Classic engagement rings become playful sculptural swirls of gold in the hands of jewellery designer and Le Ster founder Aishleen Lester, whose debut engagement ring collection celebrates the seamless interlocking of rings.
‘I like to fuse traditional craftsmanship and attention to detail with a dynamic, sculptural sensibility,’ says Lester. ‘I also like to think of myself as being a storyteller through line and design; I love to weave stories with imagery and narratives found within art to create an original language that resonates with you, the wearer.
‘It is important to me that originality, art and difference are also paired with functionality. All the “Meant to Be” pieces are designed to be worn all day every day, so that they can become part of your life – their association and meaning to you grow as you grow.’
The pieces, in 18ct recycled gold, draw on Lester’s background as a sculptor. ‘It felt like a challenging task, giving a form to love without relying on historical symbols like hearts. Through the process of drawing and making literally hundreds of prototypes in metal and plasticine, I realised that love is not something to be defined and put in a box, but more an energy that cannot be forced, and one with its own momentum and significant connection to fate. My job was to realise that sense of potential movement and life through form.
‘Whilst encapsulating the feeling of love in metal is a never-ending task, I have to admit that I am proud of the expression of love that my pieces represent – they are fluid, constantly in motion and can work paired together, or exist happily on their own.’
