G: Tell us about your: What do you do? What inspired you to start?
I’m a jeweller and for the past five years I’ve specialised in making customised jewellery. My business is great for me because it grew out of a hobby… or rather, it grew out of a strange turn of events. One day after cutting up several of my boyfriend’s beautiful tweed jackets and getting into rather a lot of trouble I asked him to marry me. To my great surprise and delight he said yes. Having instigated the affair myself, I was, unfortunately, ringless, a situation I quickly decided to remedy.
I made myself a ridiculous engagement band with ‘diamonds’ that I found all over the streets of Hackney. This was back in 2006 and giant fake diamond earrings were all the rage so I really found a lot of them. That was the first ring that I ever made and I had a great time doing it… it looks more like a fungus than anything else. My mother wears it now alongside her gorgeous Karl Fritsch, which I find hilarious. Anyway, having watched me proudly wear my ring around for a few months my fiancé decided that I should make our wedding bands too. I suspect this is because he thought he would never wear it and he wanted to see what I would come up with but make them I did. Any my husband has worn his every single day since I slipped it onto his finger 6 years ago!
I think what makes my rings a bit different is the fact that I’ve never had any formal training in how to make jewellery; I’ve experimented, I’ve been given advice, I had demonstrations and lots and lots of impromptu lessons but all in all I rely mostly on techniques that I’ve invented, misinterpreted or adapted. This means that my approach is completely different to that of a traditional jeweller so end up with unexpected results and jewellery that is more organic and eccentric than what you can find elsewhere.
G: What would you say has been your most memorable experience while developing your business?
Most of the work that I have done for the last 5 years is bespoke. This has been great for my practice because creating someone else’s vision has forced me to learn and invent new techniques and to adapt my practices but I think my favorite bespoke work is my fingerprint rings. I invented these for my great friend, Ali, and her mother. Both of them wanted a simple but quirky ring and they wanted them to be related somehow so I came up with the idea of making a ring out of a soft wax that would hold their fingerprints when it was cast into metal. They look absolutely amazing and now mother and daughter carry a little bit of each other with them everywhere they go. I think it’s a really nice idea. Now I’ve made them for lots of people as wedding bands, friendship bands and lovers gifts.
G: Why do you choose Shoreditch to run your business?
Ever since I first came to London I’ve lived in and around here. For me its home and I can’t imagine basing myself anywhere else in London. I’m fortunate that Shoreditch is just a 20 minute bike ride from Hatton Wall so having my studio here is no big problem.
G: Tell us about DO’s and DON’Ts when running the company?
To me the most important thing is to keep having fun and really enjoying my work. I can’t imagine pouring my time and energy into something that I didn’t enjoy. Looking at what other people are doing really helps me to keep my ideas fresh. I work alone which is great but it’s really important for me to remember not to become an island. One of my favourite things to do is teaching people how to make their own jewellery, students always bring a fresh perspective and new ideas that inform the work I do, and plus, its really fun. If only I could teach myself to love doing the accounts!!
G: Who/what are your favorite CEOs/Businesses in Shoreditch?
My favourite buinesses in Shoreditch? – that’s hard! Tatty Divine is brilliant and I think its really cool that they are producing their own beautiful jewellery here in east London. I love Ally Capellino bags, they look so beautiful new and they age with such character which is something I find really important. But my favourite place has to be Crescent Trading, an amazing fabric shop off Brick Lane. There are 2 slightly surly east end guys there selling the most amazing wools and silk, and they really have such amazing quality material. I make a lot of my own clothes and having them close by has been a real joy for me. They had a terrible fire in their silk section recently which is really sad but they are still open. In fact I’m going there today to buy things for a friend’s birthday present.
G: What are your favorite places in Shoreditch?
That would have to be the places that I eat… Canteen, run by Margot Henderson, and Leila’s gorgeous café on Arnold circus, and Meraz Café on Hanbury Street… Sami makes the best curry in London! It makes me hungry just thinking about it!
Arriving late for a good deal on Columbia Road Market is always fun. I’m quite a keen gardener so I’m always on the lookout for new, hardy plants although with winter almost here it will be more about finding a cheap bunch of cheerful flowers for inside.
G: What does the future has in store for Shoreditch and your business?
Shoreditch has changed so much in the 8 years that I’ve been here- its unbelievable. I remember when I was one of a few cyclists and now there are thousands of us. That’s a change I really enjoy! With lot and lots of fashion and design shops now opening up around here its really turning into a place that people come to look for modern fashion alternatives so that will be great for all the up and coming designers in the area.
Website: http://hannahrings.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/HannahRings/332466043518908
