First Look: Meadowlark’s Latest Jewellery Collection, Neptune, Celebrates the Beauty and Mystery of the Universe

It takes a lot to keep a business thriving for 17 years, but Meadowlark has remained one of Aotearoa’s most beloved and well-known names in the jewellery sphere since it was founded by husband-and-wife team Claire Hammon and Greg Fromont in 2006.

The first drop of their latest release, Neptune , is available from today.

It’s a departure from their other recent collections – slightly more off-kilter and boundary-pushing, which also harks back to the rebellious spirit of Meadowlark’s roots. It is named for both the planet and the Roman god of the ocean, and features oversized orb earrings and necklaces; misshapen pearls covered with gold and silver “barnacles”; spiky star necklaces and rings ; and thickly curved metal pieces designed to mimic a warped wave.

“I wanted to create a range with new energy that also feels true to Meadowlark’s origins,” said creative director Hammon in a statement. “Neptune is expressive and playful, a bit ’90s, weird but still very wearable.”

Broadsheet spoke to Hammon about Neptune, the secret to staying inspired, and how she and Fromont stay solid as partners in both life and business.

Aesthetically, this collection is a fun sidestep from your previous releases lately. It’s quite statement-making. Can you tell us about that creation process?
When we started designing and making this collection, it felt like the fog had lifted after the last couple of difficult years and we could finally make things that were more fun. Previously we were making things that held meaning to help get people through tough times; it all became smaller and quieter. But Meadowlark’s history is more about making some bigger, bolder statements among the intimate. The creation process is different every time, but we usually make every idea we can think of and then edit down from there. The collections, while we intend for them to be small, keep getting bigger!

This collection is very inspired by the natural world. Is this something that usually comes into your collections, or have you interpreted this in a new way this time?
I think the natural world is here and there throughout our archives, but this collection felt really powerful and strong and a bit weird. We don’t usually start with any particular theme, we just make all the ideas and then the story starts to form itself, really. This one was easy to name Neptune, as it really felt like we were touching on the universe above and below, and making objects in abstract ways.

What’s the balance between you and Greg in terms of creativity and technicality, and how does that usually work when coming up with new collections and pieces?
We are both creatives which is a blessing and a curse – if one of us was much more business-oriented things might be a bit easier! I am across all things brand and design and marketing, so I make sure everything looks great, from design right through to social and online, alongside our awesome team of course. Greg is more technical, so he does a lot of CAD [computer-aided design] work and then is across the more functional and less creative parts of the business, unfortunately for him – but he’s great at it!

What are your individual strengths and weaknesses?
I think my strength is strong intuition and getting things done. Alongside having loads of random creative skills – graphic design, a bit of photography, et cetera – so, I can get a lot done in a day. I love a deadline, so I am the person who is always pushing forward. I would say my weakness is impatience and regular self-doubt.

For Greg, I would say his strength is perseverance and calmness, he works hard and will get through enormous projects without quitting – even when it’s extremely tedious. His weakness might be a touch of procrastination, but he’s a really great person, one of the nicest you could meet.

The longevity Meadowlark has had is very admirable, especially given the challenges of the last three years. What have been some key strategies to help you weather challenging times and remain relevant and inspired?
I think being passionate about making high-quality objects keeps us going. I’m not sure how we stay relevant, but I am determined to stay interested and alert throughout my life – and the world is endlessly inspiring.

The last three years have been exceptionally challenging. I’m still waiting for things to feel a bit easier but, in the meantime, the main strategies I have are just normal things like reading and keeping up with what’s happening in many parts of the creative world, as well as making sure I take care of my health and trying to avoid letting stress get too overwhelming.

It seems like gold has been trending over silver in the last few years – but your collection heroes silver beautifully. Is silver on the up? What do you notice with your customers?
Silver is definitely making a comeback. It’s slower in New Zealand to see jewellery trends, but silver is more affordable than gold so it’s always popular. Our customers are unique and cultured, and very considered when it comes to buying jewellery, so it’s more about what they love and what holds meaning to them.

You’ve said in some ways this collection harks back to Meadowlark’s roots – can you talk a bit about how the brand identity and offering has evolved over 17 years?
Wow, over 17 years a lot has changed – but a lot has stayed the same. I think we still have the same reason running though the brand: to add beauty to the world and to allow us creative freedom or artistic licence. There is still a touch of rebellious spirit running through everything we do. I think the evolution of the brand has really been the constant learning and improving things bit by bit over time. I am on a mission to keep improving and elevating everything I can.

The way Neptune harks back is just in the bigger, bolder and more playful pieces; things got smaller for a while there but the big, complicated styles are what keeps it challenging, in a good way.

What are your favourite pieces from the new collection?
Oh, so many things. I love the Parallel Wave ring with the Pave Halo band. I love the Galaxy necklace and the Cosmo pearl necklace. But some of my favourites are not out until June. The Anemone pearls, Anemone hoops and the Orb necklace are at the top of my list.

What’s the secret to being such solid partners both in business and life?
We don’t work side-by-side all day; we are busy with our own things. It can be hard when we are both stressed and we need to vent, which doesn’t help either of us to feel less stressed. Honestly, I don’t know if there is a secret, we just really love, like and respect each other and we accept each other as we are and we have a lot of fun. Our relationship comes first, no matter how hard things might get with work. We know we are really lucky and that what we have is unusual and special. Greg also subscribes to “happy wife, happy life” so that helps.

What’s next for Meadowlark?
We are just taking it day by day, slow and steady to get through what is proving to be another challenging year. And we just finished another collection which will be out from October to January, and is a romantic evolution from Neptune.

The first drop of the Neptune collection is available from today, and will be released through May & June 2023.

meadowlark.co.nz