Jewellery designer based in West Cork inspired by Ireland’s landscape
chats to jewellery designer and founder of Enibas Jewellery, Sabine Lenz
What’s your background?
About 26 years ago, I met my husband while hitching on my holidays in Ireland; we fell in love and I moved to west Cork six months later. He was an accountant running a construction firm that went bust in the recession back then and I was in the middle of my studies for fashion design in Hamburg, Germany. I moved over here, and we needed to earn a living. He encouraged me to make a business out of my hobby making jewellery.
What’s a typical work day like for you?
I walk most mornings for an hour and start work around 10-11am.
Our headquarters are in Schull. I am blessed with a wonderful team that keeps the day-to-day running of the business very smooth.
This gives me time to design new collections and work on other creative projects for the brand. It took me 20 years to get to this stage and I think it is so important to start
prioritising lifestyle when it is financially possible.
Tell us about a recent project or design you have worked on?
Last year I designed a piece for charity based on a pendant worn by renowned singer Black (Colin Vearncombe) who lived here in Schull and tragically died in a car crash the year before.
We sold hundreds of these ‘Wonderful Life’ pendants and were able to donate €23,000 to Brú Columbanus in Cork. It was a project close to my heart.
What’s your design style?
Simple shapes with an engraved message in the Irish language such as ‘Croí álainn’ meaning a beautiful heart. The Irish language has become our signature design element in the jewellery.
What/Who inspires your work?
I’m inspired by this wonderful country with its wild and natural landscape and its very special people that have become an immense inspiration in the designs I’m creating.
I have been realising over the past few years that my pieces often help to connect the wearer to their inner strength.
I have heard so many heart-warming stories of Enibas pieces becoming a guiding light through life’s more challenging times. It truly touches my heart.
What’s your favourite trend at the moment (if you have any)?
My absolute favourite trend is that more and more people look out for our precious planet and realise that we have to conserve and go plastic-free where we can.
At Enibas, we are working on reducing our packaging and using more recyclable materials. In our shops we encourage our customers to go with as little packaging as possible, especially when self-gifting.
What’s your most treasured possession?
My wedding band — I got married after our three children were born and we designed a band with seven miniature pictures depicting important things in our shared life.
One for each child, one for my husband and I, one for Ireland and the last one is the Om symbol representing the one-ness of all creation. I’m planning to design an Enibas wedding and engagement collection for 2019 and looking forward to creating rings that will be as meaningful to others as my own is to me.
Who would be your favourite designer, or style inspiration?
I admire artists that are truly themselves and give their art fearlessly. Individual style is what makes for the fashion of tomorrow. Artists like Frida Kahlo, Issey Miyake (whose fashion creations I admired from an early age before making his perfume my every day companion) and Iris Apfel who is a wonderful example of celebrating aging in all its colours.
What would be a dream project for you to work on?
A dream project would be to combine my love of drawing and script with my passion for Celtic symbolism. I’m hoping to create pieces that echo the past and carry the
future. It’s not yet clear what this exactly will be but I’m sure it will include pieces of jewellery.
Have you any design tips for us?
To be a succesful designer I think it’s very important to understand your audience. Who are you designing for? This knowledge focuses our designs and challenges us as designers to create good work within set limitations.
www.enibas.com
Facebook.com/enibasjewellery
Instagram: @enibasjewels
