Company Profile - International Jewellery London

Company Profile
The Alex Monroe brand was established in 1987 when Alex set up his first studio in South London.
His aim was to make great quality, wearable jewellery, which was originally designed and well priced.
Many years on, the demand for Alex’s jewellery is worldwide. It’s sold in heavyweight fashion
institutions such as Liberty and Harrods, and HP France across Japan.
In the UK the jewellery has a huge following, with boutiques everywhere from St Ives to Aberdeen
all reporting frequent sell outs. Liberty of London say of Alex Monroe:
“We are delighted to collaborate with such an individual and eclectic
designer who truly embodies Liberty’s ethos and artistic heritage.”
Alex Monroe had grown up in the English
countryside of Suffolk, in a big old house
surrounded by fields that ran down to the River
Orwell. One of five kids, they would all sail and
build camps and generally run wild. Sometimes
they would take off down to the river with fishing
rods and camp out for a couple of days.
When Alex was fifteen, he decided he wanted
to live in London and be a punk rocker, so left
behind the hammock he had been sleeping in
and said goodbye to the bats in the eaves of the
house…
Alex’s inspiration, right from the beginning of his career has been to use nature as a metaphor or tool
to pull out themes of nostalgia and Englishness, with the delicacy of a bygone age.
Alex Monroe jewellery is very personal, the pieces often mean a great deal to the wearer, and Alex
always designs with this is mind. The simple beauty of nature features throughout Alex’s collections,
with his love of wildlife transcending into instantly wearable pieces of jewellery which are always right
on trend.
37 Snowsfields, London, SE1 3SU | www.alexmonroe.com | 0207 378 6061
Alex Monroe is the trading name of Alex Monroe Ltd. registered in england and wales, company number 5697071
Despite this, Alex has never been one to actively follow fashions, and yet his pieces are now absolute
“must-haves”. When Sophie Dahl was pictured wearing the Bumblebee Necklace, stockists reported
instant sell-outs.
However, the brand does not rely on celebrity ‘endorsement’, all clients are genuine fans – from style
mavens Emma Watson, Sienna Miller, Elle Macpherson, Claudia Shiffer, Carey Mulligan and Thandie
Newton, to the lovely Emilia Fox and Jo Whiley.
The UK Jewellery Awards
2008 saw Alex being awarded the prestigious title of ‘Designer of the Year’. It was the
highest praise Alex could receive, and the judges were unanimous in their decision
saying: “His Quality is perfect and his style is so consistent.” Alex also made the
shortlist for this award in 2009 and 2010.
37 Snowsfields, London, SE1 3SU | www.alexmonroe.com | 0207 378 6061
Alex Monroe is the trading name of Alex Monroe Ltd. registered in england and wales, company number 5697071
In addition to producing four collections of jewellery
every year, Alex also finds time to work on exciting
collaborations, with diverse and luminary establishments,
such as the Victoria & Albert Museum, The British Legion,
Kew Gardens, Penhaligon’s, Coco De Mer, and a project
which forged the link between Burt’s Bees and the British
Beekeepers Association.
Bridging a gap between a love of food and jewellery, in
another incredible project Alex worked with 5 star hotel,
The Goring. Together they devised the Alex Monroe
Afternoon Tea which was finished with a delightfully
quirky Shrimp Necklace being delivered to your table! The
Necklace was an huge hit, which extended well beyond
the walls of the hotel.
2012 saw Alex open the doors to his first standalone store
situated near London’s gourmet haven, Borough Market.
The shop is part of a whole building designed by Alex with
award-winning architects DSDHA to form Alex Monroe
HQ, and is built from sustainable materials, very much in
line with the brand philosophy.
The shop itself is typically ‘Alex Monroe’ and a great
opportunity for customers to really see and experience
what the brand is all about, complete with quirky details
and little surprises!
In 2014, Alex released his first book, ‘Two Turtle Doves’,
published by Bloomsbury, and described as ‘a memoir of
making things’.
It traces the intimate journey of an idea as it is transformed
from a fleeting thought to an exquisite piece of jewellery,
from the flight of an arrow through an English landscape
to the buzz of a Paris fashion show. It explores inspiration,
construction and the afterlife of objects. Like Alex’s
jewellery, his story makes unforgettable connections
between sensation, memory and the translation of
emotion.
And in the midst of all this, Alex’s original objectives stay
true. Rather than compromise quality and produce the
jewellery in a factory, everything is still hand made in Alex’s
London studios by skilled craftspeople. Something of a
rarity in this age of mass imports and disposable fashion.
37 Snowsfields, London, SE1 3SU | www.alexmonroe.com | 0207 378 6061
Alex Monroe is the trading name of Alex Monroe Ltd. registered in england and wales, company number 5697071