Meet Agovia, the Melbourne jewellery label finding opulence in the everyday
PHOTOGRAPHY BY Claire Henham
WORDS BY DAISY HENRY AND MARYEL SOUSA
“There’s nothing more confidence-boosting than wearing a beautiful ring or pendant that has been there with you for different events in your life.”
From mixed metals to layered necklaces, jewellery can carry as much – if not more – significance than clothing. Whether it’s an heirloom, a gift or something you saved up for, jewellery often holds a lot of sentimental value. Even if it doesn’t, it can also be a fun way to experiment with your style.
Melbourne-based jewellery brand Agovia strives to create pieces that are versatile enough to wear every day, yet special enough to become treasured family heirlooms. Inspired by vibrant global cultures and a steadfast commitment to sustainability, the label’s unique style of jewellery stands out amid Naarm’s fashion scene.
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The founder of Agovia, Jasper Hudson, says the brand started by accident and quickly became their life’s passion. “I wanted to create a ring for my partner so I ordered the stones to use as the centrepiece,” they said. After a three hour silversmith course in Canggu, Jasper made Agovia’s very first piece.
Now, Jasper works directly with gemstone merchants and jewellers across South Asia in Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Sri Lanka, “to increase traceability and source the highest quality gems.”
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Tell us about you. What’s your fashion background?
I’m a 25 year old jeweller based in Brunswick, Melbourne, originally from Sydney. In 2018, I began a Bachelor of Professional Communications with a vague vision of working in PR or advertising for a fashion house. While studying, I worked casually for Goodbyes before becoming a communications assistant for Comme Des Garçons – a thrilling experience that deepened my understanding of the logistics behind transnational clothing brands. As a longtime disciple of CDG, I loved working on the other side of the business.
After graduating, I landed a job as an assistant buyer at Myer, a role that exposed me to the moral complexities of the fashion industry regarding fabric sourcing, overconsumption and the dissonance between my ethics and the intrinsic requirements of corporate fashion. After six months, I left to pursue a Master of Public Health at the University of Melbourne, specialising in mental health, gender, and society – alongside running Agovia.
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How did the label get started? Talk us through the process and the challenges.
Agovia began when I discovered beautiful peridot gems from a merchant in Pakistan. I wanted to create a ring for my partner so I ordered the stones to use as the centrepiece. After they arrived, I found a three hour silversmithing course in Canggu. Despite the language barrier, it was a very informative session and it ultimately laid the groundwork for my first few pieces. It was also in this class that I made my partner’s ring, which became the first Agovia piece.
At the end of 2023, while studying primary healthcare in rural Maharashtra, India, I decided to start formulating a business plan and invest more time in the business once I got home. I met incredible gemstone merchants and jewellers in Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Sri Lanka and I have sourced many of the sapphires, tanzanites and tourmaline stones from them for some of my bespoke pieces.
I was inspired to focus my designs on unique gemstones set in recycled and refined materials. I work directly with gemstone merchants within the country of origin to increase traceability and source the highest quality gems. One of my biggest challenges was constructing more ornate pieces. I learnt most of my skills through trial and error, experimenting with moulding, casting and forging techniques.
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I’ve overcome these challenges by experimenting and meeting wonderful, experienced artisans who helped me along the way. Balancing full-time university with Agovia has been challenging but I thrive on having multiple projects going at once. I feel more productive and inspired when I have a variety of tasks to work on.
What were you trying to achieve from the project at the time and how has this evolved?
Agovia makes pieces that people can wear daily and pass down as treasured heirlooms. Our brand motto is ‘opulence in the everyday’. There’s nothing more confidence-boosting than wearing a beautiful ring or pendant that has been there with you for different events in your life.
As I’ve created more pieces, I’ve honed in on the beauty and utility of jewellery made by hand with responsibly sourced materials. I’m very proud that our pieces use 100 per cent recycled and refined alloys, mitigating the need for newly mined precious metals. At the start of 2024, Agovia has also started using both mined and lab-grown diamonds – all of which are sourced responsibly in line with UN Resolutions.
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How would you describe your label to someone who’s never seen it before?
Agovia captures the spirit, aesthetics and idiosyncrasies of Trinidadian, Portuguese, Native American and Australian cultures. I would describe Agovia as colourful, lush and utilitarian. My mum is from Trinidad and Tobago in the Caribbean, and I’ve drawn heavily from West Indian cultural traditions regarding my use of colour and the overall opulence of my designs. The joie de vivre of Trinidadian and wider West Indian cultures is truly inspiring and vibrant – don’t take things too seriously and focus on what boosts your vitality and life force.
What are you most proud of in your work on your label?
I feel so proud and humbled when clients trust me with the repurposing of family or heirloom pieces, particularly when I’m repurposing gemstones that hold incredible sentimental value. I’m incredibly lucky to have such a diverse array of clients who trust me in my creative process and are open to collaborating on the jewellery they will wear in their daily lives.
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What do you wish you knew when you started?
Agovia’s evolution has been organic and fluid. I wouldn’t change how I started but I wish I better understood basic business operations and management which is taking up more and more of my time. I’m still learning how to do these administrative tasks more efficiently.
Who do you think is most exciting in Australian and New Zealand fashion right now?
The most uplifting part of Australian and New Zealand fashion is the pivot towards recycled and pre-loved clothing and accessories. I still casually work at Goodbyes in Collingwood and I think re-sale models of business are incredibly important in countering the pollution created by the fashion industry as a whole. I also feel that people of all ages are more experimental and flexible in their style – self-expression is becoming normalised and central to parts of the fashion industry and I think it’s especially true in Melbourne’s fashion scene.
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What about the fashion industry needs to change?
Larger fashion firms need to consider the net environmental and human toll of creating their products. The glut of low-cost and poorly made clothing or jewellery is not only harmful to people and the environment but it also creates an unrealistic expectation of what an item costs to make in both materials and labour.
Fast fashion items are sometimes the only accessible option for consumers, so my comments are more angled at those who have access to more expensive pieces but opt for cheaper alternatives for convenience or overconsumption.
Who are your dream Australian and New Zealand collaborators?
In terms of creatives, I love FlexMami. I think her aura and visual aesthetic are playful and vibrant, similar to the vibrancy of Agovia jewellery. Generally, any client who wants to actualise a bespoke piece is a dream collaboration in my eyes!
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How can we buy one of your pieces?
You can shop our ready-made pieces online or browse our collection and book a consultation to try on pieces at our Brunswick studio. Alternatively, you can schedule a virtual consultation via Zoom. For any questions about our gemstones, ready-made stock or other general enquiries, feel free to reach out to us via email at jasper@agovia.com.au.
I’m also hosting a multi-brand sale in my Melbourne studio space in Brunswick on September 21 and 22. Agovia will be joined by New Zealand-born designer Anni Enoka, Japanese archival curator Tokimeki, artist Lilyan Stark and painter Genevieve Mathews.
To see more of Agovia’s collection, head here.
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