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In a recent interview, chef and activist Asma Khan reflected on the simple but profound question: “Who gets to eat?” Food, she reminds us, is never neutral. Access to food is shaped by power, history, privilege and exclusion. Behind every plate served is a long chain of stories: who owns the land, who grew the ingredients, who prepared them, who profits from it all - and who is left hungry.
Jewellery, too, is deeply political. At face value it may seem far removed from the politics of food, but in truth, the same forces govern who gets to adorn themselves with beauty, whose labour makes that beauty possible, and whose bodies and lands have been exploited to feed an appetite for luxury.
For more than 100,000 years jewellery has served as a symbol of wealth, power, status and belonging. Rarely have these symbols been equally available to all. Throughout history, extraction, colonisation and global inequalities have determined who benefits from the precious materials offered up by Mother Earth.
The gold industry is a clear example. For generations, European colonial powers profited enormously from gold wealth in the Global South, whilst local communities to whom the land ultimately belongs felt very little benefit. Even today, the scars of this legacy shape many modern supply chains, with some irresponsible extractive practices continuing to harm both people and ecosystems for the benefit of consumers in the Global North, fragmented supply chains seeing the profit creamed in the later stages.
When we ask “Who gets to eat?” in the world of jewellery, we are really asking:
For many years, the ability to "eat" - to enjoy luxury and stability - has been secured by the ongoing hunger of others. In our mind’s eye, we see a place at the table for everybody involved in the creation of jewellery.
At Lebrusan Studio, we know jewellery has the power to play an active role in redistributing wealth and fostering sustainable prosperity in mining and craft communities. As such, we have taken to viewing the jewellery industry through a decolonising lens; addressing the exploitative structures of the past, challenging the power imbalances of today to ensure we don’t make the same mistakes in the future, and pushing for active reparations.
Here are some examples of how decolonising jewellery looks in action…
Understanding how colonial expansion built the modern jewellery trade, and how those legacies still shape today’s sourcing, trading and even marketing practices. We recently wrote a blog post on what it means to approach antique jewellery from a decolonising perspective; exploring how jewellers and wearers alike can honour the artistry of the past without turning a blind eye to its entanglements with empire.
Indigenous communities are often disproportionately affected by extractive activities. Including them in decision-making processes as members of governing boards helps ensure that projects are designed in ways that minimise negative impacts on their livelihoods, wellbeing, and cultural heritage.
It’s no secret that much of the world’s precious metals and gemstones have been historically extracted through exploitative systems – often in formerly colonised nations – where communities are underpaid, unsafe and excluded from the true value of the resources they produce. Globally, around 40 million people rely on artisanal mining. By supporting artisanal and small-scale (ASM) miners, championing fair trade initiatives and advocating for full traceability in supply chains, jewellers can help redirect wealth to those who extract materials in the first place.
PeaceGold, for example, is a ground-breaking initiative transforming gold into a source of peace and prosperity in conflict-affected Democratic Republic of Congo. Their work centres on developing formalised gold mining cooperatives and supporting them in achieving the international standards for labour and human rights that are necessary to access the global gold market. PeaceGold’s social impact work on the ground, along with a fair transactional framework and a dedicated social development fund, work to abolish traditional trickle-down structures that perpetuate reliance on hand-outs and cycles of poverty. Instead, PeaceGold’s partner mining cooperatives are empowered to benefit from the mineral wealth of their homeland, building sustainable and prosperous futures for themselves and their communities from the ground up.
Colonialism not only plundered resources – it often dismissed or appropriated the creative traditions of Indigenous and local craftspeople, whilst positioning Western aesthetics as the global standard for beauty.
Instead of imitating traditional designs, it’s our responsibility to make space at the table for craftspeople who hold those cultural heritages – communities who have historically been marginalised. In doing so, it’s crucial to ensure credit, ownership and fair payment for their skills and tell the full story, sharing the origins of techniques, designs and symbols respectfully.
Investing in heritage skills is also about supporting training, apprenticeships and fair employment for craftspeople whose traditional jewellery-making skills are at risk of being lost.
For a long time, the jewellery trade has resembled a labyrinth of doors closed to anybody without existing social capital, steeped in traditions of gate-keeping and bias. Research in recent years has revealed that the fine jewellery industry’s operational norms of secrecy and autonomy can create resistance to responsible business practices and make it difficult for newcomers to navigate the industry. This is particularly true for young people of colour, who – according to Forbes (2021) – are statistically disadvantaged by the broader issue of the white-dominated career networks that govern access and opportunities.
Decolonising jewellery involves reshaping our industry into a nurturing space that celebrates transparency and lends authority to a variety of voices.
A fantastic example of this practice in action is The Jewellery Collective, a not-for-profit community interest company breaking down barriers within the UK jewellery industry to create accessible opportunities for networking, knowledge-sharing and professional growth.
Likewise, Fair Luxury – a collaboration of change-makers that has recently hosted a sold-out conference – are the pioneers of sharing specialist ethics and sustainability insights in accessible formats
Asma Khan reminds us that even today, women in many cultures eat last, or not at all. They serve others but are not served themselves. In the world of jewellery, this dynamic is echoed in who gets to wear beautiful pieces of jewellery; whose bodies are considered worthy of adornment – whose narratives are centred in advertising and branding – and whose are excluded.
Historically, the jewellery industry has catered to narrow ideals: wealthy, white, Western, heteronormative. These visuals exclude large swathes of people who rarely see themselves reflected in luxury advertising. As recently as 2022, a report by McKinsey & Company - in collaboration with Business of Fashion – underscored the issue of diversity in the jewellery industry. The report reveals that representation of women and people of colour in senior management roles remains limited, an imbalance which significantly influences marketing strategies and brand narratives.
Decolonising jewellery is about broadening who gets to be seen wearing jewellery, actively platforming voices; designers, makers and models who are BIPOC, LGBTQ+ and disabled.
At Lebrusan Studio, we believe that every piece of jewellery serves an active purpose to tell a story and change the world, one gram of gold at a time. Every choice we make – from sourcing to crafting and storytelling – is political.
Of course, jewellery is also joy; a celebration of love, identity, and memory. That joy becomes even more profound when we know that it’s been built on fairness. When we wear jewellery that honours its makers, materials, and histories with honesty, we participate in a beauty that nourishes rather than deprives.
As Asma Khan says of food: “The privilege is not in cooking, but in eating.” When we ask ‘Who gets to eat? Who gets to adorn themselves? Project their voice, exert their influence and take a seat at the table?,’ we open up important conversations about justice, dignity, and repair.
We’re proud to lead the movement that reimagines jewellery as something not extracted, but shared; not hoarded, but honoured. Joy is a birth right, and we know there is enough food to go round.
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Love, Arabel & Team
It's possible to embrace the beautiful materials that Mother Nature offers us without harming our beautiful planet. By asking questions, simplifying supply chains and sharing our knowledge with the world, we can achieve this balance.
