Wolf & Gypsy
Craig Hough grabs a coffee with Founder Tori Shay as she shares her favourite pieces from the new Vintage Collection
For as long as she can remember Tori Shay has been dreaming up ideas for creating truly stunning jewellery. Following a career in event design, it was whilst raising her young family that she set about realising her dream of designing her very own unique line of jewellery and creating her brand; Wolf & Gypsy - which officially launched in 2018. The brandโs name was inspired by Toriโs young son; Rafe, whose name means โwolfโ, and โgypsyโ is derived from Toriโs love of travel and adventure.
Where does your passion for jewellery come from?
Iโve always been a lover of jewellery from a young age, growing with the trends from the choker in 1900 to the iconic gold hoops of the 50โs. Over the last few years I noticed a gap in the market for affordable jewellery that is influenced spiritually with the power to hold an energy. I began by designing pieces that I would personally want to wear, with a bohemian aesthetic and individual meanings, taking creative inspiration from my travels. I found my love in jewellery design and have enjoyed sharing my passion with people who share this love.
What does a typical day look like?
A typical day usually starts like most who have children - get them up, fed, dressed and ready for school, although itโs easier said than done. I find my home life and work life are quite interspersed at the moment, especially since the lockdown, and Iโm slowly trying to ease their separation to allow myself back into a routine, but answering emails and calls, posting on social media and designing are all a part of my day-to-day life. I usually try to move my body in the morning either through yoga, a workout or even just a short walk. Iโll have meetings during the day to discuss upcoming campaigns, photoshoots, new designs etc, or sometimes I may be piercing or out for lunch. Iโll then collect my son from schoolโฆ.
What was the process of designing your new Vintage collection?
Iโm very much a fan of renewable and sustainable fashion and I think this is so important to bring back pieces from previous generations, so I had to make this collection. It consists of sourcing specific pieces from a wide range of eras and adjusting them to the Wolf and Gypsy aesthetic that is admirable to our market, to create these unique, solid gold heirlooms. Itโs a 100% sustainable collection and pieces are entirely sourced vintage gold.
How is each piece made and distributed to your customers?
Each piece of jewellery (outside our Vintage Collection) is initially designed by me and is then adjusted to the mechanics with our workshop in India. Once the designs are complete, they are then handmade by our amazing team in Jaipur, India. Our skilled craftsmen do an exceptional job of perfecting each piece to then be sent back to our main office in Manchester, from which they are packaged in our eco-packaging and distributed to customers.
How would you describe your customer?
I have no one particular kind of customer, just those that share my passion and love for creating their own personal style by stacking and layering the Wolf & Gypsy pieces. We are lucky enough to have had some high profile names wear our pieces including Fearne Cotton, Emma Louise Connolly, Louise Thompson, Vick Hope and Vogue Williams to name a few.
Other than your own designs, do you have any pieces of jewellery youโre rarely found without?
You will very rarely find me without my stack of bracelets that I have collected from my travels from a woven leather bracelet that I bought in the Sahara to a brass bangle that I bought from a small stall on my first trip to India.
Vintage Collection
Vintage Curb Chain with Black Diamond Eagle Pendant, ยฃ995
Vintage Graduated Choker, ยฃ895
Vintage Wave Ring, ยฃ635
Vintage Lion Pendant with Graduated Chain, ยฃ1,795
Vintage Fancy Chain & T-Bar Pendant, ยฃ1,930
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