How Presley Oldham Is Making The World His Oyster
V speaks with the jewelry designer about finding the balance between slower fashion cycles and putting out meaningful objects.
At just 26 years old, Presley Oldham is making the world his oyster, one pearl at a time. As the nephew of Todd Oldham, the famed NYC based designer, the rising jewelry mogul has his sights set on capturing the beauty of connectivity and jewelry through his namesake artisanal label. V sat down with Oldham to discuss his jewelry line and what he envisions his work to do.
Amidst a time of uncertainty, Oldham began to invest more time into what was initially a hobby, collectively growing these beautiful pieces into the must-have line during the ongoing pandemic. Immersed with a deeper and more personal meaning, Presley Oldham aims to be able to touch others with his work, telling V “As I’ve put these products into the world, it’s been delightful to see that range of people that these appealed to. And I like how democratic it is and that everyone seems to like them.”
Being one to connect with his surroundings, the charm of Oldham’s label is the utilization of local resources to bring his designs to life. While it is very important for him to work with his surroundings on a pure resource level, the materials remain natural and elemental—evidently seen in the visuals for his first two collections, saying “I think putting it outside adds a different layer to it in a different texture, so just letting the outside kind of permeate through and wind its way through my work. I find all of the shapes and the colors very natural as well, whether they are earthy or airy, there’s something elemental about them.”
As the incorporation of pearls is heavily present in the lineup, Oldham feels that the significance of the natural baubles have layers of symbolism, being that they are grounded and have an organic foundation. As Oldham explains “I think the beauty for me with pearls is that they are naturally made. Created by a living organism, they have this sort of interesting texture to them that isn’t there in some other gems or beads, and there’s a luminescence to it that connects to the moon [which] connects to your deeper emotion.”
That same deeper emotion is the root of how Oldham created his first collection, stating how the first drop was personal as it was experimental. With materials collected from local flea markets and from Oldham’s possession for a while, Oldman explains how “It was very personal to me and it was also very limited in that I didn’t fully know what I was doing. I used materials that I was very fond of and that was very personal.”, ultimately marking this as the start of Oldham’s exploration with jewelry. The second collection was geared more towards collaboration as Oldham described it as a wondrous experience to see something near and dear be brought to a whole new level, saying “It was magical in that sense for me to see something that I did, so isolated and private here, be brought to another level through people that I care about.” With two collections under his belt, Oldham was finding his footing with each varying collection, saying “They started to be a little more complex, and I think I’m exploring that now as I continue to grow as well.” Having a deeper meaning and beauty that goes beyond the surface can make one realize the great sentimental aspect of a pearl, which goes further than its value as an accessory. This idea is similar to the message Oldham wants to convey with the line, aiming to draw attention to the process and effort put into making the jewelry.
Moving away from the fashion industry’s mass-production mindset, Oldham’s goal is not to be putting a thousand pieces of jewelry into the world every month; rather, to strike deeper connections with those who receive it and extend the fulfillment and gratitude he feels when finishing a piece with a great deal of intricacy and energy. “I personally make everything that I put out, so it is my hand moving and doing it. And that to me, it’s fulfilling. I hope that energy is then transferred to the person getting the product and wearing the piece and it deepens it. You’re not just buying something that everyone else in the world has.” Oldham states.
As a new chapter of the journey continues, Oldham discusses how important it is for him to continue to see what different locations can bring while finding a balance in the production side of the brand, saying “I think once I do get back to LA, that’ll be a different energy and a different vibe that I’m working and living with. So [I’ll] let it influence the product instead of letting the products dictate where you are. I think it’s about finding the balance in between and working towards slower fashion and starting to put into the world what I believe and hope makes a tiny notch of difference, and a collective movement towards realizing how much of an impact consumer goods have on our world.”
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