Winner Best Business Award 2010

We were thrilled to get the top gong at the Lennox Head Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Awards for 2010. We feel very privileged to be able to do what we love in the place that we love to do it. Thank you to our many customers who's eye for all thing's stylish make it possible for us to keep being adventurous and creative with our designs. We are already getting inspired for the new year so that we can do it all again in 2011.

RILEY BURNETT IN DENMARK

IN GLOBAL NEWS…

Riley Burnett HQ have the pleasure of announcing our dedicated stockist in Scandanavia (www.rileyburnett.dk)! Pia Skovsgaard (pictured) and her husband Thomas, based just outside Copenhagen, in Solrod Strand, have officially launched their online store (all in Dutch!) for Riley Burnett devotées in Northern Europe.

After a three-month stint in Australia and a bit of canny research, Pia was instantly smitten with the Riley Burnett brand. 'I fell in love with the jewellery immediately,' Pia says, 'with the colours, the variation, the daring combinations ...'

Pia and Thomas will run the online store from their home, where they live with their two boys, their cat and dog. With a real appreciation for style, we are pleased and honoured to welcome our Denmark compatriots into the Riley Burnett fold. 'What made me google Riley Burnett was pure inspiration! I am still very inspired - every day I look at the jewellery and when I present it to others.'

Kids Art Workshops on the Balcony

KIDS + ART on

the BALCONY:

HOLIDAY FUN!

On the tail of 'Huey', benevolent bringer of waves, and his dramatic spring swell, in Lennox Head we ready ourselves for the September school holidays.

Jennie and Jason have kindly donated the upstairs balcony space at RB headquarters to Tracey Williams, a local artist and teacher, who will be holding fabulous, fun-filled art workshops for kids (ages 7+).

Every day between 25 September and 3 October, Tracey will take the kids on a 3-hour artistic journey where the kids will create their own papier-mâche masterpieces, incorporating positive word affirmations and colourful Riley Burnett beads.

So, make room in your calendars for your kids to come down and join us for an afternoon of frivolous creative fun! 11AM – 2 PM. Beginners are welcome, success is guaranteed! Stay tuned for some photographic proof!

Workshops cost $45 per child. Bookings essential.

Call Tracey to confirm a place: 0414 762 412.

Summer 2010 launch — Gemalicious

'These gems have life in them: their colour speaks, say what words fail of ...' George Eliot

It's one week until Spring. In honour of the changing of the seasons we have once again put our best foot forward in a celebration of colour to launch our new jewellery collection for summer 2010. All the creativity of the past few months has not been in vain and now it is time to throw the showroom doors open for all to admire and be inspired by the creativity that is, in a word, Gemalicious. Jennie and the team have been hard at work to make sure that this season's range reflects her signature style with a modern edginess that is sure to please even the most discerning of bead-buyers.

The new showroom is awash with Gemalicious colour and as any RB groupie already knows, there's nothing like taking a trip upstairs to soak in the atmosphere of the shop as the salty breeze wafts through the open windows. But don't fret if you are too far away to enjoy all the beauty that this small coastal town has to offer — you can steal your own taste of the new Gemalicous range in our online shop.

In the midst of all this design mayhem we have also managed to de-clutter a corner of the store and have introduced a new menswear range of fashion. Now there are no excuses for the mindful men passing by to saunter up the staircase and see what all the fuss is about - we dare you!

Sneak peak

We are now the other side of the solstice and as far as the ‘RB’ calender goes that means we are inching closer to unveiling our next collection.

Pictured here is just one of the pieces that will feature when we officially launch the ‘gemalicious’ range in August.

So for a hint of things to come…

It is bright, it is bold, it includes some newly designed classic Riley Burnett pieces to die for PLUS something else we are pretty excited about!!

This collection we are introducing a new budget conscious range - because we believe everyone deserves to be adorned in great pieces. They are colourful, accessible and still designed by head designer Jennie Riley and handcrafted in our Lennox Head workshop.

Check back in for more news on our Spring/Summer collection soon.

Bali and not beyond

Well it probably does not come as a surprise to many that the Bangkok trip was postponed. Our thoughts were with our friends and colleagues in Bangkok – we will be visiting very soon.

The Bali trip did go as planned but we have to confess it was not all work and no play. In fact it wasn’t very dull at all if you look at the sparkling water around our new favourite resort, Karma Kandara (pictured).

It was Jennie’s birthday so we just had to take a look. Anyone would, right?

Food was also a highlight on this trip (as it is on every trip). New to us was a food destination - Pili Pili Warung in Seminyak. Yum!

And we did work. Promise.

Jennie says it was all things woven that caught her eye on this trip - woven straw, woven metal, woven fabrics and chainmail.

“But best of all was the inspiration I always get from being in a beautiful environment, experiencing rituals and seeing how they enrich life. Observing the creating of the moment and then the enjoying of it. It slows you down, it connects you to your surroundings. It’s wonderful.”

One insight shared on the trip was a design forecast we never expected to hear from Jennie’s mouth. She uttered the phrase, “pastels are the new bright”. We don’t think we are going to hold her to it but on the other hand - you never know!

An inspiration pilgrimage

Riley Burnett head designer, Jennie Riley, and some of her team are heading off to Bali and Thailand this week on an inspiration pilgrimage.

“I am pretty excited about getting away and experiencing the creative vibes that tend to come our way on these trips,” Jennie says.

“It is those out of the way locations and really local markets where I find the most exciting treasures to bring home.

“Many of the semi-precious stones, metals and yet unknown discoveries will find there way into my next collection.

“The inspiration I get from these trips is definitely a highlight for me in putting together a new range.”

Check back in here over the next few weeks and we will share some of our adventures!!

Also, we would love to hear from you if you know a great out-of-the-way destination you think we should visit.

You can leave your ideas by making a comment on this post...

(Archive photo: Jennie Riley and Bella contemplate the possibilities on previous trip to Bali...)

inspiration from french vogue...

We just love this shoot from French Vogue which appeared in an edition last year. The use of leather and a kind of tough-femininity got us sitting up and taking notice.

nomad princess now available online!

Finally the wait is OVER! Brand new gorgeous pieces from the Nomad Princess Collection are now available from our online shop. You'll love the intricate detail of each piece like the "Priestess" Necklace shown above. Have a look and let us know what you think by posting a comment below!

style and film...

Like art imitating life, film and fashion are also intrinsically linked and it's amazing when great fashion designers show their style through the film genre.

Who can forget unforgettable seriously-stylistic costuming of Jean Paul Gaultier in "The Cook, the Thief, His Wife and Her Lover"? Similarly we were thrilled to witness the sublime direction by Tom Ford in "The Single Man". Now in cinemas, every frame is beautiful and it's wonderful to see how such a talented fashion designer's eye for style can spill over into other creative outlets!

spencer says...

new collection - NOMAD PRINCESS

We are thrilled to share with you our brand new Winter collection entitled NOMAD PRINCESS.

Soon to be found in stores and at our online shop, the collection is inspired by saints, symbols, deities and rituals.

Featuring trinkets and charms, brass, leahter, silver, and stones gathered from throughout Ethipoia, India, Pakistan, Indonesia, and Afghanistan.

To see more from the collection click here!

hope you have a LOVEly day...

Oh funny valentine, we hope you are spoiled, spoiled, spoiled today by the one you love! If not, do what we do and spoil yourself.

house proud...

If you're in town, come and visit us so we can show you our new place! Level 1, 80-84 Ballina Street, Lennox Head.

we've moved house

worst kept secret...

So the secret's out and we're buzzing with the news that we're going to have a new HQ! You can now find us at Level 1 80-84 Ballina Street. Still based by the sea in Lennox Head in the Northern Rivers, our new workshop and production space is going to be MASSIVE and it's located just a few doors down the road! The fit out it madly underway, new stock has been ordered, and the movers booked. It's a huge job but we can't wait for the increased work space, the natural light that falls from skylights built into 16ft ceilings, and views of the ocean.

something pretty for the new year...