MEET KATIE, THE DESIGNER/MAKER
“Curiosity about life in all aspects, I think, is still the secret of great creative people.”
-Leo Burnett
Do you like your jewellery to be a little different—quirky, unexpected, full of character?
Are you someone who chooses handmade pieces because they carry a story?
Do you enjoy knowing who designed and made the jewellery you wear?
If so, Original Strands will feel right at home with you.
I’m Katie Woollett, the designer and maker behind Original Strands. From my Dublin studio, I create contemporary Irish jewellery across four distinctive collections. My work plays with unusual angles, tapered rings with off‑centre gems, and earrings that invert traditional forms. Each piece is designed to spark curiosity and invite a second look.
Every item is handmade, thoughtfully crafted, and rooted in my fascination with shape, balance, and the unexpected.
I am a member of the Design and Craft Council of Ireland and The Irish Jewellers and Silversmiths Guild, committed to the highest standards of craftsmanship and creative integrity.
My journey into jewellery began after a career as a psychotherapist, where trust, intuition, and deep listening shaped my everyday work. I spent years attuning to the subtle, often unspoken ways people communicate. That sensitivity now guides my creative process.
I design jewellery that reflects how I see the world: irregular, playful, off‑balance, and full of character. I’m drawn to textures, contrasts, and forms that challenge symmetry and invite curiosity. Each piece emerges from an inner spark - an idea that wants to be explored, stretched, inverted, or transformed.
Creating jewellery is, for me, another leap into the unknown. It’s a way of revealing something personal and trusting that you will instinctively experience what I’m expressing through shape and form.
I’m especially interested in how jewellery connects our inner and outer worlds. What makes us reach for one piece over another? Is it memory, emotion, or simply an intuitive pull? Whatever the reason, I believe the pieces we choose should matter. They should feel like part of us.
My hope is that my jewellery resonates with you—unexpected, expressive, and meaningful.
MY INSPIRATION
My inspiration is drawn from the angles of architecture and our urban environment, and the curves in nature. This is represented by the interplay of movement, textures and combinations of the precious metals and gems I use in my innovative, original and individual pieces. Many of these are one of a kind, and I love to experiment with space , balance and opposites.
It is important to me to create a brand that is sustainable and ethical. My materials are obtained from reputable dealers and I aim to use only ethically sourced materials and recycled packaging.
PHILOSOPHY
PHILOSOPHY
INVITATION
I invite you to browse my shop, leaving traditional expectations at the door, and see which of the pieces you are drawn to, either for yourself or as a gift for a special person in your life. You may be surprised!
