Robinson Pelham Celebrates 30 Years

British jewelry brand Robinson Pelham, known for its bold designs and surprising color palettes, is celebrating three decades this year with aplomb, including a residency at Trove in the West Village. Ahead, creative director Vanessa Chilton fills us in.

What was your pathway into the jewelry world?

I trained at Chelsea College of Arts before studying jewelry and goldsmithing at Central Saint Martins. After graduating, I designed for a few established jewelers in London and abroad before joining forces with Kate [Pelham Burn] and Zoe [Benyon]. I’ve always loved fine jewelry, and the process of designing with precious materials, bringing a piece to life, and creating something to be enjoyed and treasured forever is incredibly fulfilling. Also, my husband, Alex, is a graphic designer who runs a creative design firm, so building out Robinson Pelham’s brand identity has also been rewarding.

How did Robinson Pelham come about?

Kate and Zoe met whilst studying gemology, and I knew Kate from school. We all had different skill sets in jewelry, so we decided to set up the business together in 1996, making bespoke jewelry in a small London atelier. We’re proud that our original three female founders are running the company today. We each have different areas of expertise, including design, marketing, merchandising, sales, and gemology. The three of us source stones personally, and I develop the designs before working with our London team of jewelers, polishers, and engravers. That combination of different perspectives is what keeps the business interesting.

How would you describe the brand’s design M.O.?

Color has always been part of our DNA, and we love experimenting with unusual combinations. Our clients are receptive to that, which gives us the freedom to keep pushing boundaries. In our bespoke business, we work with exceptional stones, some belong to customers, which we redesign—and we never grow tired of diamonds.

How are you celebrating the label turning 30?

We developed an campaign that looks to the ’90s for inspiration: the model, the styling, hair and makeup, photography, and perhaps most importantly, the mood. Our anniversary collection, Summer of ’96, is a celebration of the spirit of Robinson Pelham. We looked back at the year we started, but not simply to re-create the past— the pieces translate the energy and optimism of that period into new jewelry.

How has the jewelry industry evolved since the 1990s?

The way women buy jewelry has changed so much over the years. There’s more of a culture of women buying for themselves now, which is wonderful. You don’t necessarily have to wait for a birthday or an anniversary; if you see something you love, you can buy it because you want to wear it. Versatility is quite key to our design philosophy. That’s naturally influenced how we design. We want our jewelry to be something you can live in—perhaps something bold that you wear every day, that transitions effortlessly into a piece worn in the evening. I think women are much more confident about mixing things up now, wearing color, combining pieces, and making jewelry their own. That sense of freedom is very much part of Robinson Pelham.

What’s your design process like?

I’m very hands-on creatively, so drawing, sketching, and gouache painting remain important parts of how I work. My process normally starts with drawing. With bespoke jewelry, we begin by talking to the client and understanding what they want from the piece. From there I create technical drawings using pencil, gouache, crayon, and ink. We then source stones personally, and once the design is finalized, it goes to our London team of jewelers, polishers, and engravers. We enjoy that dialogue between the drawing and the finished piece, and particularly the relationship with the client throughout the process.

What pieces do you personally wear on repeat?

I wear my Identity necklace almost daily; it’s one of our most iconic designs and won the Couture Design Award in 2025. Gwyneth Paltrow has been a fan since we first produced it in 2015. It’s incredibly versatile; the ID connectors, bars, charms, and other additions are like acquiring a new piece every time you style it. I’m also always close to my Tron ring—a custom piece I designed that’s a wonderful example of our love of color and unexpected combinations. It has a strong graphic shape, and a story.

What are you proudest of over the past three decades?

There have been many wonderful moments, but being asked to design earrings for the royal wedding was certainly an extraordinary one. It brought a huge amount of attention to the business, but it was also particularly special because bespoke jewelry is where we began. More broadly, we’re proud that after 30 years we still have the same curiosity and enthusiasm for jewelry. The business has changed enormously, but that desire to make something interesting and work closely with our clients has remained.

What’s up next?

We’re looking forward to our residency at Trove in the West Village in September. We knew we wanted to celebrate in New York, and the West Village is such a vibrant, colorful destination. Trove is a beautifully considered space that brings together jewelry, art, design, and the ritual of collecting. I love that the whole environment is designed around the idea of treasured pieces and the stories they hold, which is very much in keeping with our identity, so it was a natural fit. We will have our collection on display there for the entirety of the month, with activations and private events, including a couple of celebratory anniversary moments during NYFW; cocktails, fun, and jewelry—what’s not to love?!