com.