NICOLA GLASS

Nicola Glass is an Irish-born creative director and designer with over two decades experience in the luxury fashion industry. 

Following a brief stint in Architecture, she studied Jewellery design at Edinburgh College of Art, graduating in 1996 with both jewellery and handbags in her degree show. Her studies continued at the Royal College of Art with a Masters in Fashion Accessories. 

Nicola sees a natural correlation between jewellery and handbags as they both share the potential for the same design to have a broad appeal; transcending age, size and status.

She started her fashion career at Gucci as a handbag designer under the creative direction of Tom Ford.

Next she moved to New York to work for Michael Kors, where for 13 years she lead the design of all three accessory lines, helping grow both the brand and the business. 

In 2018 Nicola became the creative director of Kate Spade New York, where she was responsible for all creative aspects of the brand, including  women’s accessory and ready-to-wear design, brand imagery and store environments.

Nicola credits her foundation in jewellery design with being fundamentally important throughout her career, instilling both an acute attention to detail as well as expertise in creating hardware pieces which are so important in establishing brand codes across many disciplines.

In 2021 Nicola moved with her family to Bali, Indonesia so her son could attend the Green School, a progressive school which holistically focuses on the environment.

She is currently researching sustainable design practices whilst enjoying a more hands-on approach to working.

MAEVE GILLIES

Maeve Gillies BA Hons MA RCA FSA Scot is a multi-award-winning Scottish-American jeweller, designer and brand consultant with 30 years luxury design innovation, manufacturing and global brand-building experience across North America, Asia, Australia and Europe. Co-Founder of prolific US-based Scottish-themed jewellery brand MaeVona in New York City, Founder & Creative Director of her eponymous brand Maeve Gillies, Luxury Goods Designer & Consultant for world-leading brands including Lalique, Macallan, Highland Park and Ardbeg. Maeve designed Hamilton & Inches' World's First Scottish Gold collection, from which the National Museum of Scotland acquired a Scottish Gold signet ring set with Tyndrum gold mine host rock, for their Permanent Collection. 

Maeve has been a GlobalScot business advisor for the Scottish Government since 2008, is Trustee of the Goldsmiths’ Craft & Design Council in London, Trustee of The Scottish Goldsmiths' Trust, Member of the Incorporation of Goldsmiths of the City of Edinburgh and Freeman of the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths. Recipient of 3 RSA London and DeBeers Design Awards, 4 JCK Las Vegas Design Awards, Best Bridal Winner in the Town & Country COUTURE Awards Las Vegas, Maeve also received World's Best Design & Best Limited Edition at the World Whiskies Awards in London for her Highland Park 50yo sterling silver bottle series set with Orkney sandstone. Maeve's 'Superquarry Squash Blossom' necklace set with Isle of Harris moonrock, created for An Lanntair in Stornoway, Isle of Lewis, was described by Scottish writer and environmental activist Alistair McIntosh as 'a profoundly important work of art, (touching on) the sacred'.