- Shaun Leane may be best known for the dangerous-looking pieces he designed for fashion maverick Alexander McQueen in the 90s
- Leane was a judge on the BBC series All That Glitters (2021–2022)
- He left his financially struggling brand in 2024
- We talk with some of the emerging talents he encouraged
Thorny silver stems that twist around the face. A metal jawbone worn over your own. Porcupine-quill cuffs that fan around the ears. A high-necked coiled corset evoking visions of armor. The jeweler Shaun Leane is perhaps best known for the sensual, dangerous-looking pieces he designed for the fashion maverick Alexander McQueen.
Leane was born in 1969 in north London. His career began at age 15 with an apprenticeship in Hatton Garden, the heart of London’s jewelry trade. There, he mastered the traditional techniques of goldsmithing, diamond setting, and antique restoration.
He met McQueen in the early 1990s, and the two became close friends and collaborators, with McQueen pushing Leane to break with tradition and convention in his jewelry designs. In a casual London pub, Leane and McQueen conceived iconic catwalk pieces. Rendered in silver, brass, and aluminum, these now reside in museums and private collections around the world.
Three decades later, it was Leane’s turn to push the creative boundaries of a new generation of goldsmiths and jewelers. In 2021, a BBC reality series pitted eight emerging jewelry designers against each other with weekly design challenges. Leane, alongside Solange Azagury-Partridge and, later, Dinny Hall, were tasked with judging the craftsmanship, artistic skill, and designs of the contestants. All That Glitters, modeled on The Great British Bake Off, ran for two seasons.[1] Throughout, the soft-spoken Leane offered insights and guidance, imparting some of the quiet genius that had “radicalized” the world of jewelry.[2]
The influence of Leane and the TV series cannot be overstated. Besides the positive impact on the winners and runners up, the show triggered a surge in applications to the Goldsmiths’ Centre’s apprenticeship program. Birmingham City University’s School of Jewellery saw visitors to its site peak during the course of the show’s airing. With his characteristic humility, Leane told the Financial Times that he hoped “jewellery [could] become the beating heart of the [design] industry in the UK again.”[3]
In mid-2024, the jewelry world was shocked when Leane announced his departure from his brand, which had struggled financially in the wake of post-COVID challenges. While the brand continues, with its pieces available online and at stockists across the UK, Europe, and the Middle East, its founder has moved on.
Announcing his decision on Instagram, Leane wrote, “I was a born maker, with an overwhelming desire to create. I will continue to design and craft unique pieces … capturing the times we are in. I look forward to the ventures that await.”
In light of this, it seems like a good time to examine his practical and cultural impact by speaking with some of the emerging talents that have crossed his path.
Tamara Gomez
Born in Sri Lanka to parents who emigrated to the UK in the 1960s, Gomez grew up with a deep appreciation for natural beauty and craftsmanship. She honed her skills with a BA in silversmithing and jewelry at Loughborough College of Art and Design and a master’s in goldsmithing at the Royal College of Art. Yet it was her time on All That Glitters that became a turning point in her career.
“I went on the show not to prove myself but because I needed a challenge,” Gomez explains. “I was at a low point in my life, and the show came at the right time to shake things up.”
Gomez was particularly struck by Leane’s encouragement. “His bold, boundary-pushing work inspired me, but his belief in me was even more valuable. During one episode, I almost gave up on a chain I was making, but Shaun’s looks of support from across the room kept me going.”
After the show, Gomez’s success took off, but the pace led to burnout. “I was manically busy and didn’t realize the toll it was taking on my mental and physical health,” she says. She has slowed down and reconnected with her roots by incorporating Sri Lankan stones into her designs.
“Working with stones from my birthplace feels meaningful,” she says. Her recent work, blending surrealism and symbolism, reflects her journey of resilience and reinvention. “Shaun reminded me that jewelry isn’t just about craftsmanship—it’s about storytelling. That’s something I’ll always carry with me.”
Aishleen Lester
Lester’s journey began in the fine arts. She exhibited bold, large-scale artworks in galleries from London to New York. Evening classes in soldering ignited her desire to create wearable art, but it was Leane’s designs for Alexander McQueen that inspired her to move into jewelry.
“Shaun was doing in jewelry what McQueen was doing in fashion,” Lester explains. “His work was sculptural, emotive, and [it] pushed boundaries while showing the body’s beauty and fragility.” Inspired, she wrote to Leane and secured an internship at his London studio.
Adjusting to jewelry-making wasn’t easy. “I was used to working on a large scale, but jewelry required a completely different kind of precision,” she recalls. “I didn’t even realize my finishing wasn’t up to standard until they showed me under a loupe.” Over time, her eyes became trained, and her skills flourished.
Lester credits her time at Shaun Leane with shaping her career. “It wasn’t just about techniques,” she says. “It was about understanding how jewelry interacts with the body and what it takes to create something extraordinary.” Her 2017 debut collection, “Light the Grey,” earned her a place in the IJL Kickstart Programme and the title of Designer to Watch. Today, Lester creates bold, emotionally resonant fine jewelry, a legacy of her time with Leane.
Hugo Luis Johnson
Johnson gained widespread recognition after winning the first season of All That Glitters, in 2021. Years earlier, in 2012, he had first encountered Leane’s work as a 16-year-old student at the Goldsmiths’ Centre. The introduction left a lasting impression. “It was clear that he had cultivated a personal and distinctive style, something every maker aspires to create,” Johnson recalls. This admiration only deepened as Johnson’s own career in jewelry design evolved.
During his time on All That Glitters, Johnson was particularly inspired by Leane’s encouragement to embrace bold ideas and unconventional materials. “Shaun taught me not to be afraid to think outside the box,” he explains. This mindset pushed Johnson to move beyond traditional techniques and develop a style that is uniquely his own.
Johnson shared a fond memory of Leane on set: “Being up early to film and exhausted from the high pressure of working till late, Shaun never failed to put a smile on everyone’s face. He kept the energy high and made us laugh, no matter what challenges we faced.” This warmth and encouragement, Johnson says, epitomized Leane’s dedication to nurturing the next generation of jewelers.
Since the show, Johnson has focused on exploring fine jewelry design with a fresh perspective. His recent collections reflect a deep connection to nature, with intricate sculptural pieces inspired by organic forms and lifelike details. “As makers, we have this innate hunger to create,” he says. “What sets us apart is finding our unique voice, and Shaun’s influence helped me unlock that.”
Piers Carpenter
Carpenter won season two of All that Glitters. For him, Leane’s work opened up a world of creative possibilities. Trained in traditional goldsmithing at an antique jewelry workshop, Carpenter had focused on restoring historical pieces until he watched Leane on All That Glitters.
“Shaun showed me that jewelry could be more than tradition,” Carpenter says. “It could make a statement, push boundaries, and borrow from other disciplines like fashion and sculpture.”
While interacting with Leane during the show, Carpenter found his enthusiasm infectious. “Shaun had this way of looking at a piece and asking, ‘What could be added to lift it, to make it better?’” Carpenter was especially inspired by Leane’s “why not” attitude, which encouraged experimentation and creativity beyond traditional techniques.
Since his time on the show, Carpenter has launched his own business, creating bespoke designs that blend his traditional training with a newfound sense of creative experimentation. “Shaun made it clear that he’s always just a phone call away if I need advice, which is incredibly reassuring,” Carpenter says. “He’s not just a mentor; he’s an advocate for the next generation of jewelers.”
Shaun Leane’s legacy is more than the iconic designs that provoke excitement—it’s the enduring inspiration he offers to emerging designers. As Leane moves into his next chapter, these designers, and many others, carry forward his daring vision and uncompromising craftsmanship.
[1] The show was produced at Birmingham City University’s School of Jewellery, which is an AJF member school.
[2] Hannah Tindle, “How Shaun Leane and Alexander McQueen Radicalised Jewellery,” AnOther, June 2024, 2020. https://www.anothermag.com/fashion-beauty/12621/shaun-leane-alexander-mcqueen-jewellery-interview-book-2020.
[3] Kate Youde, “Shaun Leane: All That Glitters Proves TV Gold for the Industry,” Financial Times, July 8, 2021. https://www.ft.com/content/f3a2fe3e-8564-4361-9ed8-5302856366bf.
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