Vintage Goth: Reinventing Halloween Jewellery with Victorian Inspiration
There’s something about the Victorian era that has always fascinated me.
The dramatic fashion, intricate details, beautiful architecture and jewellery filled with symbolism have influenced my personal style for years and they often find their way into the pieces I create too.
So, when I began thinking about a new collection for autumn, I knew I didn’t want to create traditional Halloween jewellery that would be worn once in October and then disappear into a jewellery box for the rest of the year or worse be thrown away!
I wanted to create something dark but more elegant and designed to last.
And that’s how Vintage Goth began 🖤
Victorian Jewellery symbolisim
One of the biggest inspirations behind Vintage Goth came from the Victorians’ use of animal motifs in jewellery.
Rather than simply hinting at nature through abstract shapes, animals could become the design itself, something I absolutely love.
For Vintage Goth, I’ve taken that idea and given it a darker autumnal twist, with bats becoming one of the recurring motifs throughout the collection.
One of my favourite pieces combines a bat silhouette with the delicate texture of vintage lace, bringing together two contrasting elements: something traditionally associated with the darker side of Halloween and something soft, intricate and nostalgic.
Inspired by Gothic Cathedral Architecture
The Victorian influence doesn’t stop with jewellery.
I’ve also drawn inspiration from one of my favourite architectural styles: Gothic cathedrals.
There’s something incredibly beautiful about their dramatic pointed arches, intricate stonework and decorative windows, I can't get enough of wandering around them!
I particularly love the idea of taking something enormous and imposing and reducing its shapes down into a delicate pendant or pair of earrings perfect for daily wear.
It gives the collection another layer of Gothic influence without relying on traditional Halloween imagery.
My Love of Victorian Style
This collection also feels particularly personal because the Victorian era has long influenced the way I dress.
I love vintage-inspired fashion and often find myself drawn to details that feel as though they could have belonged to another time lace, dramatic silhouettes, darker colours, ornate details and I love a corset!
Those influences naturally find their way into my jewellery designs (one of my favourite textures to use is lace!)
Vintage Goth gave me the opportunity to bring several things I love together: Victorian jewellery, Gothic architecture, vintage textiles, nature and a slightly darker aesthetic.
The result is a collection that feels very Halloween... without needing to only be Halloween.
One-of-a-Kind Meets Wardrobe Staples
The Vintage Goth designs fall into two sides of my jewellery collection.
Some pieces are completely one of a kind.
These gave me the freedom to experiment with unusual shapes, gemstones and details without worrying about recreating the exact same design again. Once one of these pieces finds its forever home, that exact design won't be repeated.
Alongside them are my Wardrobe Staples, small-batch pieces that can be restocked once sold.
These are designs such as delicate studs and easy-to-wear pendants that bring a little Gothic character into your everyday jewellery collection.
Slowly Handmade in Silver
Every Vintage Goth design has been created with the same slow, thoughtful approach as the rest of my jewellery.
The pieces begin as silver clay, a material made using recycled silver particles, an organic binder and water.
While it's still in its clay form, I can shape it, carve it and press textures into it, including details taken from vintage lace and wallpaper (yep wallpaper!)
After firing, the binder burns away and the piece is transformed into solid fine silver.
From there, each piece is polished, finished and assembled by hand using carefully chosen components, including eco-sterling silver.
It means the finished jewellery couldn't be further from the disposable accessories that originally inspired me to rethink Halloween jewellery.
These pieces are made to stay in your jewellery box for years and, more importantly, to come out of it regularly.
Vintage Goth Is Coming...
Vintage Goth is for those who are fascinated by Victorian history, Gothic architecture and beautiful old details.
For bat and Halloween lovers and anyone whose style leans slightly towards the unusual.
But most importantly, it's for anyone who believes seasonal inspiration doesn't have to mean disposable fashion!
Vintage Goth is coming soon... 🖤
Some designs will be available in small batches, while others are completely one of a kind — once they find their forever home, they're gone.
Be the First to Discover Vintage Goth
Join my Inner Circle to be the first to hear when Vintage Goth arrives, enjoy behind-the-scenes glimpses of the collection and get early access to new jewellery before everyone else.
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