Scan Magazine – August 2018

Issue 115 | August 2018 | 29

Few materials stand the test of time like precious metals. Family heirlooms, from
silver cutlery to rings, have traditionally been passed on from generation to generation.
Finnish jewellery label EKORU gives the process a modern spin by reworking legacy
items into personal adornments that carry memories in novel shapes.

By Jo Iivonen | Photos: EKORU

Ecological concerns and a thirst for in-
dividualistic expression are reshaping
consumer tastes in everything from cars
to cosmetics, and jewellery is no excep-
tion. Finnish brand EKORU taps into this
mega trend with its range of jewellery
made from antique materials. “I’m inter-
ested in story-telling, sustainability and
history,” says Laura Saarivuori-Eskola,
who founded the business in 2006.

Over the last decade, EKORU has built a
solid following among clients looking for
jewellery worth more than its face value.
“I love working with clients to uncover
what’s meaningful for them,” Saarivuori-
Eskola explains. “With jewellery, you can
send a message about what is important
to you – my job is to turn the stories and
memories into pieces of jewellery.”

The label’s ready-to-wear collection in-
cludes recycling-inspired items, from
necklaces and earrings to cufflinks and

tie clips, all made of materials such as

aged silver cutlery and antique coins –

materials that automatically come with

a story attached. The clean-cut lines re-

flect Finland’s deep-rooted design her-

itage, according to which less is more.

“The thing about Finnish design is that it

may look simplistic, but there’s actually a

lot of skill and refined technique behind

it,” Saarivuori-Eskola points out.

Aside from the ready-to-wear collection,

EKORU specialises in customised orders

and its designs are not limited to jewel-

lery. One more unusual request was a

wall-fitted family tree, with embedded

coins representing the birth years of an

extended family. On another occasion, a

client commissioned a necklace made

out of their grandfather’s fishing lure.

Inherited silver spoons remain the most

common raw material for commissions,

however, sometimes with requests to

preserve engravings.

Stories to cast

Although precious metals are the back-

bone of EKORU’s current collection,

Saarivuori-Eskola is open to exper-

imenting with more unconventional

materials and new product categories.

Looking ahead, the EKORU line is likely

to expand and evolve with time, yet the

underlying principles remain the same.

“Recycling is very important for me,”

Saarivuori-Eskola summarises. “By

doing what I do, I’m creating new from

old – something that serves a purpose

in the current time.”

Web: http://www.ekoru.fi

Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Finnish Jewellery Design

Laura Saarivuori-Eskola, founder of EKORU.

Nature’s inspiration. Toive pendant. Photo: Anna-Liisa Nikus Penny pendants. Photo: Anna-Liisa Nikus