Alice Herald

Alice is a New Zealand-based British Artist and Jewellery Designer

Alice is an artist and the founder of Alice Herald – a luxury brand with a focus on one-of-a-kind, fine jewellery pieces. She creates from her open studio in Wanaka, New Zealand and draws inspiration from the surrounding landscape. Each ‘miniature sculpture’ is made locally with ethically sourced gems, using 18kt ethically mined gold and platinum. During and after her studies at the prestigious Central Saint Martins’ Alice Herald worked for Benney, silversmiths and goldsmiths to the Royal Family, where Herald learned the quality of true craftsmanship, both in the materials used and the methods.   To this day, Herald is the only woman to have struck a hammer in the Benney workshop. Alice's unique design journey invites you to discover its strength, energy, and complex narrative.

We asked Alice about her design journey that informs her practice today. 

Tell us about your journey as a jeweller and artist - when did you become interested in those fields?

I had a very formal English education where you weren’t expected to leave and go to art school; it wasn’t deemed or accepted as an actual career.  So, I chose History of Art at Bristol as a close second. Before I started, I had a gap year and I went to Mexico with a friend.  Our parents wouldn’t let us ‘just travel’ so we had to have a focus. We chose art. The Instituto Allende is a beautiful art school in a colonial town about 4 hours north of Mexico City. I studied sculpture for the first month. The room next door had a mad Canadian called Billy teaching jewellery who intrigued us, so we extended our time there and it was Billy who first taught me that jewellery was really a miniature form of sculpture. I sent the prospectus for the Instituto to my parents saying I was going to study art for 4 years there. That didn’t go down well at all. So, after 4 months of travelling I went back to the UK to start my degree in History of Art, maintaining my new found passion for jewellery with evening classes. Whilst I love the greats and to this day can get lost for days in the Classics when visiting galleries, I couldn’t see how spending my degree in lecture theatres and the library was going to end in a career that I loved and that would last. Conversely, my Dad, a very conservative accountant, could not understand how I could have a profession in the art world. When I presented him with the Central Saint Martins degree in jewellery design he baulked at the thought of a BA Hons degree in Art or Design.  (I have to add here that both my parents are the reason I do what I do today and are my biggest supporters. My Dad, although late to the game, was fully committed once he was on board).  Let’s just say it was a rocky start!

My Godmother is a talented fashion historian and at the time was a lecturer at another London art college and helped me compile my portfolio. So I trundled up to London with a box of ceramics from my art A Level, an A0 folder full of sketches,  a wave sapphire ring I made in Mexico, and other pieces I’d created in Bristol to see the Director of Jewellery Design at Saint Martin’s. Amazingly it worked and I got a place that year for the BA Hons degree. Having the basis of a design-driven degree like this, and working with the names that I did with the opportunities that I had, really laid the foundations for what I do today.

Can you tell us a little something about your cultural heritage, and where is home now?

I grew up in the English countryside making wattle and daub camps in the fields, “rescuing” wild cats, riding horses and making art, so I had a blissful childhood with gorgeous friends and family.  My Mum is the life and soul and has the most incredible energy. She showed us how to be creative and explore our passions from an early age; she believed in and gave time to each one of her three children, rendering us all unique.

Home is now in the beautiful Wānaka in the South Island of New Zealand. 20 years ago, I took a long weekend away from London to see my best friend skiing in the Austrian Alps.  There I met a very nice Australian boy - he is now my husband! We came over to NZ to ski and travel and never went back. What started off as a great sadness for my family in me being so far away, has resulted in so much adventure and travel that they would never have otherwise experienced. They love the life we get to live here.

What’s your design process like?

Inspiration always comes first.  For me, I am inspired by nature, its colours, and architecture.  Then comes the design process.  For both bespoke pieces for clients and collections, I create a brief and mood board for myself.  If I’m creating for a client, I use a set of questions that extracts uniquely personal information that I can transform into details and features within the jewels. 

Traditionally trained, I start design by sketching pencil on graph paper so I can work to scale. I also find that sketching is the fastest way to get ideas out of the mind and onto paper. When you’re in the flow, especially for collections, the mind works fast so your hand just goes with it, and essentially translates those ideas into more physical forms as such.  Alongside the design work, I’m gem sourcing.  I’m quite particular with this part of the process.

Once I’m happy with the design and have captured the feeling, then we move into 3D modeling. 

From there we can image the finished pieces prior to crafting. We sometimes prototype pieces if they are particularly detailed, or for a large new collection, I like to see it all in resin 3D form to visualise the finished collection as a whole.

Your career highlights

Client confidentiality doesn’t allow me to say too much but I’ve worked with some incredible diamonds, both in size and quality. This is a huge privilege.  I just adore designing unique settings for special gemstones.  The jewels will be around far longer than we will, so designs that emotionally connect with people and commemorate them will stand the test of time.  I’ve been fortunate to be inside a prestigious diamond-cutting workshop where they cut diamonds of note, and that gives me tingles just thinking about it. These diamonds are such rarities - they really are a great wonder.

An early career highlight was being part of London Fashion Week alongside a fashion designer.  Having my pieces strutting around China White’s in London’s Soho felt pretty cool at such a young age.

Oh, and I am the only woman to have struck a hammer in the workshop of the House of Benney.

Challenges you’ve come across as a creator and any important lessons along the way?

Being an artist and creator provides the opportunity to explore how you see the world and show this to others.  However, there is a certain degree of vulnerability because you’re putting your own thoughts out on a plate - or in my case into a jewel. When I was in my early twenties I found this daunting and felt quite judged. I’ve found that with each collection I delve deeper to extract what it is I want to tell, to challenge the design process I’ve developed over the years, and essentially push myself more. I know myself better and have the confidence to back myself, resulting in a refined signature and presence.

Can you name some people that have influenced your work

With my background in art history, Leonardo da Vinci is a long-term love of mine. Maria Grazia Chiuri inspires me with her inspirations, process, and catwalk storytelling presentations for Dior. Alexander McQueen for just being him and staying true to himself, his original ideas, and interpretations of those ideas. Female founders and pioneers of old, such as Madame Clicquot and Nancy Wake are also tremendously influential - they were so incredibly brave and backed themselves all the way.

Any advice to younger founders & creators trying to navigate the industry

Believe in yourself,  It’s a cliche I know, but you have to have your own back. Listen to your gut and only get those on board who truly align with your purpose. Don’t rush.  Print your mantra, mission statement, or purpose out and have it in front of you each day. If you ever question yourself, wonder what to write, or doubt your next move, just revisit this - it helps you to align with your North Star and where you want to go.

Your personal style

I’m a trainers girl through and through and love a bit of colour. I’m always on the move so comfort is key. I buy beautifully made wardrobe staples and then work around them with other brands. I have a couple of pairs of gorgeous trousers from Victoria Beckham - I love the line and tailoring of her pieces. I go to Stella McCartney for her unique form and materials and love Rory William Docherty also for this reason.  Gestuz for their use of colour and unexpectedness.  I love NZ designers, especially Zambesi, Harris Tapper, and Marle.

Tell us how you navigate beauty and makeup as an extension of your personal style. Do you have go-to brands and looks?

I don’t wear a huge amount of makeup, but again I do love a bit of Victoria Beckham.  I’m an eyeliner girl and love greens, purples and blues.  VB has some beautiful shades in her collections, so when I travel I always pick some up - she has such an incredible Dover Street store if you’re ever in London too.  I prefer Charlotte Tilbury or Chanel for foundation. Wanaka is very dry, and I do a lot of sports, so I invest more in serums and oils than makeup to keep my skin hydrated.

Your favourite books

I am all books and music. I recently read Mornings in Jenin by Susan Abulhawa and was so deeply moved by it.  It presented me with so many questions that I spent a long time researching after I finished reading it. I love books that stay with me, and I am part of a wonderful book club with some brilliant minds, so I am very lucky to be introduced to some good, intelligent reads.  I’m an early bird so I love getting into bed at 8.30 pm with a book, it’s how I wind down in the evening.

Top 5 sounds to keep you going

Being a runner, I change up my music from deep drum & bass to Flashdance radio to 90s rock - I love variety.  I’m a flautist too, so I love designing jewellery for to classical music.

What’s next for you and the brand?

I have a very exciting year ahead with so much in the plan!  We’re starting the year launching with a small collection of exceptional diamond rings, centred around how diamonds make you feel when worn.  I really loved designing these. Mid-year we’ll be starting a new venture with my biggest Couture collection yet, achieving a very long-term goal that has been years in the making.  I can’t wait to share it all with you!

Interview - Zeenat Wilkinson
Alice Herald Portraits - Olivia Hemus
Dahlia campaign - Marissa Findlay