From humble beginnings, bespoke jeweller Emma Hedley's success is growing. She is now preparing to launch her own collection of designs

JEWELLER Emma Hedley, who moved to Newcastle from her County Durham home earlier this year, is launching a new collection in a collaborative exhibition in the city's Praxis Gallery.

Until now, her business has focused predominantly on bespoke commissions, including personalised, recycled bridal pieces, but demand has been such for Emma’s unique pieces that she is launching a new collection of original designs.

She has also co-designed the Dreams to Reality jewellery collection with successful life coach and former model Tanya Bardo from ITVbe’s programme The Real Housewives of Cheshire.

Emma’s passion for all things eco, vintage handmade and fabulous shines through. Her artisan studio in Pilgrim Street, in the heart of Newcastle, is the ideal base for her to work and be inspired by the many talented creative people she shares the building with.

A lifelong passion for design turned into something more practical when Emma, who was brought up in Hutton Magna and went to school in Richmond, travelled the world and ran out of funds in Queenstown, New Zealand. She sat on the street and started making jewellery from nothing more than beads and wire and the response was so amazing that it shaped the rest of her career.

Emma studied art foundation at Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College, in Darlington, and went on to study 3D design and digital modelling at the University of Central Lancashire. After university, she trained as a 3D designer working for a jeweller in Manchester City centre and completed an apprenticeship with Rachel Hearne contemporary jewellery in Lancaster, developing her bench working skills. She also studied numerous short courses on jewellery making and polishing.

Emma says her business is around the desire to spread positivity and inspirational thoughts on life. Many of the pieces are hand-made, created with huge attention to detail. From personalised lyric bangles to re designing sentimental pieces, everything Emma creates is done with love, she says. Even the packaging is carefully sourced to ensure that it is environmentally friendly.

The new Crown collection, consisting of rings bangles and necklaces, focuses on empowerment and the strong quotes that accompany the collection go a long way in explaining the thought process behind them. “This crown symbolises strength power and resilience. As you put on your crown feel empowered to take charge. You are the ruler of your world," says Emma. "There are so many things in life that can bring us down, so my pieces are designed to give you a little boost when you need it most.”

Emma’s studio is based in Ampersand Inventions on the fourth floor of a converted office block. The new collections will be showcased in the Praxis Gallery, which takes visitors out of the hustle and bustle of the city centre and onto lush faux grass floors. It's a hive of creativity and actively promotes collaborations amongst the businesses and artists who reside there.

The official launch is an open invitation event, on Friday, September 25, at The Praxis Gallery from 7pm-9pm. The event is sponsored by The Newcastle Gig Guide. The exhibition will remain in place for a month. The new collections will be available to purchase via the online shop, emmahedley.com, later this month. For more information about the launch event please visit the special Facebook event page: Emma Hedley Jewellery.