FERNANDO JORGE

Brazilian FERNANDO JORGE has taken the traditional and turned it on its head in a most inspired way, becoming a shining light in the world of jewellery design. An early fixation with decorative objects and a passion for drawing led Fernando to his chosen design path.

He studied Product Design in São Paulo and his foray into jewellery began while still a young design student.

Fernando Jorge worked for almost a decade in key design roles at Brazilian jewellery labels. This experience has imbued him with a commercial savvy and honed his aesthetic. During this period he also started teaching jewelry illustration at the São Paulo campus of the renowned Italian “Istituto Europeo di Design”.

Over the years, Fernando’s passion for fine jewellery only deepened, culminating in his decision to relocate to London to pursue the MA at Central Saint Martins.

His first eponymous collection was presented to critical acclaim at his graduation in 2010. In a short space of time the design world and international media were in agreement about his talent. In 2019 he was awarded the jewellery design prize of the Gem Awards.

Dividing his time between London, and São Paulo, Jorge finds a cultural symbiosis that informs his designs in a truly unique way. From his East London studio, full of natural light, the designer works on the creative and strategic side of the brand. Once he has a clear idea of what he wants, Fernando relies on his extensive network in Brazil to materialize his designs, working closely with small workshops and craftsmen in central São Paulo.

Brazil is rich in colored gemstones and Fernando taps into this resource, using materials that are common in Brazil. According to the designer, their beauty can often be overlooked and he challenges himself to give them a new life. Jorge gives them his trademark finish, experimenting with unusual cuts and forms.

In homage to his homeland, Fernando’s pieces are imbued with an organic sensuality and a natural feeling of movement and elegance, an aesthetic inherently Brazilian in its approach. Fernando’s creations are contemporary and provocative, while at the same time grounded in the fine jewellery tradition that he is extremely well versed in. Whilst he uses traditional craftsmanship of the past, the feel is strikingly new and modern.

FERNANDO JORGE is available at these independent stores.