Eclectic and handcrafted jewellery: Meet Tatah
IMAGE VIA @tatahthelabel/INSTAGRAM
AS TOLD TO DAISY HENRY
“Some of my most successful pieces began as mistakes or improvisations.”
Although jeweller Roberta Cabreira is now based in Australia, she originally grew up in Brazil. “My idea of creativity was tactile, simple and often very small-scale,” she reflects. As a teenager, she was often inspired by jewellery, to the point of making and selling a collection of necklaces that helped fund her way to Argentina.
Roberta started teaching herself silversmithing in 2019, using YouTube videos, reading books and trawling online forums. Two years later, she quit her corporate job with no backup plan, and went all in on launching her label, Tatah. “It became my gateway to creative freedom, but it was also a homage to the lineage of makers and hustlers in my family, and continuing that tradition my own way.”
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While there can be a pressure to commit to a distinct aesthetic as a designer, Roberta refuses to pigeonhole herself. The result is a collection that feels as unique as the people wearing them; pieces you’re just as likely to spot on a musician’s album cover as you would around the neck of someone at your local bar.
Through a combination of silversmithing and wax-casting, Robert is drawn to jewellery that feels bespoke. “Living in a digital era filled with AI, I’m finding people are putting more value on the handmade.”
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Fashion Journal: Hi Roberta! Tell us a little bit about yourself. Did you grow up dreaming of working in jewellery?
Roberta: Creating has always been a huge part of who I am. Growing up in Brazil, I was surrounded by music and art, but there was also a real sense of having to be resourceful. My idea of creativity was tactile, simple and often very small-scale. I dismantled everything – my dad used to say I had a ‘destroyer spirit’, which is probably fair, but I always destroyed things with the intention of making something new!
In the environment I grew up in, you learned early how to create something from nothing and find value in very little. That resourcefulness became ingrained in me. You learn to make your own opportunities because nobody was necessarily going to hand them to you.
I’ve also always loved jewellery, from exploring my mum’s endless necklace collection to spending entire summers making beaded bracelets. As a teenager, I made and sold a collection of necklaces to fund a trip to Argentina to see my summer crush. I eventually made it there, smuggled inside my friend’s car boot, but that’s a story for another time!
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How did the Tatah get started?
I’m a self-taught jeweller. I started silversmithing in 2019. Most of my technique was built from watching YouTube videos, reading books, trawling online forums, and lots of trial and error. The moment I decided to give Tatah my absolute all came after a terrible experience at a corporate job in 2021. I never wanted that life, so I quit and went for it, no plan B.
Tatah became my gateway to creative freedom, but it was also a homage to the lineage of makers and hustlers in my family, and continuing that tradition my own way.
Throughout my journey, there have been so many challenges. I’ve worried about the economy and ethical materials, and about producing things I love versus things my customers are looking for. I’ve questioned what truly matters to me as both a maker and a brand, and wondered whether Tatah needed to look more consistent or fit neatly into one category.
I’ve also had to learn about time management, admin and all the less glamorous parts of running a creative business. It’s crazy how much this thing I created has taught me, not just about jewellery, but about myself and the world around me.
How has Tatah evolved since launching?
I’ve always wanted Tatah to be a fantasy world where everything feels possible, and any material can transform into any style, shape or form. I never wanted to pigeonhole myself into one particular aesthetic, or make pieces according to what a jewellery brand was ‘supposed’ to look like. I’m an eclectic girl, I like lots of things and I’m heavily influenced by many different styles.
So above all, my main rule is that I commit to following each idea wherever it wants to go. At its core, Tatah is a celebration of creativity and individuality. This is a through-line that informs everything I do and leaves me with an exciting open field of possibilities to explore. I’m excited to see what my pieces will look like in 10, 20, 30 years.
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How would you describe your label to someone who’s never seen it before?
Favela chic (haha). No, but seriously, Tatah is a contemporary, everyday-wear jewellery brand. It can be dressed up or down; the pieces can go from album covers and gala events to the office or beach. I make jewellery for the people first and foremost, and people come in all sizes, genders and backgrounds.
Your pieces are handmade and one-of-one. Can you walk me through your design process?
Instinct and experimentation are at the heart of my design process, but everything is backed by years of research. I spend a lot of time looking through books, museum catalogues and jewellery auctions almost daily. I’m especially fascinated by Roman and Egyptian jewellery, and ancient objects in general.
Technically, I use a combination of traditional silversmithing – bending wire, hand-sawing metal and soldering and ancient processes such as lost-wax and sand casting. The casting is the most full-on part of the process. I wear thick gloves up to my elbows, a full-face respirator and safety goggles, though I’ve also been caught doing all of that in socks and Havaianas, much to the horror of my friends, family and boyfriend. Thanks to that, though, I can carve a ring, cast it, finish and polish it and wear it out that same night.
For my stone-setting process, I use a cast-in-place technique, allowing the molten metal to form around the stones and hold them in place as it cools. It took me more than a year to develop a version of the process that worked reliably, and I’m constantly refining it.
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I also saw you work a lot with recycled metals and materials.
The materials I work with are mainly sterling silver and brass. I work with a refinery in New Zealand that supplies sterling silver casting granules ready for production. They handle the sourcing, recycling and refining, and the quality is insane. I then melt the silver in my own studio and make each piece from start to finish.
With brass, I source and recycle the metal myself in the studio. I love it as an alternative to gold, which has become incredibly expensive, or gold-plated jewellery. All the materials I use are made to last forever. The brass might need a little polish occasionally, as brass can develop a patina over time, but the piece itself can stay with you for the rest of your life.
There’s such an obsession at the moment with ‘waterproof’ gold-plated jewellery, often made from plated stainless steel. Personally, I’d rather work with a material that can age, be polished, repaired and continually worn, rather than one designed to look perfect temporarily and eventually be replaced.
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What are you most proud of in your work on your label?
Recently, a celebrity from Sydney faced her abuser in court and chose to wear my star necklace. She later told me she drew a lot of strength from it. That stopped me in my tracks – something I had made had become a kind of armour for someone who was in need of protection.
I’m also really proud of some of my original designs, like my reversible rings which you can flip around and have two different faces. My work has also appeared on the runway at the Wings Independent Fashion Festival for the second time this year, and was worn by Pa Salieu for a shoot. He’s one of my favourite grime artists!
But I’m the most proud of the community around Tatah. I’m focused on building something solid rather than chasing the spotlight. I have collectors (!) and people who have followed my work since day one still embrace my creations as my style evolves. Meeting people from completely different backgrounds and discovering that we’ve connected through one of my pieces is one of the strongest driving forces for me as a maker.
What do you wish you knew when you started?
That I can’t do my own taxes? Kidding… well, sort of. More than anything, I wish I’d known that I didn’t have to build everything on my own. I’ve always been incredibly self-reliant and felt like I had to wear every hat, but as Tatah grows, I’m learning to shed that instinct to do everything myself. I’d much rather spend my time creating, experimenting and making jewellery than trying to master every aspect of running a business.
My dream is to build a small creative team filled with collaborators, interns and people who get excited by making things. So if there are any weird creative people out there who want to build cool things together, hit me up!
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Who do you think is most exciting in Australian and New Zealand fashion and design right now?
Australia and New Zealand are at the epicentre of independent jewellery and fashion right now, in my opinion. There’s a shared spirit across so many designers and makers here that have this self-taught, DIY, resourceful attitude. The work often feels intentionally unpolished, deeply personal and unconcerned with traditional ideas of luxury. It’s refreshing, and I resonate with it a lot. There’s a certain rebellious but easy-going spirit that feels like the trademark of everything made down under.
Living in a digital era filled with AI, I’m also finding people are putting more value on the handmade. They can hold it, see the marks of the maker and have a full sensorial experience when interacting with these objects. I think one of the most influential jewellers in New Zealand is Karl Fritsch. He is the don, as some might say.
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What is in your jewellery box right now?
I almost exclusively wear my own silver and brass jewellery. I never take off my reversible heart-and-star signet ring, and right now I wear two unreleased rings from my upcoming collection, all inspired by caterpillars. They are the most comfortable chunky rings ever. It’ll be released in the next few weeks, so stay tuned!
How can we buy one of your pieces?
You can shop my made-to-order pieces online. I also bring my one-of-a-kind studio pieces to Glebe Markets every Saturday and Bondi Markets every Sunday. Come by and say hello! For bespoke pieces, creative collaborations or any other wonderings, you can contact me at info@tatahthelabel.com.
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Do you have any advice for aspiring jewellers?
Tatah may still be a small independent brand but after five years of building it, I feel qualified to say: follow the crazy idea. You don’t need to have the perfect studio, business plan or aesthetic before you begin. I started with a bench peg clamped to a bookshelf, and some of my most successful pieces began as mistakes or improvisations.
Find more from Tatah here.
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