Irish Design Spotlight: RJADED Jewellery

Tell us about you and your brand 
My name is Rohmie Jade, I am a multidisciplinary Irish designer, self-taught jeweller and pole dancer. For the past three years, I have been living in Spain and working remotely.  This February I moved home to Ireland, quit my job as a graphic designer and officially set up RJADED Jewellery. Now, I spend my time creating statement, genderless, silver pieces for everyday wear. I design everything myself in a small studio that I set up outside my parents’ home in Clare. Everything is handmade and sustainable. A lot of my work is inspired by Irish culture. I incorporate storytelling into each piece I make by engraving either colloquial expressions or words onto their surfaces… that may be the graphic designer in me, still wanting to express my ideas through a combination of type and form! My other work is focused on exaggerating certain textures in the metal, like a melted or aged effect, for example.

What is your mission?
My mission for RJADED is to inspire and empower people to go after what they truly want in life.  

Did you always know you wanted to be a designer?
When I was younger, I didn’t think too much about what I wanted to be when I grew up.  However, now when I look back, it seems pretty obvious. The need to express myself creatively has always been a big part of my life although the outlet has changed a lot over the years. I used to sit for hours drawing when I was very young, usually with pencils or charcoal. I also remember painting with watercolours, cutting up and re-sewing my clothes and making sparkly beaded dream catchers or jewellery. When I finished school in  Limerick, I went on to study graphic design in Dublin. After graduating, I moved to Spain and worked remotely in the industry for a few years. In Spain, I had multiple creative side projects going on and it was there that I really dove into jewellery making. There is something very freeing about creating a life for yourself in a new country. People don’t know you, so you have room to play with your identity and ultimately discover who you want to be. I realised that sitting in front of my laptop every day designing layouts left me feeling very unfulfilled. I wanted to work with my hands and collaborate with other creatives on larger projects that excited me. I soon realised that a career change was in motion and so RJADED was born.  

What kind of items do you stock?
At the moment, on my website I stock silver pendants and rings. Personally, I enjoy silver pieces that have some weight to them, so most of my stock is solid silver. When I wear jewellery, I want to feel that I am wearing it. Comfort is a necessity too as I wear my pieces religiously so it’s about finding that happy medium. There is a commissions section on my website where people can go if they want a special piece custom-made. For those projects, I work with my customers, including them in the design process and together, we bring their ideas to life. Next year I plan to broaden my website range. I would  like to start experimenting with earrings and ear cuffs and eventually, I’d love to create personalised grillz. Apart from my website, I have a big selection of completely once-off unique pieces that are made from silver and bronze which I will be selling alongside my online stock at the Galway Christmas Market this year. Today is my last day there so come down and try on some bits if you’re in the area!

What new brands or items are on your radar?
I am loving the experimental earpieces that the Italian brand Panconesi are creating. Also, the merge between fashion and jewellery in Schiaparelli’s collections. They push the boundaries with their surrealist pieces – I particularly enjoyed the huge earrings Cardi B  wore that were actually made up of gold ears wearing their own earrings! I also really admire the jeweller Zwyrtech. A lot of their necklaces incorporate textured fabrics – some even include hair. There’s also a Spanish brand called Rain and Rivers, they make fun glass jewellery that looks like it’s been pierced with metal.  

Was money/funding a concern when starting out?
Money is always a factor, but I don’t believe it should ever be the deciding factor. I grew up in a household with the mentality of ‘where there is a will there is a way’. I took a huge risk quitting my full-time job and dedicating myself to my passion in February of this year. It has been tough and I had to move home to make it work, but I know it was the right decision. Since changing careers, I have been working on understanding my money mindset and replacing my limiting beliefs with ones that will actually serve me on this journey. I still have a long way to go in order to reach the type of success that I am aiming for but I believe in myself and in the process.  

What’s the best business advice you’ve gotten?
To start before you are ready. I think for many people, starting can be the hardest part. It’s very easy to overthink things and get yourself caught up in the reasons why something won’t work. I overthought a lot when I was debating quitting my job but at the end of the day, you never know unless you try. The worst that can happen is that you will fail, but when you fail you also learn and you grow. So the way I see it, the more you fail, the more likely you are to succeed!  

Favourite fashion/design accounts you follow
I like to follow accounts that showcase independent designers and slow fashion. @apocstore, @lunchconceptstore and @aunestore are all great for both clothes and jewellery. I really enjoy @gracelingofficial too because she incorporates metal pieces in her fashion designs.  

Best fashion purchase?
A cropped vintage black leather and fur jacket that I purchased in Planet Retro Vintage in  Galway. It’s reversible with an oversized hood. It’s very impractical as it is so heavy and doesn’t actually keep me warm but I love it and have worn it countless times over.  

Other Irish brands you love
I think what Greg Hall is doing with Pellador is brilliant. He has really captured an element of  Irish youth within his clothing. Another one is the rising feminist artist Bebhinn Eilish with her powerful illustrations sold as t-shirts and prints. These are people I went to school or college with so it’s really exciting to see them excelling in an area that they are passionate about. I am also psyched about the talent coming out of the Irish music industry right now. I think Ireland has so much creativity to offer the world and I am happy to be a part of it.  

Most useful learning since setting up a business
Learning where my strengths and my weaknesses lie. Setting up a business and running it solo highlights those areas fast! I think it’s important to be aware of both of those things,  especially when it comes to outsourcing work or even hiring employees when I want to expand in the future.  

Proudest moment so far
Having the self-belief to actually do it. I’ve realised that so many people go through their lives dissatisfied with their jobs and daily routines but they don’t do anything about it. I  hope that in some way I can help people tap into their inner courage through my work. I find jewellery to be very emotive. There is something about adorning my body in beautiful silver that makes me feel powerful and I want to share that feeling.  

I want my brand to be remembered for… its authentic, rebellious and fun spirit! But most importantly I want it to be remembered for the people who wore it and the stories they told about themselves while wearing it. To me, jewellery is an extension of the self and it can exaggerate the parts we want to portray to the world. It also has the power to retain memories and stories that perhaps would have otherwise been forgotten. When it’s passed down through generations, lost or gifted, those stories and memories are passed down with it, and I find that really beautiful.  

If I could have anyone wear my designs it would be… I would love to see one of my rings on Michèle Lamy. She is the ultimate queen.

Photography by Rachel Droop