Shaun Leane is a London-based jewellery designer whose reputation has gone from strength to strength. He was awarded Jewellery Designer of the Year 2004 & 2005 and is internationally celebrated for pushing the boundaries of jewellery design. Inevitably this has led Shaun to introduce more platinum into his designs, the rarest and most precious of all metals. 

Shaun trained by apprenticeship in Hatton Garden working with English Traditional Jewellery. Over this thirteen-year period he was immersed in the craft of jewellery design, fashioning delicate antique pieces and using precious metals and stones. It was during this time that Shaun mastered the art of working with platinum, which requires a high degree of skill that only special craftsmen possess. He took a break from work to take a formal course at Sir John Cass College in East London, before setting up Shaun Leane Ltd in 1999, an independent practice in London's Hatton Garden. Since then it has grown into a business which supplies jewellery to over 50 prestigious UK and international outlets.

Over the years Shaun has built up a partnership with fashion designer Alexander McQueen, creating large body pieces to accompany his catwalk creations. His work with McQueen spans over ten years and has brought him international recognition with a host of celebrities now seen wearing his designs.

Shaun aims to encompass values of strength, confidence, beauty and romance into his work. It's because of this desire to instil strength in his designs that Shaun chooses platinum, the strongest and most durable of all precious metals, to create many of his bespoke pieces. Shaun says: "My bespoke service offers a  special and individual experience, using the finest materials available, which is why platinum is always my choice."

Shaun's enjoyment of working with platinum is due in part to the freedom it offers him as a designer. Its superior strength means it doesn't splinter or wear away like other metals and it does not need to be reinforced to make it stronger. As well as enhancing their sparkle, platinum is also capable of holding diamonds in a delicate framework. In response to customer demand, Shaun has recently created engagement rings from his New Diamond Collection in precious platinum for individuals looking for a romantic icon that conveys individuality.

Alexander McQueen says: "Shaun is a close friend and companion for many years, who captures the feeling of my work and aesthetic and of the time we are in...full of structure and finesse, crafted to perfection."
 
Celebrity clients include Kate Moss, Liv Tyler, David Beckham, Sir Elton John, Jennifer Lopez, Cameron Diaz, David Bowie, Bjork, Jade Jagger, Sam Taylor-Wood, Alexander McQueen and Isabella Blow.
 
Shaun Leane collections are stocked in the four main London department stores: Selfridges, Harvey Nichols, Liberty and Harrods and in boutiques throughout the UK. In the US collections are stocked in Neiman Marcus and several exclusive boutiques and in Canada Holt Renfrew is the main retailer. Also stocked in Japan the collections are carried by several high end department stores and boutiques.

Career highlights
1985
Apprenticeship began at English Traditional Jewellery in Hatton Garden

1992
Began collaborating with Alexander McQueen

1997
Started his own commercial collection

2001
- Alexander McQueen and Givenchy - Body sculpture for catwalk
- Created catwalk jewellery for Warren Norohna
- Commissioned to design collection for McQueen boutiques

2002
- Alexander McQueen's new store opens in New York. Showcases McQueen own-label jewellery collection, designed and produced exclusively by Shaun Leane
- Wins Tahitian Pearl Design Award 2002

2003
- Catwalk pieces for Alexander McQueen - Spring/Summer 2003 show in Paris
- Runway Rocks - Catwalk piece for Swarovski Crystal at Sketch, London
- BodyCraze - Selfridges window display, plus basement exhibition
- Commissioned to design and make the De Beer's 'Trainers Prize' for Ascot

2004
- Awarded UK Jewellery Designer of the Year

2005
- Launched New Diamond Collection
- Awarded UK Jewellery Designer of the Year
- Wins Tahitian Pearl Trophy 1st Prize in the Ring category