STEPHANIE SIEBER OF BRAVE EDITH

Brave Edith is a contemporary jewellery brand established by Stephanie Sieber in honour of her grandmother who fled war-torn Burma in 1942 with only a few pieces of silver. Thoughtfully made in small batches from precious metals, each design provides a fresh perspective on traditional motifs for protection and good fortune.

DESCRIBE YOURSELF AND YOUR DESIGNS?

I like to think of myself as hard working and hopeful. If you want to push for positive change in the world, I think it’s best achieved through a generous spirit and then just simply believing in what you are doing and trying hard to get there. For me, Brave Edith encompasses all of this.

BRAVE EDITH JEWELLERY HONOURS YOUR GRANDMOTHER. TELL US MORE?

Brave Edith, the brand and all my designs, are a tribute to my grandmother, Edith, who escaped war-torn Burma in 1942. She was forced to trek with her young son and mother-in-law for hundreds of kilometres through rugged terrain to reach the safety of India. It was her determination and self-belief, helped by the kindness of others, that enabled them to overcome extreme heat, exhaustion and disease. They all survived, but with barely any possessions including only a few pieces of silver and jewellery.

WHEN DID YOU DECIDE TO CREATE BRAVE EDITH JEWELLERY?

The seed was sewn on a trip to Burma in 2013 to celebrate my mother’s 70th birthday and discover the places where my grandparents had lived before WW2. I had recently moved back to Australia after working in advertising in London for many years and I was ready for a new challenge. Fast fashion was getting out of control and there seemed like an over-abundance of what I like to call “candy trinket jewellery”. It made me reflect on the special value placed on those few pieces of silver and jewellery in my own family and the value of craftsmanship.

Almost two years later, I quit my job and returned to study, commencing an Advanced Diploma in Jewellery and Object Design. I learnt the essential hand skills needed to design and make my own prototypes. It took another two years to create the prototypes, and then find ethical jewellery partners in India and the Far East who were able to make my small-batch designs.

TELL US MORE ABOUT HOW YOU DRAW INSPIRATION FOR YOUR DESIGNS?

My designs are all modern interpretations of some of India and Burma’s most powerful motifs for protection and good fortune. Most of them comprise a number of different, often intricate pieces, so they quietly move with you. That way you can just feel them there, giving you ever-so-subtle encouragement.

What creative work has you excited right now?

Too many to name. Humans are complex and so are our tastes, which is why I think variety excites me. For example, I love the timelessness of both Mies van der Rohe and classic Liberty prints, notwithstanding Mies van der Rohe’s designs are totally stripped back and minimalist, while Liberty designs are all about intricacy and layering.

Who are you collaborating with right now?

I have a few plans in the pipeline – both from a design perspective and at a general level. I have been volunteering for a couple of years for a charity who help support new migrants to Australia and I am now working on a way Brave Edith can become involved.

What do you love to do most to reCHARGE?

I am not really one to sit around. I recharge best when I am inspired by seeing or learning new things – so I love travelling to far flung places (Iran, Kazakhstan and of course, Burma and India). Although I do like to totally zone out with a massage every now and then too.

What advice do you have for emerging designers?

Don’t be too hard on yourself. It may sound trite, but there really is no such thing as an overnight success, not one that lasts anyway. So set a pace you can sustain and keep yourself energised with positive distractions.

I like to give myself small rewards often – a little one every day and then a slightly bigger one for the week and a bigger one again for the month. It can be as small as taking extra time for a cup of peppermint tea each day, or a monthly visit to an exhibition, whatever helps you to break things up and keep things in perspective.