Kathryn Russell is keeping alive the old-age art of Venetian beadwork and her attic is packed to the rafters in a kaleidoscope of colour and sparkle. It has to be seen to be believed. Yet unlike her elaborate, attention-demanding designs, Kathryn is an unassuming character with a passion for the French Court and Victoriana eras, she specialises in Venetian beadwork.
Kathryn has led a colourful life which is an obvious influence in her pieces. As a teenager, she lived in Venice due to her father’s job in the civil service. On returning to the North East, Kathryn studied Fine Art at Newcastle University. Her bridal design career began somewhat by chance as Kathryn was all set on being a teacher. Struck by an illness which meant she had to spend a lot of time at home, she was one day watching a programme about the Royal School of Needlework and thought that was something she could do.
Not long after that once she had recovered she was staying with her family in a holiday cottage on the Scottish Estate owned by Earl Haig. I was sitting in a field beading a picture one day and Lord Haig’s wife was curious and asked what I was doing. She said her mother was coming to visit shortly and was an expert in Venetian beadwork and would teach her to do it properly.
She was soon back Italy and joined Lady Haig’s mother, Donna Nella Lopez Y Royo Sammartini, at her prestigious needlework school in Venice, where she was only the second English person to be taught the 14th Century skill of Venetian beadwork. It was a dying art and Donna Nella was keen to revive it. Both the French and Italians lay claim to it.
Once she returned to England Kathryn received an unexpected phone call from Lady Haig, whom her family had remained friends with. She had been told of a suitable placement in London with bridal designer Basia Zarzycka and Kathryn had sprung to mind. Jumping at the opportunity, she moved to London to work in-house at Basia’s famous store, then on Kings Road. Basia is very much inspired by Marie Antoinette and she had a love of French Court Style.
In the late 1990s, she decided to bite the bullet and launch her own business after her father had fallen ill and she had returned to Newcastle. She had been trained in fashion and bridal so opened her own label.
A-list celebrities that have bought Kathryn’s pieces include Steven Spielberg, Emma Thompson, Sharon Stone, Sarah Jessica Parker and the Osborne family. She also specialises in vintage and Indian jewellery. Kathryn’s partner Markitt is an antiques dealer and sources antique pieces of Victorian and Edwardian jewellery which she utilises in her designs. Fusion Fashion is very big business and she designs a lot of pieces for the Asian wedding market. They are very vibrant and feature colours that we normally wouldn’t put together.
For brides that want something a little different from the norm, Kathryn’s beaded Veneziana bouquets are a stunning alternative and a firm favourite with Ozzy Osborne no less! He loves the beaded bouquets and always buys them in a shade of pale pink. They are something a little bit different that you can keep and pass down through generations. Her elaborate beaded masks are used in theatre productions throughout the UK. These can be seen in some of our pictures in our new look book.
Please check back for a full sample catalogue of our jewellery range very soon,
