“When I’m actually designing, it’s mostly track pants and sneakers,” says jewellery designer Francesca Grima, with a laugh. “When I’m seeing clients, I dress up. It’s respectful, obviously, but I like dressing up.”
And Grima’s is some client list. Miuccia Prada, Marc Jacobs and Kate Moss are fans, as was the late Queen Elizabeth II. Grima’s father, Andrew, was hailed as the father of modern British jewellery, propelling the family name into public consciousness at the height of the Swinging Sixties, with sculptural styles that charmed the city’s great and good. The V&A museum counts many Grima originals in its permanent collection.
“I used to – and this sounds really sad – just wear designer clothes,” Grima explains. “But I came to realise the idea of discovery is way more interesting. I like contrasts and contradictions when it comes to my dressing.”
“Now I love vintage shops so much that the first thing I do when I travel is to make a list in my maps [app] of places to seek out. Some people get tattoos when they go to different cities. I go and buy something in a vintage store.”
Blazer
“This is a very structured blazer by Magda Butrym, the queen of shoulder pads.”
Leather trousers
“I found these at a thrift store in New York. I’ve worn them for a while now so they’re getting really soft and worn in.”
White top
“The tank top is American Apparel. I actually bought a load of these to work out in, but then I found they work more formally too.”
Shoes
“They’re Saint Laurent but I picked them up from a second-hand design shop in London. I like the white tip matching with the tank top.”
Watch
“This belonged to my father – it’s one of his designs. When I’m very lucky, my mother lets me wear it.”
Rings
“Some more contemporary pieces from our stock that I love.”
Bracelets
“My father designed these two bracelets in the ’70s.”
Necklace
“This chain is also from the ’70s. I like mixing the contemporary pieces and the vintage pieces together. The vintage pieces are so timeless you can’t really tell them apart from the contemporary.”
Earrings
“Everyone assumes I’m going to be wearing real gold earrings but – confession – these are just from High Street Ken. If they were real gold, they’d weigh my ear down way too much.”
@francescagrima
grimajewellery.com
This article originally appeared in the second issue of the Broadsheet* London magazine.*
