Born To Create. “Playful Defiance” is how one of fine jewelry and award winning platinumsmith Deirdre Featherstone’s beloved clients describes the sensibility of her collection. The one-time antiques auctioneer, since childhood, has been building things and grew up in a family who did the same. Her father would often disappear to the store for a gallon of milk, and come back with a car for fixing. With a deep understanding of materials and value culled during her time in antiques, and her homegrown skill for working with her hands, Deirdre turned her talents to jewelry design after being stopped on the street by a prospective customer who admired the pieces she was wearing that she’d made for herself. With a private atelier in Manhattan and a curated collection exclusively at Bergdorf Goodman, clients come to Featherstone Design for her use of superior color gemstones and the detailed way in which her pieces function. On this podcast we talk about the intimate relationships Deirdre has with both her materials and her customers, a lifetime of working with her hands, the focus she’s placed on creating convertible pieces, how she combines luxe quality with a sense of humor, her sources of inspiration including the unique perspective her daughter brings, a deep dive into gemstones and platinum---and more.