Cufflinks for collectors

If Simon Carter is proclaimed “King of Cufflinks” then Ian Flaherty must certainly a contender for “Universal Monarch of Cufflinks” Visit Ian at his studio in Lavender Hill Clapham and you’ll find him working at the coal face with his subordinates, unafraid to get his hands dirty. A Scouser by birth and the son of a builder he chose a different career path that lead him out of working class Liverpool and into London, the fashion capitol of the world.

After designing for many prestigious brand names Ian thought it was time to harness his energies and direct them toward developing his own brand. It’s been a long road from Liverpool, now his delightful cufflinks are displayed in some of the most famous department stores around the world, including Selfridges and John Lewis (UK), Nordstroms (USA) David Jones (Australia) plus stores in Japan with un-pronounceable names.

The cufflink market is becoming more crowded as designer brands try to cash in on the growing popularity of men’s jewellery. There is also the lure of manufacturing in Asia as a way to increase profits, but not without risk of negative effect on your reputation. Increasing profits at your customer’s expense does not make good long term business sense. Ian’s a big fan of traditional British craftsmanship and prefers the workmanship he gets from his own Battersea studio.

Ian’s designs are hand cast in pure English pewter, because it gives the most accurate result. Each item is double plated in rhodium, a precious metal derived from platinum, and polished before being hand-enamelled or inset with Swarovski crystal. Then polished and inspected again to make sure it’s flawless. Rhodium prevents tarnishing and adds functionality to form making them extremely hard wearing, less likely to be scarred thus adding value. His cufflinks don’t tarnish and neither will his reputation. His customers keep coming back for more precisely because he does not cut corners.

Yet another story of how the bespoke market survives amidst a mass manufacturing revolution, proof that customer’s demand for high quality handmade fashion accessories is being recognised. In response to demand, other reputable designers are gaining recognition for their sincerity and talent, including Jo Downs. Her small range of designs is definitely for the collector.

Ian literally draws his design inspiration from the world around him. He’s always looking at patterns and reflections, sketching things that catch his eye as he walks down the street. His designs have been copied, often blatantly by many big names.

He continues his work happily labelled the quiet achiever, carving out a name for himself in the fashion rock face. The only thing that overshadows Ian’s immense talent is his sincerity; his working class principles remain intact. Having a pair of his cufflinks in your collection is a must; you’ll reveal their story each time you bind your links to cuff.