Meet the team
Bear Brooksbank
FOUNDER
Bear is a British fine jewellery designer.
Since early childhood, Bear has always been spellbound by the idea that precious materials come from the earth.
It's the idea that really we are only ever custodians for our jewellery but that as things are handed down they hold onto an essence of what has gone before. It is that sentimentality and the relationship so many of us have with our jewellery which makes it so deeply precious and important. Our own mini legacies.
Having trained as an actress and spent time working in a contemporary art gallery, in 2007 Bear returned to her first love.
She cut her craft working in Mayfair for the highly respected jewellery dealer, Humphrey Butler. At the same time, she trained to be a gemologist and designer at the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), graduating in 2009. Bear has now been in the jewellery business for over 17 years, and established her eponymous East London brand in 2012. Bear Brooksbank specialises in bespoke and commission-based projects, whilst also offering a collection of ready to wear fine jewellery pieces available to buy.
With her early influence being predominantly in antique jewellery, Bear draws inspiration from treasures of the past and creates timeless contemporary masterpieces that are equally relevant to today.
Bear’s EAST London Heritage
Bear’s roots to East London go back nine generations.
Her great-great-great-great-great-great-great grandfather Stamp Brooksbank (Governor of the Bank of England) bought land in Hackney in the 1720s and built Hackney House. Long since gone, Homerton Hospital now rests on the site. Brooksbank Street and Brooksby’s Walk are within the gardens and fields once so loved by Stamp. Bear's two children were born at Homerton Hospital and she has lived proudly with her family in Hackney for nearly two decades.
Geneva Starr
Studio Assistant
Geneva has always had a keen eye for jewellery—especially vintage pieces. A lifelong lover of all things second-hand, she grew up admiring her mum’s chunky gold gypsy ring, which sparked her fascination with bold, characterful designs.
She studied Fashion Illustration at the London College of Fashion before moving into photography, all the while keeping a close interest in the world of jewellery. While working as a picture researcher at The Times, Geneva came across a job posting from Bear on Instagram. Having followed Bear’s work since 2020—often screenshotting her favourite chunky rings as inspiration—she jumped at the opportunity.
Geneva joined the studio in June 2023, instantly connecting with Bear, the team, and the jewels. Since then, she’s been immersed in learning the ins and outs of the jewellery industry.
Alongside day-to-day studio management, she plays a key role in stone sourcing and client meetings.
lara Vallance
Stylist and Consultant
Beginning her career as a ballet dancer both training in Glasgow and London, Lara moved to Amsterdam to work for Acne Studios before relocating to Dubai, where she gained her dream role as Junior Stylist at The Modist. Returning to London, she became Senior Stylist at Matches, later becoming freelance, styling and collaborating with Joan the Store and Home of Hai. This varied creative journey has informed her distinctive eye for detail, narrative, and mood across styling and production.
Having admired Bear’s work since early 2015, inviting her to design Lara’s engagement ring in 2020 felt both inevitable and deeply personal —The ring, an intimate fusion of masculine elegance and a shared affection for vintage cocktail jewellery, became more than a symbol of love; it marked the beginning of a friendship that would unfold across both creative and personal realms.
A highlight of Lara’s career was the styling and production of BB Bridal, a project that felt like a natural extension of their story and shared sensibilities. It was also an opportunity for Bear and Lara to collaborate on their first collection of BBxLV pearls.
Photo credits: Alexandra B Selby