Zara Simon studied Jewellery Design at Central St Martins and since 2008, when she started Zara Simon Jewellery, she’s collaborated with Felder Felder and Turquoise mountain, designed a collection for the 2012 Rolling Stones tour and has had countless celebrity commissions for it-girls like Rosie Huntington-Whitely, Cara Delevigne, Poppy Delevigne, and Natasha McElhorne. She’s also the designer of our stunning collection, Z for Accessorize.
What does IWD mean to you?
IWD is important to me as it highlights all the female jewellers in the industry more so on this day as we can celebrate their achievements as a whole. It also encourages us to appreciate how many more women there are in the industry these days.
How will you chose to challenge?
I will always be aware of everyone around me and close to me, in particular my children, who I will teach not to stereotype.
Tell us what it’s like being a woman within the PR industry? And what challenges you have faced?
It is exciting to be a women in the jewellery industry as I get to wear my creations along with the women I design for.
Why is it important to celebrate other women’s achievements?
I have been inspired by some amazing female jewellers since I started, including Elsa Schiaparelli, Elsa Perretti and Pippa Small, and more recently Jessica McCormack.
I faced challenges in my early career when I worked in Jaipur as it was a very male orientated industry, there were times I felt I was being disrespected as a women working on my own.
What advice would you give to your younger self, having the knowledge you have now?
I’d encourage myself to do a business course when I was starting out, as I found out the creative can be smaller part of having your own brand.
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