Fashion Jewelry by Annika Rutlin

Annika Rutlin is a Belgian born designer with a Swedish mother and a Norwegian father, many reviewers of her work have noted that the inspiration behind her work has been drawn from her roots in Sweden and Norway. She trained in Stockholm under an apprenticeship and soon went on to work under well known fashion jewellery designers in London. Although all her originally learnt skills were by hand, Annika Rutlin is now going on to use Computer Aided Design (CAD) in her work. Since she became an active fashion jewellery designer in 1991 she has won many awards and award nominations. In June 1991 she won the 1st prize in the Pewter Live Competition, in April 92 she was awarded a ‘highly commended’ award by the Gold Design Competition and in August 97 she was a finalist in the New Zealand Wearable Art Competition. More recent commendations come from the UK Tahitian Pearl Competition in October 2003 and the Worshipful Co of Goldsmiths Design company.

She has also exhibited her work in many exhibitions spanning the whole of England. Many were in London which gave her the opportunity to show her work in a more professional setting.

Annika Rutlin’s fashion jewellery includes a set of wedding and engagement rings. Something which sets her apart from other fashion jewellery designers who don’t offer rings specifically for those purposes. Her engagement rings are made of silver and have a simple elegant feel.

Her Alphabet collection of fashion jewellery consists of pendant style charms with letters of the alphabet. These are made from silver but seem quite different from the other silver products made by other fashion jewellery designers. The alphabet collection can also be made into beads that can be fitted into a bracelet. Some fashion jewellery critics have said that this ‘mix and match’ approach to selling jewellery means that it gives it less respect. However Annika Rutlin is happy to stand out in a slightly hippy-ish style from other fashion jewellery designers.

Unlike the fashion jewellery designers that are on the market at the moment Annika Rutlin seems to favour gold as her material of choice. Many other designers use more silver and platinum. The stones she uses set into her work are also of dull colours (although they are expensive stones!). The colours and styles in Annika Rutlin’s fashion jewellery are very earthy and this makes it evident that her influences come from the nature and culture in her parents countries, Norway and Sweden.