OROTON JOURNAL
IN CONVERSATION WITH JOANNA HALPIN AND SOPHIE BEGG
To celebrate Oroton’s new Sterling Silver and 18K Gold Vermeil collection, we asked New York-based photographer and model Joanna Halpin to share her thoughts on the art of jewellery with Senior Jewellery Designer, Sophie Begg. Here, the two creatives discuss the inspiration behind their work, their favourite keepsakes and the secret to styling jewels for every occasion.
SEPTEMBER 2023
OROTON JOURNAL
IN CONVERSATION WITH JOANNA HALPIN AND SOPHIE BEGG
To celebrate Oroton’s new Sterling Silver and 18K Gold Vermeil collection, we asked New York-based photographer and model Joanna Halpin to share her thoughts on the art of jewellery with Senior Jewellery Designer, Sophie Begg. Here, the two creatives discuss the inspiration behind their work, their favourite keepsakes and the secret to styling jewels for every occasion
SEPTEMBER 2023
SOPHIE BEGG
Joanna, you have such a wonderful point of view. I’m interested to know what influences you and how you’ve developed your own unique style?
JOANNA HALPIN
Thank you Sophie, that is so lovely to hear. I would say that my style is effortless and timeless – I am not really one to follow trends or change my wardrobe often. I have a few pieces and styles that I wear frequently with the odd new piece thrown in here and there, but I very much stick to my comfort zone. And I think the influence on this is just what I am naturally drawn to and feel comfortable wearing – confidence is the main thing. As long as I feel confident in something, that is all that matters.
SOPHIE BEGG
How does jewellery inform your everyday approach to dressing – the two seem intertwined, you have a curated approach to choosing certain pieces. Do you think they say something about you?
JOANNA HALPIN
A lot like my choice of style, I stick to a few key jewellery pieces and every so often switch in a new piece or wear something a little more special for a certain occasion. My day-to-day favourites tend to be little gold hoops and a couple of rings that are very special to me that I never take off. If I am dressing differently for an occasion, I love a bigger earring or necklace.
JOANNA HALPIN
For me jewellery is such a personal form of expression. What made you fall in love with jewellery? And what inspires you, how do the collections come together?
SOPHIE BEGG
My love of jewellery started very early in my childhood. Working with my hands is meditative. To be able to create something that makes someone happy is fulfilling for me. Even more so if that piece then holds a special meaning. Jewellery is something that has nostalgia and holds memory. I think we all keep the special pieces that we may not wear all of the time because they have meaning to us. We can then pass them down and carry on that storytelling. Travel, art and all forms of design are great inspiration to me. As is seeing women with fantastic personal style – not unlike yourself. How someone carries themselves can be really inspiring.
JOANNA HALPIN
And what about styling – what is your creative process in designing in harmony with Oroton’s fashion line? What is your philosophy, and how do you imagine we wear the pieces?
SOPHIE BEGG
Its about having pieces that you can wear with ease. They’re unique but uncomplicated. They need to be polished and finish your look as opposed to detracting or feeling too fussy. They need to stand the test of time and be just as beautiful and relevant in years to come. Creatively you need to start with the “why” and the inspiration. You then exhaust that idea and see where it takes you until you can distil it down to final pieces that you feel meet those needs. Sometimes you need to wear pieces a little while before deciding if they have earned a place in the collection.
SOPHIE BEGG
I’d love for you to talk us through your edit from the Vermeil collection, which pieces were you drawn to and why?
JOANNA HALPIN
I was drawn to the pieces because of their elegance and I felt they could very much be a part of my personal jewellery collection. They all have a beautiful, simple elegance that I would feel so comfortable wearing, but also with enough detail and creativity to elevate whatever I was wearing.
SOPHIE BEGG
You’re an expert when it comes to the art of styling and layering – how do you see the pieces being worn?
JOANNA HALPIN
I love and chose these pieces as I can see them worn together, layered on my ear, and without being too much or overwhelming. All of the pieces could be worn and intertwined between the different styles, or they have enough detail and beauty to be worn individually and stand out.
JOANNA HALPIN
When it comes to dressing for work or going to the studio, how do you think jewellery can complement that?
SOPHIE BEGG
Like a lot of women, I am usually mood driven. I have my forever pieces – rings mostly – and I will often change up my earrings and sometimes add a necklace. I never like anything to feel too forced or overdone, often jewellery is a good way to refresh your work outfits or “capsule wardrobe” At the moment I rotate the Kora and Josie hoops as well as some earrings from our Caterina and Sphere collections that are coming in October.
SOPHIE BEGG
I believe that jewellery can polish and finish your look, build confidence, help shape how you feel. Can you share your tips for dressing to feel good, a lesson in styling jewels with confidence in mind?
JOANNA HALPIN
I agree that jewellery can really finish and refine any look. With dressing to feel good I believe it’s exactly that: wear what you as an individual to feel comfortable and confident in. For me something that will never fail is a white tee, navy tailored trousers paired with a little hint of gold jewellery – it’s so timeless and chic and elevated without having to try or think about putting something together.
