WEARINGIRISH showcases top designers/brands from Ireland. In this series, meet the designers and hear their stories. Here Margaret chats with Brian. Visit soulengraver.com for more!
TELL US ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND. As a master hand engraver and jewellery designer for over 20 years, I have dedicated my life’s work to creating meaningful jewellery that inspires deep connections between people, the land, and the heritage of Ireland. Having served a six-year apprenticeship (rather a long time ago). I am one of a small band of true artisans in this field. Using classical hand engraving techniques that date back to the Renaissance, I apply dedication to the art, attention to detail and a sensitivity that is key to creating such unique jewellery with real meaning.
WHAT WAS THE MOST DEFINING MOMENT OF YOUR CAREER? I was the master hand engraver for Weir & Sons for over 15 years. Working there I had the privilege to work on many prestigious things, most notably the Webb Ellis Trophy (Rugby World Cup). Upon leaving Ireland’s premier jewellery retailer, I launched the Soul Engraver brand with two collections, namely Resonate and Sacred Trees. The brand featured at Showcase 2018 run by the Design & Crafts Council of Ireland in the RDS. Soul Engraver picked up a coveted award for best new product, from a field of over 100+ startup companies. A week later, I was invited to meet An Taoiseach at City Hall—a very proud moment. WHAT’S YOUR AMBITION FOR YOUR BRAND? To stay authentic and create stunningly beautiful pieces from the heart that touch the soul. It is our ambition to be the Irish jewellery brand synonymous with creating deep connections between people. Quality and uniqueness should be a benchmark for any brand. HOW YOU WOULD DEFINE THE HEART AND SOUL OF YOUR BRAND? While people love beauty, beauty alone doesn’t make a piece special—it’s about meaning. People give beautiful meanings to the things they love. It’s about marking moments in the stream of time, about love itself. In those many hours, and days, and years that I sat inscribing love into metal, an idea took shape. What if first you took the meaning, and then from that, you created the thing? Creating deep connections between people and Irish jewellery with real meaning is the heart and soul of the brand. WHERE DOES YOUR BRAND NAME COME FROM? Funnily enough, people assume I am the Soul Engraver, but as the master craftsperson, I merely give people a voice for what they would like to say to others (or what they would like to say about themselves). So, I am not the Soul Engraver. The person who gives the gift is the Soul Engraver. They have put so much thought into the gift/piece; it is they who will leave a mark on the receiver’s soul. WHO IS YOUR DREAM MUSE? WHY? Margaret Molloy is an inspiration to us all and wears Irish so well. YOUR DREAM COLLABORATION? We have been fortunate to collaborate with Weir & Sons, Dublin and most recently the extremely exclusive Adare Manor, Limerick. Fulfilling the needs of all our customers is of importance. With every collaboration, we live a dream. WHAT INSPIRES YOU ABOUT THE WEARINGIRISH MOVEMENT? We can see a lot of synergies between our brands. The WearingIrish movement fundamentally inspires deep connections between people, the land, and the heritage of Ireland. WHO DO YOU WANT TO WEAR IRISH? Everyone! There is a little bit of Ireland in us all. TAKE US THROUGH YOUR CREATIVE PROCESS. For our ready-to-wear collections, we are united by a common theme—a connection to a land and its people, it is a living and breathing culture. It’s about being rooted—in relationships, in nature, in a personal and collective history. Together, we are stronger. WHAT DOES BEING IRISH MEAN TO YOU AND IN WHAT WAY HAS IT INFLUENCED YOUR CREATIONS? We are incredibly creative people and always have been. The people, the land, and the heritage of Ireland have influenced everything we do. THREE THINGS YOU CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT? Family, family, and family. TELL US ONE THING ABOUT YOURSELF THAT PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW THAT I DIDN’T ASK. Labhraim Gaeilge!