Whimsical luxury is the best way to describe the jewellery of Tessa Packard. Since launching her eponymous label in 2013, the London-based designer has turned storytelling into a fine art – quite literally.
Past collections include The Emperor's New Clothes, a range dedicated the trompe l'oeil effect of brightly coloured enamel on 18ct gold pieces, giving the illusion of precious stones. Every Cloud Has a Silver Lining, a more esoteric collection, was inspired by the very British obsession with the weather, brought to life with lightning bolt charms, cloud shaped diamond earrings and rainbow coloured gems-set rings.
Tessa was born in Brazil but brought up in Scotland which she calls her "spiritual home". This secluded and magical environment (home, according to her was "a patch of countryside north of the Borders where there were more sheep than people"), no doubt encouraged young Tessa's strong sense of reverie and unmistakably irreverent style.
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Having built a successful career for herself as a gallerist in Mayfair, Packard made the bold decision to launch her own jewellery line five years ago. Though she had no formal training in this field, the designer's love of fine art, architecture, interior design and travel were a driving force in realising her dream.
Her workbooks and mood boards are a testament to her meticulous style – she creates two collections a year as well as many bespoke high jewellery pieces and objects d'art for special clients. She caught the eye of high profile editors early on: her designs have featured in Vanity Fair, Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, International New York Times, Financial Times and of course The Week: Fashion.
This summer, Tessa has turned her attention to the old-fashioned ritual of cocktail hour (bring it back!) with a range that appeals to the inner mixologist in all of us. For those who love a gin and tonic, there are her adorable G&T earrings: tiny slices of cucumber and lemon rendered in 18ct yellow gold vermeil, brass, citrine, resin and enamel (£315). Look out too for her High Ball zingers (little slices of tomato or kiwis in enamel and pink quartz, £150). Traditionalists who prefer something less literal are also catered for – her one of a kind Campari necklace and Kalua necklace merely hint at an intoxicating appetizer – the first is a dazzling amethyst and garnet tassel necklace while the other mixes up various tones of earthy moonstones.
We caught up with Tessa to talk about her favourite things, including her most cherished cocktail hit, the gold variety of course.
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All your pieces certainly come with a lot of sentiment which is one of the reasons they are so beguiling. What is the favourite thing in your own jewellery collection?
I was given a pair of antique diamond and pearl earrings by my late father for my 21st birthday. I don’t wear them very much because I’m terrified of losing them (which I know is ridiculous) but rational thinking is rarely associated with the things we treasure the most.
What would you say has been your most challenging piece to design?
The Manhattan Ring is one of my most cherished pieces. Here, 18ct yellow gold is overlaid across a lapis lazuli ring to recreate in miniature the impression of the Manhattan skyline at dusk. The dark blue lapis stone, with touches of gold running through it, perfectly evokes the early evening sky, when the first stars are beginning to appear over the horizon. This sense of dusk is again enforced by the use of gold for the overlaid skyscrapers - their shimmering yellow forms recall the bright lights of the New York City skyline at night, lit up by millions of shining bulbs.
The Manhattan Ring certainly wasn’t easy to execute in practice. Stretching and securing the design over the round lapis ring took some tweaking. In my experience, the best jewellery is that which requires a little experimentation, application and hope, both on paper and in the workshop.
Who has been the most influential person you have met?
Oddly, I would say that the most inspirational people I have met in my life - i.e. those who have ended up having the most profound effect on the way I think about my work or career - I have met for all sorts of reasons, but none to do with business. Predominantly, they are people who share a common love for the natural world and wildlife, and who also have a very strong understanding of who they are, and therefore what they need to be or do in life to be happy.
In terms of jewellers, I think Hemerle and Taffin are geniuses and I love the work of Seaman Scheppes and Suzanne Belperron. Beyond jewellery, Nancy Fouts, Joseph Cornel, Christo and George Stubbs are my heroes and I would give anything in the world to own Whistlejacket [George Stubbs], currently hanging in the National Gallery.
Are there any jewellery rules - i.e. dress codes that you think work best when it comes to wearing fine jewels?
I’m not one for over-layering jewellery. I prefer to only wear one or two pieces at a time because I think you do need to allow jewellery the space to breathe and really hold its own, especially if the pieces you lean towards wearing (as I do) are statement and narrative driven.
Alexandra Zagalsky is a London-based journalist specialising in luxury, art and travel. She began her career working on a cultural guide for English-speaking expats in Paris, where her first major break was an interview with Lionel Poilâne, the late baker of Saint-Germain-des-Prés famed for his signature sourdough loaves. Returning to London in her early 20s, she went on to write for not only The Week but also The Art Newspaper’s Art of Luxury supplement, The Telegraph and The Times, as well as art and design platforms including 1stDibs’ Introspective Magazine and the magazines of the V&A, Sotheby’s and Christie’s. She studied fine art and art history at Goldsmiths, University of London and continues to explore travel journalism through the lens of art, craftsmanship and culture.
