Lucy Delius’s debut store, on Ledbury Road, doesn’t look like a jewellery shop. In the front window, handpainted ivory fabric drapes from the ceiling, with a suspended, intricately embroidered textile by So Studio in front of it. It’s all very beautiful and very intriguing.
“We actually used set designers to do the window display,” Delius tells Broadsheet. “They brought a real sense of theatre to it, which really reflects what I’m trying to do. I want to give shoppers an experience and a way of stepping into my world. We want people to buy into our story.”
Delius launched her eponymous jewellery label in 2022, after years spent in PR, then consulting for jewellery brands including Jessica McCormack. The earlier stages of her career were spent at Missoma, where she was founder Marisa Hordern’s first employee, and at Astley Clarke, when the retailer was first launching its own line. “By the time I started thinking about my own brand, I felt a bit jaded with the whole industry,” she explains. “Fine jewellery was so expensive and the designs that sat at the entry point were frankly quite boring. I couldn’t understand why it was so hard to buy something that felt special and substantial for £5000 to £10,000.”
She decided to fuse her love of Victorian jewellery with modern, responsibly sourced materials, using 14-carat gold and natural diamonds, and beginning at a lower pricepoint than much fine jewellery. Delius was particularly inspired by Victorian pocket-watch chains, which are now a signature (the Trombone necklace, inspired by these chains, is still one of her bestsellers). Her customer base is wide-ranging and intergenerational. “The common thread is that it tends to be women buying for themselves,” she says. “We try to get to know our clients on a personal level – jewellery is a tool for storytelling.”
Delius is originally from Edinburgh but has been in west London for 12 years. Opening in the space on Ledbury Road was a no-brainer. The former home of now-defunct fashion editor favourite Raey, today it’s a maximalist haven of rich colours and textures, conceived with the help of interior designer Orla Read. The result is a cross between a Victorian parlour and an under-the-radar salon. In the middle of it all are glass cases filled with the label’s sparkling pieces.
“I want clients to feel like they can come and stop by for a chat and take some time surrounded by beautiful things – not just jewellery,” says Delius, who plans to host a weekly Thursday night happy hour for clients between 5pm and 7pm. “I love sharing my discoveries with my friends and clients, so I’ve brought those little touchpoints into the store.”
There is a lot to look at: reupholstered 1940s Italian chairs, bespoke cabinetry, Rebecca Udall glassware and eye-catching wall hangings, including a woven floral piece by revered French artist Hervé Lelong. The ceiling is covered in more draped fabric, this time in a deep chocolate tone, and the room is scented by luxury fragrance brand Maison d’Etto. Staff are decked out in uniforms by buzzy Scandi label Rohe.
“It’s all a beautiful mishmash of time travel,” says Delius, laughing. “I want the space to be an experience for every one of the senses.”
Lucy Delius
83 Ledbury Road W11
Hours:
Tue to Sat 10am–6pm
Sun midday–5pm
