| Theo Fennell | |
| Birth Name: | Alister Theodore Fennell |
| Birth Date: | 1951 8, df=yes |
| Birth Place: | Egypt |
| Nationality: | British |
| Education: | Eton Byam Shaw School of Art |
| Occupation: | Jewellery and silverware designer |
| Spouse: | Louise MacGregor |
| Children: | 2, including Emerald Fennell |
Alister Theodore Fennell (born 8 August 1951)[1] is a British jewellery and silverware designer. He is often called the "King of Bling" for his flamboyant designs for celebrity clientele. In 1982, he founded Theo Fennell, his eponymous jewellery business.[2] In 2009, he returned to the helm after leaving the company for 18 months. He regained control of the company in 2021.[3]
Fennell was born in 1951 in Egypt. He was educated at Eton,[4] and then York College of Art, followed by the Byam Shaw School of Art, now part of the University of the Arts London.[5]
After art school, Fennell's first job was as an apprentice and designer at Edward Barnard, a long-established silversmiths in Hatton Garden.[6] Following his apprenticeship, he formed his first jewellery business in 1974.[7] In 1982, he opened his first Theo Fennell store at 177 Fulham Road in Chelsea, a location he chose to be closer to his clients. In 1997, he moved his flagship store into the building he helped design at 169 Fulham Road.In 2007, Fennell held an exhibition, Show Off!, at London's Royal Academy of Art, consisting of an array of installations, dioramas, paintings, presentations and sculptures, each showcasing a piece of Fennell's jewellery.[8]
In 2008, Fennell founded The Original Design Partnership, a design consultancy, specialising in jewellery, silver, and curios while also working in other design fields, and mentoring young British designers.[9]
By 2011, Fennell had expanded from jewellery into items such as silver photo frames, cocktail shakers and jugs, with more products in design.[10] In 2011, bespoke items, including the Secret Garden ring with yellow gold, paraiba tourmaline, diamond and enamel were listed at £40,000 or more.In May 2022, Fennell announced that after 25 years, he was to move from 169 Fulham Road to Chelsea Barracks, as the rent had become "ludicrous".[11]
Customers have included Elton John, Joan Collins, Elizabeth Hurley, Madonna, and Lady Gaga.[12]
He is a Fellow of the Institute of Professional Goldsmiths (IPG)[13] [14] and an ambassador for The Goldsmiths' Craft and Design Council.[15] He is a liveryman of the Goldsmiths Company, and an honorary fellow of the University of the Arts London.[16]
In 2022, his memoir, I Fear for This Boy: Some Chapters of Accidents, was published.[17]
He lives in London with his wife, Louise (née MacGregor), an author.[17] They have two daughters, Emerald, a writer, actor and director, and Coco, a fashion designer.[17]