Allumer: The Rolls Royce of friendship bracelets

“Forged from friendship, what started as just a present to my best friend, was suddenly red-hot, she loved it so much, she showed it to her friends, and now everyone wants them…”

These are the words of Natasha Leith-Smith, designer of Allumer jewellery. The brand, whose name means “to light up”, has been dubbed the “Rolls Royce of friendship bracelets” by Vogue and has had growing success since its first collection in 2007.

What began as a brand solely for friendship bracelets has gradually expanded to include necklaces and earrings, and Smith has also designed items for charities including Jeans for Genes and National Adoption Week. Her jewellery has become a favourite among celebrities and royalty alike, with fans including Gwen Stefani and Kate Moss, and even Robbie Williams is a fan of the men’s collection.

What makes Smith’s jewellery so attractive is its playful simplicity; she combines brightly coloured chains with sophisticated charms and pendants. The items are beautifully packaged and most collections have little anecdotes attached.

Her previous collections have included gummy band bracelets with her signature cut-out charm for decoration, as well as her much hyped ‘No Smoke Without Fire’ collection of friendship bracelets.

The latest addition to the Allumer repertoire is the Match collection. In perfect cohesion with her original packaging, Smith has deigned adorable matchstick pendants. There is a choice between 9ct gold, silver, gold plate and rhodium plate, plus a range of options for the tip of the match, including sapphire, ruby, emerald, amethyst, pink or green tourmaline, topaz citrine and moonstone.

The chain is hand cut to any length, so can be worn as a necklace or a bracelet, and Allumer even offers a bespoke service in which they can recreate any of their pre-existing designs to different specifications, or make something completely from scratch.

Allumer jewellery is stocked in Wolf & Badger and Harvey Nichols, with prices starting at £120. Check out the full collection here.

Katia El- Fakhri