Interview :: Little Peche

The story behind handmade pieces make them that bit extra special. We wanted to find out more, so asked one of our favourite designer-makers some questions as part of our Interviews series. Read the interview below, and check out the gorgeous geometric jewellery in the shop.

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

Hi! I am Maxine, the designer/maker behind jewellery brand Little Peche. I am 24 and live in Staffordshire. By day I work as an Art Technician at a local High School and spend my evenings, weekends, and days off running my creative business and creating my idea of the perfect jewellery.

What led you down this creative path and how long have you been following it for?

Little Peche began from a need to carry on being creative after I finished my degree in 2010. That summer I started making handmade accessories which I sold online as a hobby. My ideas and skills developed from there and I have just launched my second jewellery collection for Autumn/Winter 2012.

Where do you work from?

I work from my home studio/bedroom. It can get a little chaotic at times but I love that I can roll out of bed and get to work straight away. I have a lovely old fold-out wooden table that was my grandmothers that I work on. I do look forward to having a separate studio to work from one day though. I am a bit of a vintage hoarder and have had to stop buying things because I have no space, so I’d love to have some new shelves to fill.

What's your creative process? Do you fill a notebook with designs, work methodically, or go with the flow?

I always start by filling a notebook with ideas which usually just involves lots of shapes. I have lots of ‘inspiration’ folders on my computer that I fill with things I like. I find Pinterest and Tumblr really useful for collecting imagery. When I have a vague idea of my theme I start to draw my design ideas on Photoshop, which lets me visualise what the shapes and colours will look like. Then I choose my strongest ideas, work out how they will fit together as a collection, and start making. Although this sounds really thought out and methodical, I often end up scrapping ideas that seemed strong to begin with and come up with completely new pieces by accident in the making process.

Do you have any formal creative training or qualifications?

I have a BA hons in Multi-Media Textile design from Loughborough University, which is where I first became interested in working with geometric shapes and wood.

What's your favourite way to spend a Sunday afternoon?

Sundays spent in Wales on the beach and taking long walks in the countryside are my favourite in Summer.  When it’s rainy and cold though, I like staying in with my boyfriend, cooking some Thai food and watching a Woody Allen film.

Thanks for speaking to us, Maxine! Be sure to check out Little Peche jewellery in the shop.