Our latest jewellery collection, the Akarsana Capsule, is our first in-house designed collection.
After celebrating our 5th Birthday last April, our team collaborated with our artisan partners in Kathmandu, Nepal to design a series of custom charm jewellery with meaningful motifs inspired by our journeys and travels around the world. We hope you're as charmed as we are.
Artisan & Fox launched back in 2017 after our founder, Jaron, was volunteering in Nepal after the devastating earthquake of 2015. As tourism dried up, many artisans and craftspeople found themselves unable to make an income. Jaron launched a pilot online store, which proved to be a small success, and thus the idea for Artisan & Fox began.
The first collections launched by A&F were a series of simple, sterling silver rings with moonstones. Since that first collection, our online marketplace has grown to encompass unique, heritage-inspired goods crafted by traditional makers in Kenya, Afghanistan, and beyond.
The Design Process
Hi there! I'm Rebecca, and I'm part of the creative team here at A&F. When I started ideating on different jewellery ideas, I felt drawn to charms and charm necklaces, which offer a symbolic and beautiful way to add meaning and nostalgia to a piece of jewellery.
One of my favourite products at A&F is the Pari Chain Bracelet. I love the simplicity and elegance of the design. Building upon this piece, we decided to create a series of custom A&F charms that represent our brand and story.
Early samples of our Akarsana Pearl Hoops before going with the pear rather than the bead.
The Charms
After re-iterating on different design ideas, we decided on three cut-out charms that could be incorporated into studs, hoops, bracelets, and necklaces. Each piece can be worn individually, or as a set, with infinite possibilities to mix and match.
The foxtail charm stems directly from our logo, as well as from our name, Artisan & Fox. The fox is a lovely part of our brand name, inspired by the character of the fox in The Little Prince. The “Fox” is also the spiritual Inari messenger in Japanese mythical culture. Similarly, we want to be the spiritual bridge between you - the conscious consumer - to your makers residing in different countries.
The sun charm pays tribute to the country of Nepal, where our first collections were crafted. The sun is also found on the flag of Nepal, and is a symbol for fierce resolve, in a country surrounded by the world's highest peaks.
Finally, the compass rose alludes to infinite possibility; the wanderlust joy of travelling. When A&F launched, Jaron, and the rest of the team journeyed to Cambodia, Afghanistan, and Vietnam to encounter artisans and to learn more about the beautiful craft traditions of these countries.
Akarsana Capsule
Our latest Nepali drop features four new jewellery pieces. Designed to be mixed and matched as a set, or worn individually. Featuring three distinct cut-out charms, each jewellery piece is a heartfelt reminder of the joys of travelling and infinite possibility.
Handcrafted by artisan makers in the historic city of Kathamndu.
Discover our latest drop of Nepali-crafted jewellery.
Karine wears the Akarsana Studs, Akarsana Charm Necklace, and Akarsana Charm Bracelet.
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