Eliza Higginbottom

“Being a member is very affirming, I think the recognition of one’s peers is very powerful, as is the opportunity to support and give back to the trade.”

Yunus and I were finalists at the British Fashion Awards in 2014. Designing for Game of Thrones has been a pivotal moment for us, as well as negotiating a licence from HBO to retail replicas of that work globally. We also own and manage a foundry. I find our work with our apprentices there very rewarding.

I read History at the university of Warwick, and then moved to London and ran the art programme at the Hammersmith and Fulham Behaviour Improvement Program – for children who’d been expelled from school; igniting an interest in art as therapy. I then did a post graduate diploma in Figurative Sculpture at The Heatherly School of Fine Art, ending up at a foundry in West London and finding a home there doing informal training. This is where I met Yunus. 

Soon after we launched our eponymous brand, Yunus & Eliza. Fast forward 17 years and we have three children and three businesses.

Having had no formal jewellery training we could sometimes feel on the back foot, but we learnt to use it to our advantage; it has always added a rebellion to our designs, which has got us noticed, opening up both the film and fashion worlds. 

I’ve known about Livery Companies since studying in Venice as part of my degree, where I learnt about the pivotal role of medieval guilds both in Venice and London.

Yunus and I became members in 2021. I honestly feel proud to be part of an historic company that welcomed me bringing our newborn baby to a Livery dinner. The combination of heritage and open minded modernity is very appealing.