Pieces Of Me… Spinelli Kilcollin

This series is a dedication to the things that are most important to us. To the heirlooms (and memories they hold) that we wear on repeat; that we’ll cherish forever; that become part of us.

In homage to the fine jewellery designers whose pieces bring us so much joy, we’re taking a closer look at their lives through an intimate lens, gaining a sentimental snapshot of their personal stories and what’s most important to them.

Despite starting from very humble beginnings, fine jewellery brand Spinelli Kilcollin now adorns the hands and decolletage of fashion insiders and A-listers alike. After compliments and order requests from strangers in the street admiring their handmade jewellery, partners in business, design and in life, Yves Spinelli and Dwyer Kilcollin started their own namesake brand from their garage on LA’s east side in 2010. The venture has since rapidly grown and gone global, beloved for clean yet ornate and conceptual designs now synonymous with the Spinelli Kilcollin universe. Below, step into the world of the power couple behind each fluid, artisanally-crafted piece, made to be mixed and matched and stacked as you please.

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“The whole Spinelli Kilcollin family!”

“Dwyer and Ronan walking our winding garden path.”

“My personal necklace stack.”

“It all started with an idea for a connected ring worn across three fingers.”

What was your route into design and how did you begin Spinelli Kilcollin?
Yves: I was a salesperson at Maxfield in Los Angeles for many years, selling innovative clothing, so it was through osmosis. One day, I had an idea for a connected ring I could wear across three fingers. My father made it for me, and I started wearing it to work. A client asked if she could buy one, so my father made a few more. Dwyer and I started dating around this time. We were getting orders from friends and strangers who would come up to us on the street… and that’s how we started Spinelli Kilcollin.

Dwyer: I was an artist working as an assistant for an art gallery at the time. Art is a very complex thing to sell. When I saw how much interest there was in these rings, it came as a relief, and a huge opportunity.

Who or what inspires you? What drives your creativity?
Yves: Music inspires me.

Dwyer: I’m a thinker, I ask a lot of questions, I wonder a lot. Sometimes disparate pieces of information line up in my mind in a way that forms some kind of connection that I then have to pursue.

What did you want to be when you were growing up?
Yves: A music producer.

Dwyer: An artist

One thing you can’t live without?
Yves: My records.

Dwyer: Uncharted territory.

What piece of clothing/accessory/jewellery makes you feel most like yourself?
Yves: My first linked Aquarius ring. I don’t feel complete without it.

Dwyer: My latest essential shoe. Right now the MMY Superstar-esque sneakers.

What is your greatest piece of treasure?
Yves: The land around our house, the birds and animals.

Dwyer: Everything there is to explore.

Which piece of jewellery do you wear the most?
Yves: My aforementioned Aquarius ring.

Dwyer: Our pieces that are bold, and as diamond forward as they are silver forward. Pieces that feel androgynous, which make me feel me.

Favourite book?
Yves: “White Noise” by Don DeLillo. I read it every five to ten years and get something new each time. It’s funny and frightening and remains relevant.

Dwyer: The “Three Body Problem” series by Liu Cixin. The author weaves together an extraordinarily in-depth understanding of nano-physics, astro-physics, philosophy, and international relations to imagine the future trajectory of humanity in the cosmos that feels strange as it is… hopeful? I pray the reader here starts with the book before moving on to the Netflix series. PLEASE.

Favourite film?
Yves: “Nashville” by Robert Altman. I’ve seen this film dozens of times and can’t explain why I’m so affected by it. It feels like a real event. I still get chills at the end.

Dwyer: “The Never Ending Story” because I loved it as a child.

“I’ve listened to these records hundreds of times over the past thirty years.”

“37 years of records, over 10,000 original pressings.”

“I don’t feel complete without my rings.”

“I spend hours in the music room, relaxing in the presence of art.”

Which three albums would you take on a desert island?
Yves: This is hard to choose, but here goes: - “Rumours” by Fleetwood Mac. I was two when this was released, and my parents played it incessantly. So did everyone else. I think “Dreams” is one of the most magical pop songs ever recorded. Secondly, “Surfer Rosa” by The Pixies. I bought this on a whim when it was released, and played it repeatedly; sometimes listening to the record four or five times a day over entire weeks. The band sounded like they were from another planet. Last but not least, “The Queen Is Dead” by The Smiths. I bought this when it was released and haven’t stopped loving it. It’s a perfect record by a perfect band.

Dwyer: I’m just hoping to be marooned with Yves. Maybe with “Exile in Guyville” by Liz Phair instead of The Smiths.

If you could live in any era, what would it be?
Yves: New York City in the late ‘70s.

Dwyer: North America before the arrival of Europeans. I’d love to trade my classic education for a deep connection with the land and fellow members of the animal kingdom.

Do you have any hobbies?
Yves: Collecting and listening to records.

Dwyer: If I get a chance, I love being outdoors, hiking, skiing, horseback riding, rock climbing, snorkelling.

Where's your favourite place in the world?
Yves: Tokyo is my favourite city.

Dwyer: I like rivers and forests.

What makes you laugh?
Yves: We have two boys under six years old, and they are hilarious without even trying.

Dwyer: Agreed, they are hilarious.

What makes you cry?
Yves: War.

Dwyer: Thinking about my kids growing up!!!!

“The view from our upper deck overlooking the hills of East Los Angeles.”

“Hiking a river trail with the kids last Mother’s Day.”

“California Poppies in bloom in our garden.”

“Our child Janvrin bravely introduces us to their wild pet gopher snake!”

Do you have any phobias?
Yves: I’m claustrophobic and am paranoid about getting locked into a tight box.

Dwyer: I’m weirdly afraid of swimming deep enough into the sea that you can no longer see the ocean floor beneath you. If I start out in deep water, however, I’m fine.

What do you need more time for?
Yves: Listening to records.

Dwyer: My hobbies.

An event you wish you'd witnessed?
Yves: I’d like to travel across northern America in a time machine during the late Jurrasic period, high enough to not disturb any dinosaurs.

Dwyer: The last glacial ice age. Did you know the widest diversity of flora and fauna cohabited at that time than any other time in history?

What's your idea of happiness?
Dwyer: A day of adventure with my family. Where everyone is in a good mood all day.

Yves: Mine, too!

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Words by Sophy Davis Russell