Born in Brighton, United Kingdom, Louie Cresswell is a self-taught jewellery designer and founder of Ouie. Hailing from a creative family of artists, musicians and entrepreneurs his enthusiasm for creativity started early and grew as he became fascinated by his grandmother’s pocket watch and his great-grandfather’s treasures. These practical yet beautiful objects sparked his interest in ergonomic shapes, tactile surfaces and functional mechanisms, planting a seed that would ultimately lead to the creation of Ouie.

Louie Cresswell began conceptualising Ouie in 2017, inspired by his love of fashion and an innate desire to create, with an initial collection of printed T-Shirts and accessories. Frustrated by the low quality and impermanence of the fixtures and fastenings available Cresswell began experimenting with precious metals – starting with solid gold buttons designed to attach to hats. While working on a design for a hoodie, his attention turned to the simple plastic toggle that served as a lock-stopper for the hood cord and became an obsession that led him to create a fully functional toggle in solid 18k gold.

This development process and discovery resulted in what would become Ouie’s first collection of fine jewellery in 2021. The journey began in London’s Hatton Garden with a collection of functioning toggles, a ring inspired by a keyring loop and an entirely bespoke chain - a selection of products that eventually became the core of Ouie’s collections today.

Stockists:

• Dover Street Market - London
• Mr Porter - Online