Glenn Spiro
Showcasing a unique jewellery collection through a refined, image-led portfolio.
Glenn Spiro is a London-based private jeweller known for creating one-of-a-kind pieces for an international clientele. When I joined the project at Xanda in 2020, his website was outdated and failing to reflect the exclusivity of his craft. The jewellery itself was stunning, but the site felt dated and generic, more like e-commerce than the private showroom experience Glenn’s clients expected. The challenge was subtle but important: how do you design an interface that communicates luxury without overpowering the product? For Glenn, the site needed to feel less like a shop and more like a gallery.
Showcasing a unique jewellery collection through a refined, image-led portfolio.
Glenn Spiro is a London-based private jeweller known for creating one-of-a-kind pieces for an international clientele. When I joined the project at Xanda in 2020, his website was outdated and failing to reflect the exclusivity of his craft. The jewellery itself was stunning, but the site felt dated and generic, more like e-commerce than the private showroom experience Glenn’s clients expected. The challenge was subtle but important: how do you design an interface that communicates luxury without overpowering the product? For Glenn, the site needed to feel less like a shop and more like a gallery.
My Role
As the sole designer, I led concept development, visual design, and developer hand-off. I worked closely with Glenn and his team, presenting iterations, refining details, and making sure every design decision aligned with the brand’s values. This was not a project about adding flourish: it was about showing restraint. Every idea that distracted from the jewellery had to go. Through quick iterations and close client feedback, I learned that the boldest decision was often to strip things back.
My Role
As the sole designer, I led concept development, visual design, and developer hand-off. I worked closely with Glenn and his team, presenting iterations, refining details, and making sure every design decision aligned with the brand’s values. This was not a project about adding flourish: it was about showing restraint. Every idea that distracted from the jewellery had to go. Through quick iterations and close client feedback, I learned that the boldest decision was often to strip things back.
Creating the First Impression
The landing page set the tone immediately: a marble backdrop, a single spotlighted piece, and the studio’s minimal logo. Contact icons were kept discreet to maintain focus. The effect was like walking into a private showroom: understated but memorable. Our early drafts added more texture and typography, but they only pulled attention away from the jewellery. By paring it back, the site began to feel worthy of Glenn’s work.
Creating the First Impression
The landing page set the tone immediately: a marble backdrop, a single spotlighted piece, and the studio’s minimal logo. Contact icons were kept discreet to maintain focus. The effect was like walking into a private showroom: understated but memorable. Our early drafts added more texture and typography, but they only pulled attention away from the jewellery. By paring it back, the site began to feel worthy of Glenn’s work.
Showcasing the Collection
The jewellery was presented through a full-width carousel, replacing the outdated thumbnail grid. High-resolution images glided into view, each piece settling naturally at the centre of the screen. Subtle captions offered context without distracting from the craftsmanship. We wrestled with the balance between motion and restraint. Too much animation risked feeling flashy, too little left the site static. By using simple glide transitions, we found a middle ground that felt refined without showiness.
Showcasing the Collection
The jewellery was presented through a full-width carousel, replacing the outdated thumbnail grid. High-resolution images glided into view, each piece settling naturally at the centre of the screen. Subtle captions offered context without distracting from the craftsmanship. We wrestled with the balance between motion and restraint. Too much animation risked feeling flashy, too little left the site static. By using simple glide transitions, we found a middle ground that felt refined without showiness.
Designing for Every Screen
Luxury doesn’t always translate well to mobile. Early tests showed that photography lost its impact when scaled down, and thumbnails felt cramped. We redesigned layouts so each piece appeared centred, removing unnecessary space and introducing swipe gestures for intuitive navigation. This process reminded me how important it is to design for real use, not just for mockups. Some layouts that looked polished in Figma felt clunky on small screens. Adjusting margins, cropping, and interaction patterns ensured the mobile experience carried the same elegance as desktop.
Designing for Every Screen
Luxury doesn’t always translate well to mobile. Early tests showed that photography lost its impact when scaled down, and thumbnails felt cramped. We redesigned layouts so each piece appeared centred, removing unnecessary space and introducing swipe gestures for intuitive navigation. This process reminded me how important it is to design for real use, not just for mockups. Some layouts that looked polished in Figma felt clunky on small screens. Adjusting margins, cropping, and interaction patterns ensured the mobile experience carried the same elegance as desktop.
Introducing Glenn
To add warmth and personality, we featured Glenn himself: a portrait in his Bruton Street studio paired with a personal quote. Alongside it sat the Papillon ring, famously gifted by Beyoncé to the V&A. This balanced intimacy with prestige: showing both the person behind the craft and the recognition his work had achieved.
Introducing Glenn
To add warmth and personality, we featured Glenn himself: a portrait in his Bruton Street studio paired with a personal quote. Alongside it sat the Papillon ring, famously gifted by Beyoncé to the V&A. This balanced intimacy with prestige: showing both the person behind the craft and the recognition his work had achieved.
Introducing Glenn
To add warmth and personality, we featured Glenn himself: a portrait in his Bruton Street studio paired with a personal quote. Alongside it sat the Papillon ring, famously gifted by Beyoncé to the V&A. This balanced intimacy with prestige: showing both the person behind the craft and the recognition his work had achieved.
