By Yulia Savelyeva in Moscow
Blossoming from a simple but ambitious idea to create the very first bespoke jewellery design showroom in Moscow, where clients could buy one-of-a-kind jewels, Why Not Sky was founded by Elena Vaevskaya in 2008.
Though Elena studied medicine, her career change was not totally out of the blue - she was immersed in jewellery from her childhood. Her grandmother, whose family served among the personal guards of Russian tsar Nicholai II, handed down her 19th-century jewellery to Elena and her mother. And the tradition continued as she received contemporary jewels as gifts from her father and husband. But she was never quite satisfied with its design and quality and always returned to her vintage and Art Deco jewels.
And so she came to design her first ring, inspired by the art of Friedensreich Hundertwasser and made by a Moscow jeweller. Elena enjoyed the experience so much, and the ring was so admired, that she decided to devote herself to this newfound vocation.
She enrolled in the jewellery design courses at the Instituto Europeo di Design in Milan and went on to receive a 'precious stones expert' diploma from the Moscow State University, the Russian version of the GIA, while she formed relationships with the best jewellery workshops in Europe.
Today Why Not Sky offers clients the chance to order select one-of-a-kind jewels as well as pieces from the current collections. The latest launch is 'Rain', which is based on the idea of raindrops. Made up of long, delicate necklaces, rings, earrings and cuffs featuring blue topaz cabochons and aquamarine briolettes, set in blue titanium with white diamond accents, the new collection was crafted in an Italian workshop and each jewel is limited to five pieces.
The brand is currently sold in two Moscow jewellers, Aizel and Je t'aime, and Spiga Uno jewellery boutique in Milan is next on the list. True to her love of enduring designs, Elena tells us: "Why Not Sky jewellery is created for years to come, if not for eternity."
