Trouw's Coastal Cliff Creations
“TROUW by Kate Trouw is a collection of elegant yet playful statement pieces which can be worn every day. Made by hand in our cliff-top studio in Scotland, we use non-precious materials to make jewellery inspired by our coastal location.”
How and why did you start?
The transition from architecture to jewellery design was a slow process which began with a ceramics night class/workshop at Hackney City Farm, back when I lived in London. I realised how much I had missed making things, experimenting with materials and just generally making a mess. It was a fundamental need that wasn’t met by practicing architecture so eventually, inevitably, I found myself here.
Three words that embody your brand essence:
Playful, experimental, open.
Tell us a little about your product origins / manufacturing processes, and your favorite part!
I work with a lot of different materials and the origin of most collections is generally an experiment. I have boxes full of them and often it will be something that I made a while ago that will spark a new direction.
It’s important to me that what I make is wearable and accessible – I don’t want to make art jewellery that no one can afford, but at the same time I want to be experimental and try new things, so its about getting a balance between the two. The end product has to be something that I can make in volume and a wide enough audience will want to wear!
I make everything by hand here in my studio. At the moment my favourite thing is pairing up pieces of sea glass from the beach to make the Found collection earrings. A coating of resin brings the glass back to life and the colour combinations are ace.
Five things inspiring or influencing your design/creative process right now:
Melting/squashing/layering
Geological forms
Colour gradients (always)
Ann Veronica Janssens
The industrial history of the local area
Do you ever feel overwhelmed, underwhelmed, or run-down creatively? How do you balance wellness and get on the ball again?
Of course! Normally as a result of trying to do too many things at once so I find the best thing to do is have a tidy up. I identify both the most pressing thing I need to do, and the thing I’m most interested in exploring and put everything else away. If that fails, I go for a swim in the sea.
A song to describe your new collection:
Carey by Joni Mitchell. Being barefoot on the beach, dressing up in silk, having fun and drinking wine.
Design heroes?
Not necessarily designers but: Denise Scott Brown and Jane Jacobs
So what do you think of Shoppe Object, and Shoppe On?!
I’m really enjoying this new way to do a trade show from the comfort of my studio – it’s so much more sustainable. I hope it’s here to stay.
What’s the most cherished object in your home?
Hopefully soon my home will be my most cherished object! I’m designing a tiny wee energy efficient house and hope to start construction next year. An artist friend is making the fabrics, I’m trying to persuade a sculptor friend to make the kitchen, and I’ll be making as much of everything else as I can, from bathroom tiles to bedside tables.
What’s on the horizon for this year? Any products or colors we should be on the lookout for?
In 2021 I’ll be releasing a new collection of pieces made from aluminium. It’s been in development for a long time now and I can’t wait to finally get it out there. It’s based around digital drawing experiments so it’s a bit of a departure for me. Don’t ask me about colours – with my background in architecture that’s the bit I find hardest.
Biggest takeaway from 2020?
The power of technology (for good and bad), the importance of friends.
In five years I want ...
To still be experimenting and making a mess.
Biggest hope for 2021 and beyond?
That our leaders take the climate emergency seriously. The knowledge and technologies already exist to dramatically cut our carbon emissions, but we can’t do it without committed leadership.