“Jazz up that LBD!”, says Durham jewellery designer-maker Kate Gorman

You’ll have realised by now that two of our favourite things are cooing over bold statement jewellery and championing exciting businesses from our own part of the world – up here in the North East of England.

So, when we came across Durham-based jewellery designer-maker Kate Gorman – who makes “unusual jewellery for people who want to stand out from the crowd” – we just had to share some of her latest pieces with you.

It’s quite possible you’ve heard of Kate already – the last year has seen her work featured in Newcastle Fashion Week, stocked by the BALTIC in Gateshead, and exhibited at some leading fairs.

Now, with the Christmas party season fast coming up, Kate has turned her attention to how ladies can jazz up that all-important wardrobe staple – the LBD, or little black dress – with a statement necklace. It’s certainly a way to make an entrance and stand out from the crowd!

As you can see from our gallery above, Kate’s designs are anything but ordinary – as she puts it, it’s “jewellery that can transform a simple dress into something spectacular.”

With Kate’s recent collections having their roots in themes as eclectic as code-breaking and WWI landscapes, you can be sure that whichever piece catches your eye, you will be the one looking eyecatching when you wear it.

“I love wearing my statement jewellery for parties and formal events,” Kate told us. “It is vibrant and really unusual, so with very little effort I can make a real statement.”

Last Christmas found customers taking Kate at her word, purchasing pieces of her jewellery to rejuvenate existing outfits, rather than buying a complete new dress. Lucy Duffy, from Durham, said that the jewellery she bought gave her outfit a “facelift” and added an “instant pizzazz”, and thanked Kate for “reviving an old outfit and making me feel great.” That’s definitely a sentiment we can all subscribe to!

Having already exhibited across the country, Kate is now excited to be launching her own online shop, giving her customers easy access to a wide range of her work at any time. Kate Gorman Design’s shop will launch at the beginning of October – so, perfectly timed for you to emulate Lucy and update your own Christmas party outfit!

In the meantime, log on to www.kategormandesign.co.uk for more information and to view Kate’s designs, or check her out on Facebook or on Twitter at @kategormanjewel.