A Tribute and Interview with Jake Andrew of Drawn & Quartered

Drawn & Quartered custom petite name plate necklace, Asos bodysuit, Silence + Noise jeans, vintage boots, Walter Baker coat, Verameat rings, Bonlook sunglasses

I met Jake Andrew back in April.

 I was brought by some mutual friends of ours to his surprise birthday party, and I didn't quiiite know him well enough yet. We didn't talk much that evening, but I knew and respected him through knowledge of his work as the designer behind Drawn & Quartered, a line of silver jewelry that Jake has grown himself. I then came to know his menswear blog, The Boys For Boys, which this post is an aesthetic tribute to.

Through the magic of the internet, Jake and I have become wonderful friends, sharing our stories over Facebook, I struggle to go to sleep in New York while Jake watches the sun rise from his roof in Australia (he sends me photos of the sun coming up almost every day).
Jake has proven to be an endless well of inspiration for me, and I adore our chats about life, our mutual love for design and the satisfaction of hard work.

So after a few weeks of establishing a warm friendship, Jake told me he was thinking of sending me one of his personalized ID Plate Necklaces, and my jaw dropped from the generous offer. After hearing the news and picking my chin up off the floor, jake gave me the opportunity to choose something special for my nameplate to be stamped with. Knowing that the name plate was meant to spin to reveal two sides as I wore it, in the end, I went with "Heller Geist", which translates to "Bright Spirit" in German. "Bright" also riffs off of Claire, which means "light" or "bright" in French. My last name is incredibly important to me because it's my grandmother's maiden name, which my father took back when he was in college. The name plate arrived a few weeks ago, and I haven't taken it off since.

I always think it's incredibly gratifying to learn about a brand directly from the mind it came from, so I felt compelled to interview Jake about what he loves, his processes and his hard work:

We have previously discussed what inspires your designs (biker culture, your interactions with your loved ones, etc). Could you give a consistent top-3, or are things even consistent for you?

1/ organizations both religious and non-religious who adorn their members as they ascend a hierarchy

2/ my experience with people (who know themselves well) as they represent themselves through what they wear

3/  mythology. the older and more obscure it is, the more I like it

How do you want your pieces to feel when they're worn?

Close.

Every element of a design is considered: the weight, the size, the texture. I want for each piece to be very personal. I recommend some kind of customization with most orders I receive. I don't want to be a production line and more importantly I want each piece to represent its wearer. 

How have your thoughts on creating jewelry changed over time as you have worked on your craft?

I didn't begin making jewelry with any real intention. I enjoyed. It is nurturing to do something you enjoy. Now, though, I keep a clear picture and  I know where I'm taking this label.

Is your wardrobe quite edited, ever-changing or something in between?

It's streamlined and ever-changing. There is nothing in there that I don't wear. Mostly I have street labels and basics (which are almost disposable), a lot of work gear too. I don't believe that luxury brands are for me because the ticket prices don't match my pay check. That doesn't mean I don't buy the odd jacket, bag or pair of sunglasses that I know will last and look good with my Dickies and Dr Martens but I'm not buying my white crew necks from Balmain, I'm buying them from American Apparel. 

What's been something you can't stop thinking about?

One person in NYC who changed everything.

You've been learning Spanish, how's that going?

Aprendiendo poco a poco! It's a challenge but there's a reward at the end to which nothing can compare.

I miss you here in NYC, come back to us soon, won't you?

Currently working on my portfolio and application for college. I'll see you in the Summer!

So yeah, Jake is amazing.
And just so y'all know, De Lune readers get 20% off all D&Q Petite Name Plate necklaces until Nov 25th with the promo code DELUNE20 (a gift for someone special, perhaps?).

And while you're at it, check this kid out on The Boys For Boys because he kicks SO much ass.

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