10 Questions With The Ouze

A lot of people can claim they had a lockdown hobby they took very seriously, talking your ear off with how many beautiful cakes they baked during that time, but not many can say that it changed the trajectory of their careers — well, Toby Vernon can. Him experimenting with jewellery making whilst at home in Lewes, East Sussex, led to the founding of The Ouze, a wax carved jewellery brand everyone is obsessed with. Praising the imperfections that mark the jewellery during the forging process, Toby chooses not to polish his pieces, so as to channel the raw beauty of the material. As well as imperfections, he is inspired by heirloom jewellery and the sign of time passing on it. Starting with a studio in Brighton, The Ouze has now settled in the Barbican and is excitingly marking this move with their first LFW presentation.

Why do you do what you do? What keeps you motivated to keep creating collections?

I love what I do, I feel very lucky to design jewellery everyday. I hope I can do it for the rest of my life. The brand is growing quite quickly so every month something is new which feels like the motivation to keep going. This year we went to New York and did a pop up which was incredible. Opportunities to keep travelling with the brand is a massive motivation. My plan for next year is to visit Tokyo and Seoul. I am meeting customers more and more with the studio in London and hosting more in person events. Speaking to reasons why people are invested and like the brand adds to fuel, there's a lot of first time jewellery buyers saying they’d never worn jewellery before and The Ouze was their first piece. Hearing these stories makes me just want to reach more and more of them.

What is the best part about creating in London, right now? 

I am now 10 minutes from Hatton garden so it's much easier to create. I only moved in at the start of August and I have been so focused on the upcoming show I don’t think I have fully taken in what London has to offer. I am looking forward to visiting more exhibitions and events of other makers 

What is one ritual you do in preparation for LFW that people wouldn’t expect? 

This is the first time I have ever put on an event for LFW so I haven’t got any rituals. I will try and stick to my usual routine so the anxiety doesn't get the better of me. 

If you had to describe your latest collection with one track – what would it be? 

Float on - Modest Mouse

Over the past few challenging years - with Brexit, post-Covid, with the retail landscape a bit of a mess - how have you thought about what you make and how to make it connect with your customer?

I began making jewellery during Covid so I can’t compare what it was like to have a business before, same with Brexit. Regardless, I believe people want to feel more connected to the people and story behind a brand. There's so much stuff thrown at us on Instagram and TikTok without any filters. I honestly think being real wins most of the time; people can spot ungenuine stuff from a mile away. Even more so with AI taking over, I think human connection and handmade things are really important.

How does your jewellery hold the power of imperfection? 

The process is very tactile, each piece is sculptured and the marks of the maker are left visible throughout the surface of the silver or gold. I do not polish pieces in order to preserve as much of the imperfection as possible. To me it's evidence of the human hand and it makes each piece unique.

What is the most personal/sentimental piece of jewellery you’ve ever made? 

I have the privilege of crafting engagement rings, each one unique, but some truly leave a lasting impression. Last summer, a particularly special experience unfolded when a close friend entrusted me with creating his engagement ring. Knowing both him and his fiancée made the process incredibly meaningful, and witnessing their wedding day completed the beautiful journey.

How is the big move to London going? 

It’s going well! Being by the Barbican is so fun. There have been a lot of appointments already as so many customers are based in London. The supply chain is 10 minutes walking distance which is amazing. If you had asked me a year ago, what my dream studio would look like, it's pretty close to what it is now. 

What is one non-jewellery piece you’d love The Ouze to make? 

I can’t wait to make some furniture, hopefully next year

What was it like to go from working solo to working in a duo? 

It was challenging at first. Learning to trust others and let go of responsibility in some areas is a skill in itself. My brand feels deeply personal to me. However, building an exceptional team has been transformative. It creates space for each individual to work on what they are best at and it's been essentially to keep up with the demand to continue building the team. Having someone who I can consistently rely on, is incredibly empowering. We are 2 full time at the moment, hopefully soon to be 3.

Explore more from The Ouze HERE