Howell

Laura Burnham began making jewellery as a young child during long summer vacations at her family's country home in Maine. Graduating from Skidmore College, Laura concentrated her time during college in the metals studio, experimenting with new techniques, pushing herself to the limit, always eager to come up with new designs. After graduating, she moved to New York City where she worked for jewellery designers Alyssa Norton, Lee Angel and clothing designer Gaby Basora for her line Tucker. Being in such a creative work environment was incredibly inspiring for Laura.

The name of the line Howell is homage to Laura's late grandmother, Wenonah Howell, who is the single most inspirational woman in her life. A painter and seamstress, she attended art school in Boston in the 1930's, was mother to five children and as a young woman, contracted the polio virus. She was confined to a wheelchair for the rest of her life, retaining only thirty percent use of one hand. With extremely limited mobility, she taught herself to sew using her mouth and left hand, drove a car, and lived almost entirely independently. She let nothing stand in her way, and left a legacy that is impossible to deny.

Aside from her grandmother, Laura draws inspiration from many things: discovering long-forgotten clothing in her mother's closet, traveling into unknown territories, getting lost in friends impressive collections of small trinkets. Her penchant for nostalgia and the past reveals itself in her designs. Her pieces retain a certain quality of the past, yet respect the modern. They maintain a delicate sensibility about them whilst still making a statement.