What is Skölland?
Skölland
(Sk-ohl-and)-distinctive, beautifully dark wearable art that puts your
Personality in Metal. A brand for those who want their jewelry to
reflect their creativity, alternative style & individuality.
Skölland was created to be a haven for those who want quality pieces
but cannot stand the look and style of traditional fine jewelry. The
word “Skolland” is a term coined by the owner, Claire Steckel. The
inspiration for the word came from the old Norse interjection “skål” (annterjection commonly used to toast the good health of someone, or a phrase used in celebration- typically meaning ”cheers”)
Claire wanted the name to embody the elation she felt when she was Her design & inspirations for Skölland
stem from history, European & Nordic cultures, rugged textures and a
style known as “brutalism”. When meshed together, these ideas create a
style that is distinctly
Skölland is a woman owned, grass roots business that was built from
the ground up. Skölland’s roots were first planted in Claire’s first
business, “Claire’s Creative Designs’” which she ran from 2015-2019.
Each piece of equipment used for jewelry making was sourced one at a
time, building the business slowly from resilience, dedication &
hard work. Currently, all pieces are either hand fabricated or cast in
Claire’s home-based studio located in Wisconsin. Each sterling &
gold alloy used is carefully selected for each design to produce a
quality piece . Improving technique & maintaining or exceeding
quality are core values that Skolland embodies. Claire focuses on
R&D and design on days she is not fulfilling orders, striving to
improve on the processes for her made-to-order lines and experimenting
with new designs.
Skolland is here to stay for those, like Claire, who have struggled
to find themselves in a piece of jewelry. You can’t be defined by simple
words on a bracelet, or a common chain. Jewelry is an extension of you
and is deeply personal-life’s too short to settle for jewelry that just
doesn’t communicate you. Are you ready to challenge the status quo, and
put your Personality In Metal?
Skål!
-Claire
About the Artist
Metalsmith & one-woman-show-
Claire was born in Chicago, Illinois. Throughout her childhood, she lived in
different states in the Midwest, East Coast, and the Southern United States,
never settling in one place for too long. Being neurodivergent, one of Claire's
biggest struggles has been communicating with others. She struggled to find
common ground with others her age while growing up because she had many
interests that were deemed atypical. Through jewelry making, she discovered
that jewelry can be used as a form of communication. Making it a medium for
conveying her individual style and harnessing it to tell her customer's
stories.
When Claire was in her late teens,
she stumbled upon a beading shop within walking distance of her first apartment
that ignited her interest in jewelry making. Realizing early on that beading
was limiting and couldn’t create the designs she dreamed of, she spent years
teaching herself metalsmithing techniques and working under master goldsmiths
to learn how to bring her ideas to life. As a part-time hobby turned full-time career,
Claire now forges and designs everything in her home studio using traditional
and innovative metalsmithing techniques.
In her spare time, she can be found
foraging, cooking, reading & playing the piano.