Lucie Ferguson – the brains and brilliance behind the gorgeous fine jewellery line, Babyanything. A product born out of a creative pulse with incredible execution and steady hands. Jewellery is something that most women wear daily, feeling naked without it. It also plays a huge part in the way a lot of women view themselves and think of themselves as beautiful. In a previous interview I once read, Lucie mentioned that “jewellery is so personal, it is the only thing you still have on your body when you’re naked. It is an extension of your body” something I believe truly resonates with the idea of beauty. SO I thought it would be interesting to talk to the woman behind the jewellery line that really does make one feel beautiful.
First things first, beauty is not focused on one particular thing, it’s not just about make-up it can be about flowers, colours, landscapes and in this particular case – jewellery. I want to know what beauty means to you?
I have truly come to believe that beauty comes from the inside out. I watched my mother who battled for 11 years with a terminal illness and yet for such a long period she never looked ‘sick’, people would stop her in the street and ask her what face cream, or hair dye she used and we would laugh because she literally couldn’t use anything because of her illness. She had the kindest soul and generous heart and it literally shone out of her face. I see it in my sister Elle, her kindness can be seen in her face.
Babyanything, tell me about it. Why jewellery and what inspired you to venture into it?
I originally applied to University for a Fine Arts degree for sculpture, when I went for my interview the panel noticed that my pieces had a really strong fashion aesthetic and offered me a place in the coveted Jewellery department. I had never thought I wanted to be a jeweller but in hindsight it has always been a passion of mine and I have many tattoos over my hands and body that resemble jewellery pieces, so it is a natural career path I guess.
Everything is hand-made correct? How on earth do you get so much detail into your products? Some of them are so small and dainty, it’s amazing – definitely need a steady hand! Everything is handmade! It is such a powerful connection when you dream up an idea from a product and then you create it with your two hands and then eventually you see someone wearing it in the street and they tell you how much they love it. It is addictive! I am taking on more custom engagement pieces so I have relinquished some production work to a staff member, it was hard to give up making every single piece myself though.
They are so fine and dainty and I believe it is much harder to make things at that scale, it is easier to make a larger ring as you have more surface area to hold and make mistakes with. I have trained for 9 years to be a jeweller though and I am still learning.
If you can describe the baby anything wearer who would they be? What would they wear, where would they travel, what would be their dreams?
I am always surprised by the #Babyanythingbabe and I get so excited when I see people wearing it that I would not expect. As a MUSE the Babyanything girl is a chameleon, she grew up in the 70’s, she wears every shade of denim, but loves leather and lace, she travels the world, but is never far from the ocean. She disco dances till dawn and her dream is to be creative in life and be kind to all.
How do you define the link between beauty and jewellery? Obviously there is the connection of stones and gems and precious metals but what else is there that makes it so interesting and for you to continue to work with it?
I think that jewellery can help highlight a wearers beauty, perhaps it’s a statement earring that gives the wearer extra confidence and makes them shine when they walk in the room. Or it can be the engagement ring that puts a permanent smile on a girls face everytime she looks at her hand. Maybe it is the beautiful wrinkles on a grandmothers face when she hands one of her rings down to a grand-daughter. Jewellery for me holds energy and stories and there is so much beauty in that.
Now, do you wear a lot of jewellery or are you more minimalist. As in you have your key pieces and that’s it? And adding onto this, are you a gold or silver type of person?
When I am at the bench I have to ditch all my rings as they just get wrecked, that’s why I love my finger tattoos, I still have something to look at. Ever since I got engaged I have worn less jewellery as everything seems to fail in comparison to my ring, but when I do go out and make an effort I pile on the jewels. I love stacking a particular fine style, like the Destiny rope ring en masse so my hands glitter with the gold, or have seven giant sterling silver signet rings over my two hands, I like to change it up. I will have an amazing collection to pass onto my kids as my mum passed onto my sister and I.
And lastly, to date, what has been your most treasured piece of jewellery?
My engagement ring! I always thought I would make it myself but my fiancé organised it with my sister from a picture I had drawn of my ‘perfect ring’ when I was doing my apprenticeship. They planned it for 3 months with my friend who is a fellow jeweller and he surprise proposed in Hawaii. I was so surprised at the proposal and then when I saw it was my ring, my design come to life I was literally in shock. I became one of the ‘ugly crying’ girls, just completely shocked at the thought and effort of my loved ones. Apart from the stunning diamonds the most special part is it has ‘Aloha’ engraved on the inside band.
https://babyanything.com.au check out this fantastic and inspiring brand
