Even from across the Atlantic, Alice Waese exudes the same sort of effortless cool-girl charm as her artisanal accessories. Perhaps the easy confidence comes from her varied past — after a course in pattern drafting, followed by a course in poetry, the Canadian jewellery designer moved to New York where she worked as Maria Cornejo’s design assistant for four years. Shortly afterwards, she moved to London to study fine art. “I was doing a sculpture course at Goldsmiths and I realised that making jewellery was similar to making tiny sculptures. I was already familiar with the fashion industry so I combined the two and started my label.”

Portrait shot by Kimisa H

After leaving London in 2012, Waese settled in Brooklyn, where she is currently working on new jewellery as well as her fourth clothing collection. “My collections are unisex, seasonless and limited edition — only 90 pieces of each design are made. I don’t want things to be oversaturated. It’s also quite raw. None of it comes from an overly trained place. I'm sort of making up the rules as I go along so it’s a very organic process.” While her inspiration for her new collection can’t be cited to a specific time period or artist, she has been looking at a lot of antique sleepwear (“nighties, one-pieces and boxers from the 1800s”). However, she is always most influenced by her art. “I always start with my drawings. Everything gets pulled out of them, whether it’s an object or a uniform that I draw myself wearing. I try to keep my various disciplines one world and I believe my drawings do that.”

Waese is having an “inspiration week” as she works on her upcoming collections. The artist shares with us where she goes when she is seeking a creative spark.

Monday: Tender Buttons (143 E 62nd St, New York, NY 10065)

I'm on a button mission right now because I usually do my own sterling silver buttons but for the new collection, a bunch of the pieces are completely covered in buttons so it'd make a single garment the price of very fine jewellery. So on Monday, I'm going to a shop called Tender Buttons, which is named after Gertrude Stein's book. I've never been there before but apparently it used to function as a gathering space for artists, and it's supposed to have the most eccentric and beautiful collection of buttons ranging from the 18th century until now.

Tuesday: Dia:Beacon (3 Beekman St, Beacon, NY 12508)

On Tuesday I have plans to take the train to Dia:Beacon, which is one of my favourite day trips for inspiration and to get out of the city. It's a huge gallery in a former box-printing factory and it has an amazing collection of art from the 1960s onward. The space lends itself to large-scale instillation work so they have a bunch of Richard Serra's still sculptures, Dan Flavin's fluorescent lights and rooms and rooms of paintings from some of my favourites, like Agnes Martin.

Wednesday: Hibino (333 Henry St, Brooklyn, NY 11201)

On Wednesday I’m having dinner at my weekly spot, Hibino. Everyday they have these special, seasonal dishes called obanzai and the idea is to not waste food so they're made from little bits of other dishes that have been discarded. I always order that as my appetiser and then grilled salmon marinated in miso. I eat all of the fish then save the crispy skin for the last bit, which everyone seems to find weird but it's the most delicious part.

Thursday: Magic Jewelry (238 Canal St # 108, New York, NY 10013)

I'm going to get an aura reading on Thursday. I go to Magic Jewelry, which is this shop in Chinatown that's full of crystals and strange bits, and you go into a corner, sit in a chain and put your hands on these two sensors while the owner takes your picture. When you get the photo back you can vaguely see yourself behind thick layers of colour, and the owner reads you what she sees in your future depending on what the colours are. I've done it a few times before, but I'm doing it now because I'm trying to figure out my collection.

Friday: Front General Store (143 Front St, Brooklyn, NY 11201)

I like to go to Front General Store in Dumbo for inspiration. It's a really well curated selection of vintage from Japanese indigo to 1950s souvenir jackets, French workwear and lots of antique nighties — which is good for this collection — so I'm going to go there. I have a ritual where afterwards I meet my friend at a restaurant called Vinegar Hill House for a Bloody Mary. Dumbo is an amazing area, and Vinegar Hill is a sleepy street that's gone untouched by time so when I go, I'm in no rush to leave.

Alice Waese jewellery is stocked at Hostem in London.