British jewellery designer Hannah Martin is no stranger to London’s Hatton Garden; she has occupied studio and atelier space on the edge of London’s traditional jewellery quarter since 2008. But after a year of introspection, Martin has rebranded and recalibrated her collections, and designed a new premises in Farringdon.
Entered via an anonymous gated alleyway, a ground-floor entrance hall opens into her retail and exhibition rooms. Extensive renovations, which began early last year, saw the old building stripped back to its bare brick walls and wooden beams. Says Martin, ‘We’ve rebuilt almost everything, but worked hard to capture the essence of the brand in the process.’ Known for her androgynous jewellery that harvests motifs from punk and rock ’n’ roll, Martin creates edgy and graphic pieces, handcrafted in precious metals and gems.
‘We wanted the mood to be really beautiful but not in a hard way,’ she says. A poured concrete floor is offset with clay-plastered walls flecked with mica powder, a soft, reflective material that gives the surface a tactile, gentle sheen. Four large showcases, inspired by the sculptures of Richard Serra, dominate the space, with bases welded together by a friend and left in the rain to rust and patinate to a soft orange. ‘They’re a great interruption of the volume, but crucially they’re on casters, so we can move them around,’ says Martin. ‘I wanted the flexibility to be able to throw a gig, or host a fancy dinner, or collaborate with a photographer and hang pictures on the walls; it should feel like a gallery, too.’
If an environment must echo the aesthetics of its owner, then Martin has achieved just this, successfully treading the fine line between a brutalist, industrial oeuvre and cosseting luxurious space.
INFORMATION
As originally featured in the May 2020 issue of Wallpaper* (W*254) – download the latest issue free here
-
The Sialia 45 cruiser is a welcome addition to the new generation of electric boatsPolish shipbuilder Sialia Yachts has launched the Sialia 45, a 14m all-electric cruiser for silent running
-
Tokyo design studio We+ transforms microalgae into coloursCould microalgae be the sustainable pigment of the future? A Japanese research project investigates
-
What to see at London Craft Week 2025With London Craft Week just around the corner, Wallpaper* rounds up the must-see moments from this year’s programme
-
As London’s V&A spotlights Mughal-era design, Santi Jewels tells of its enduring relevance‘The Great Mughals: Art, Architecture and Opulence’ is about to open at London’s V&A. Here, Mughal jewellery expert and Santi Jewels founder Krishna Choudhary tells us of the influence the dynasty holds today
-
Art takes London: Tiffany & Co, Damien Hirst and artists take over Selfridges' windowsFour British contemporary artists celebrate Tiffany & Co's pioneering history with a series of storied window displays
-
Late summer jewels: what to wear at Golden HourLate summer signals a jewellery style-shift. These independent designers have got it covered
-
All smiles: How a grillz jewellery making class in London became an international hitWhat started as a passion project quickly exploded in popularity. We get the story behind the grillz-making workshop at Cockpit London
-
Emerging jewellery designers to get to knowThese independent, new and emerging jewellery designers and brands from New York to Paris are firmly on our radar
-
Jewellery designers share their most precious personal piecesA host of jewellers give us a peek at the jewellery which brings them joy and solace
-
Playing it cool: pearls are having a momentWe've been deep-diving into boutiques around the world to find the very best calcium carbonate in minute crystalline form. It seems jewellers have been busy rethinking pearls, with contemporary (and often affordable) results
-
Eternity rings for the modern coupleEternity rings, whether sleekly minimalist or sprinkled in diamonds, can be a chic and contemporary love token
