Can you walk us through the science behind Fruit Gems? How does one turn waste produce into a wearable gem? What were some of the biggest challenges in bringing this vision to life?

I believe the most beautiful colours are found in Nature. Humans have been extracting pigments from nature for thousands of years, with evidence suggesting it began in the Palaeolithic period, 40,000 years ago. Early humans used natural pigments from sources such as red ochre, charcoal, and minerals to create cave paintings and other forms of visual expression. Plants and insects have also been a source of pigments, with plant-based dyes like Indigo dating back to 6000 BC in Peru.

Fruit Gems™ are Crafted in our atelier through over three years of research, they are radiant creations drawn from the world’s most vivid botanicals. Learning from ancient foraging and pigmentation techniques, we harness pigments gently extracted from beetroots, spinach, blueberries, dragon fruit, spirulina and more, bonded and stabilised with a bio-resin foundation derived from plants and renewable organic materials such as corn, soybean, agave and avocado seeds. Each gemstone is a celebration of colour and nature —alive with the essence of the earth, and completed with artisanal precision.

The rough Fruit Gems™ can then be cut, faceted and polished the same way as natural gemstones, with the ability to be casted into forms like molten metals.

Every step was a challenge, it took painstaking, meticulous repetitions of trial and error for each type of fruit and vegetable, who all behave and react differently. We tested over 30 types, and launched the collection with 8 of our best results.

Learning from Fruit Gems™, we also proudly introduce our Regenerative-Gemstones™—a pioneering blend of sustainability and luxury. Discover a reimagined Amber, infused with the golden hues of autumn leaves and twigs, alongside ethically recreated rose quartz, amethyst, malachite, and lapis lazuli—each regenerated from lapidary off-cuts to give forgotten fragments a dazzling second life.

What kind of fruits or vegetables have been used in this collection — and do different produce types result in different colors or effects?

We launched the collection with beetroot, purple sweet potato, spinach, blueberry, dragon fruit, blue spirulina, green plankton and butterfly pea flower.

Absolutely - carotenoids contribute red and orange from dragon-fruits and tomatoes; flavonoids contribute yellow from carrots and lemons; betalains contribute red and purple from beetroots and purple sweet potatoes; anthocyanins contributing blue from blueberries and spirulina; and chlorophyll green from spinach and plankton.

The collection is vibrant, playful, but also rooted in serious environmental commentary. How do you balance those layers of meaning in the design process? What do you hope people feel — or even question — when they wear a Fruit Gems™ piece?

I want people to feel the joy, beauty and empowerment that jewellery brings - to see the magic of turning ‘waste to wonder’, to question the very idea of luxury and to be surprised by the alchemy where science meet art.

You were born in Hong Kong, lived in Paris, trained in London — how have these cultural landscapes shaped your visual language as a designer?

It is such a privilege to grow up in three of the most beautiful and vibrant cities in the world I call home - a celebration and understanding of different cultures and heritage alongside modernity and innovations. I’ve always noticed the beauty in details and nuances, embracing the experience and intersection where East meets West.

You started in architecture, then fashion at Alexander McQueen, and finally jewellery — what drew you to jewellery as a medium?

Jewellery is the most magical thing you can wear – it is timeless, non-seasonal and has the ability to empower and bring immense personal joy. For something so small that can be held in the palm of your hand, it can hold a world of emotions and memories. An object of art and craftsmanship that can be worn on the body, close to our hearts.

The beauty of high jewellery is that it is an escape from the ordinary to a realm where anything is possible.

What did working under Sir Richard Rogers and later at McQueen teach you — and do those influences still surface in your jewellery today? What was it like stepping into the world of Alexander McQueen? Do any moments from that time still stand out to you creatively or emotionally?

I think my architectural training has influenced my attention to details, the harmony and balance with with forms and structures, the sensibility of scale, proportion, geometry, materiality and story-telling are all very similar traits shared between architects and jewellers. Visual imagery is very important in my work as a medium for story-telling, the emotive sensitivity of what you see is both powerful and moving.

Sir Richard Rogers celebrated bold colours in both public and private spaces - his architecture was always people centric and so was his studio practice - it felt like a big family and we were fortunate to be located adjacent to the infamous River Cafe by his wife Ruthie Rogers. There were studio bingo nights and legendary Summer parties, all of us would gather around sharing tables at lunchtime at the studio to enjoy the best subsidised lunches in the city.

I grew up as a student obsessing over the genius of Alexander McQueen - the beauty, duality and depth in his vision and work; the drama, the storytelling, the craftsmanship - it was as much fashion as it was art. It remains one of my greatest privilege to have worked at his studio during his fleeting lifetime.

Your designs have been worn by some of the most iconic names in music and film — how does it feel to see someone like Beyoncé or Lady Gaga in your work? Was there a particular celebrity moment that felt like a turning point for your brand?

As an independent brand without a single paid partnership and advertising, we are purely discovered through word of mouth. It is always my honour, pride and joy to see global superstars wearing my creations from the Oscars to The Met Gala, The Grammy’s to music videos and their personal day to day looks. It is often a surprise and I find out at the same time as friends and social media. Lady Gaga was the first to wear a pair of my Rose Tourmaline Feather Earrings at a performance in NYC, last week Julia Roberts wore two of our Cherry Blossom brooches in London. (she ended up purchasing them :)) Taylor Swift has worn my designs for over 7 years, Rihanna perhaps over 30 creations, Beyonce for Cowboy Carter and 4 sets of showstopper jewellery for her short film ‘Black is King’. Simone Biles wearing our Fuchsia Chandelier Earrings on the cover of People Magazine for her Olympic cover story will always be special.

Your work is a blend of science, art, fantasy and ethics — do you start with a concept or with a material when designing? Where do you find inspiration?

Both - I usually design with a story in mind - I build a visual moodboard and theme that informs the design language and style. For our innovation collections - Blooms! (Recycled refined aluminium from soda cans launched in 2020) and Fruit Gems (2025), I started with the materials first and designed from there.

Nature is my biggest source of inspiration, David Attenborough is my hero. I have loved painting florals and fauna since I was a little girl, I love that not one is ever the same. When you draw from direct observations you notice all the tiny little details that make each flower, seashell, leaf, feather unique.

What’s your relationship to colour? Your palette is so distinctive. And what role does storytelling play in your design process?

I think the most beautiful, enticing colours come from nature - what I try to capture in my work is a moment of that magic immortalised in time. Storytelling is everything - it is what connects us - our emotions, our desires, our understanding of each other. Ultimately, it is storytelling that connects a brand with their clients over time.

How do you hope your jewellery makes people feel — aside from beautiful?

Confident and empowered - and comfort is also key to both.

Your collections are now available at Bloomingdale’s, Saks Fifth Avenue, Moda Operandi, Ounass, and Farfetch — what does it mean to you to be stocked by these global retailers? How do you maintain the integrity and storytelling behind each piece when scaling for such wide distribution? With such a strong ethical and artisanal focus, how do you select retail partners that align with your brand values? And what role do you think major retailers play in shifting consumer attitudes toward sustainability in luxury?

What we represent in the fine jewellery world is the future - a brand where science innovation merges with artistic creations - true sustainability with ethical practice, how to work with nature to better it rather than deplete it. It is a celebration of traditional, artisan craftsmanship with modern technology and material science. It is about learning from the past to offer a different perspective in the present, always in mind for a better future.

It is about offering informed choices to customers around the world, where they also learn about possibilities - I believe education is the passport to the future and the future belongs to those who prepare for it today.

Social media and a beautifully designed, informative website allow us to tell our story with authenticity and consistency - it is where our clients discover newness, to go behind the scenes with us from inspirations to design, workshop creations to different ways to style our everyday looks, red carpet moments and everything in between.

What’s a typical day like for you as jewellery designer and brand owner— or is there no such thing?

I would probably say there is no such thing before becoming a mother of 2 - ha! But now -routine is everything for me in order to maximise my day as a present parent whilst being a jewellery designer, CEO and Creative Director for my eponymous brand. I start my day by walking my daughter Valentine (7) to school every morning whilst my husband Jimmy takes our son Hendrick (6), and plan my day in blocks around their schedule from design time to product development and production at the workshop; team meetings, client appointments to retailer partner briefings and beyond. We work across multiple time zones - so I try to keep some days fluid. I try to schedule a half day of free time a week to allow my mind to clear and wander - it is my biggest luxury and also where I am my most creative.