Every collection starts somewhere, and for An Ocean Native Summer, it started somewhere in the middle of Christmas chaos.

Between the wrapping paper, the busy Christmas market days, and everything inbetween, this collection began as a collection of random sketches, moodboards, individual stone samples, and little ideas I had floating around in my head. Nothing was fully formed yet - just small pieces of inspiration waiting to come together.

From individual stones to finished pieces

Every piece in this collection began with the stones.

Choosing each individual stone was the first step - from there, we worked through every tiny detail: deciding on the perfect cut and shape, choosing chain lengths, testing jump rings, clasps and finishes, and sampling again and again until each piece felt exactly right.

I wanted this collection to feel different from anything we’d created before, while still feeling unmistakably Ocean Native. Pieces you could wear alone, stack together, mix with existing favourites, and collect over time. So much of what you see in the final collection comes from those small decisions behind the scenes.

From the very beginning, I couldn't picture this collection being shot anywhere other than Spain.

So much of the inspiration behind An Ocean Native Summer comes from Spain - the colours, the landscapes, the slower pace of life, the feeling of long days that turn into evenings without you even realising.

We spend so much of our time there, and it felt like the only place that could truly bring the collection to life.

At first it was just an idea in my head, but once I committed to it, there was no turning back.

That meant hours searching for the perfect villa, taking a bit of a leap and booking it, reaching out to Spanish model agencies, organising the logistics from another country, and hoping all the pieces would come together. Looking back now, I probably underestimated just how much went into making it happen.

What started as a simple vision quickly became our biggest shoot to date.

Two models, an incredible villa, our biggest collection ever, and so many moving parts behind the scenes. There were definitely moments where it felt overwhelming, but seeing it all come together exactly how I'd imagined made every bit of the planning worth it.

Once everything started falling into place, it suddenly hit us just how big this shoot was actually going to be.

It was our biggest collection ever, two models, a full day of shooting, countless outfit changes, jewellery combinations, locations... and somehow Chris and I had planned every bit of it ourselves. There were spreadsheets, checklists, voice notes, last-minute decisions and, if I'm honest, quite a few sleepless nights.

Once everything started falling into place, it suddenly hit us just how big this shoot was actually going to be.

It was our biggest collection ever, two models, a full day of shooting, countless outfit changes, jewellery combinations, locations... and somehow Chris and I had planned every bit of it ourselves.

There were spreadsheets, checklists, voice notes, last-minute decisions and, if I'm honest, alot of sleepless nights.

We ended up shipping a last-minute parcel to Cliodhna before she flew out, just to make sure everything arrived in time. Those are the moments nobody sees, but they’re all part of creating something you truly care about.

The team behind it

Niamh, our photographer, and Cliodhna, our content creator, flew out the day before the shoot. Having them there to capture the collection was such a special part of the process. They understood the feeling we were trying to create and helped bring the entire vision to life.

...maybe I’ll share a separate blog all about the actual shoot day & all the behind-the-scenes.

At the heart of this collection is the idea of embracing the moments you don’t plan.

The days that start slow.
The days filled with salty hair and spontaneous plans.
The days where you go for the swim, stay for sunset, and somehow end up with memories you never expected.

Stay Wild has always been at the heart of everything we do. It’s about embracing it all - the unplanned, the unknown, and the moments you never saw coming.

This collection is made for those days.

The ones you don’t rush.
The ones you don’t forget.
The ones that feel easy.
The ones you never really planned.

Seeing it all come to life

After months of designing, sampling, planning, stressing, and dreaming, seeing An Ocean Native Summer finally come to life has felt like the ultimate dream.

But what we never expected was the reaction.

We have been completely blown away by how much love this collection has received. So many pieces sold out, and some styles even sold out of their pre-order quantities - quantities we genuinely thought were being optimistic with.

Since launch, we've barely stopped. We've been packing orders, organising restocks, replying to your messages and trying to keep up with demand, and honestly, we wouldn't have it any other way.

One of my favourite parts has been seeing where the collection has ended up. Your holiday photos, your weekend adventures, your everyday stacks... watching Ocean Native head off on so many of your summer memories is something I'll never get tired of.

For me, that's always been the point. These pieces aren't made to sit in a jewellery box. They're made to be worn, layered, collected and taken with you.

To think this collection started as a few sketches, a handful of stone samples and an idea in my head, and has now become part of so many of your stories, is something I'll never take for granted.

Thank you for supporting Ocean Native, for trusting us with your jewellery collection and for letting us be a small part of your adventures.

Here’s to an Ocean Native Summer xx