Born from a shared creative itch, Australian jewellery brand Kate & Kole feels as genuine and considered as the pieces themselves. From an experimental ring quietly evolved one of Australia’s most thoughtful fine jewellery studios – built on intuition, collaboration, and a deep love for design that lasts.From their early days juggling full-time jobs and late-night ideas to a thriving Newcastle studio and a growing global presence, founders Madalynne and Sara have stayed true to their original rhythm: create with meaning, move with intention, and never lose sight of the sentiment behind every piece. Here, they take us inside the story, the aesthetic, and the ever-evolving world of Kate & Kole.
Tell us the story behind Kate & Kole – how did it all begin?
Kate & Kole really started quite organically between the two of us. We were close friends at the time and both craving a creative outlet alongside our full-time jobs. I was finishing a communications degree and Sara was working in design and experimenting with things like 3D printing. One day Sara had a ring made as a bit of an experiment, and that small moment sparked the idea that maybe we could create something together… (after a few wines).
We started an Instagram page that night and then slowly each invested a very small amount of money into producing a first collection and a photoshoot with pieces we’d designed. Our first collection was built around the concept of historical female entrepreneurs. We relied on the creatives in our lives at the time to help bring the brand to life and then every time we sold a piece, we reinvested and slowly built the brand while still working other jobs.
Over time that side project quietly grew into something much bigger than we imagined. Today we have our studio in Newcastle and a beautiful team around us, but the spirit of those early days still shapes how we approach the brand – thoughtful growth, really continuing to be obsessed with what we do and continuing to work side by side through every decision.
How would you describe the Kate & Kole aesthetic?
I would say classic, refined and sentimental. We like to think of our pieces in the same way you might build a capsule wardrobe – choosing designs you’ll return to again and again.
Where do you find inspiration when designing new pieces?
We find a lot of inspiration when we travel together. We often have an idea rolling around in our head and when we travel we get the time and space to talk through those ideas and workshop together. We are often in a space where we can seek inspiration on those trips. Being pulled out of our everyday lives and seeing and experiencing new things always sparks something new which we can then build on when we get back in the studio by moodboarding, drawing and chatting with our jewellers about how we can bring the pieces to life.
If couples opt for a custom ring, what does that journey look like from first conversation to final piece?
We love that there isn’t just one way to create an engagement ring. People approach the decision very differently, so we’ve built several pathways to work with us – from ready-to-wear rings and our Signature designs, through to our Jewellery Builder and proposal rings that let couples design the final piece together later. Bespoke is probably the least common of those pathways, but it’s also the most creatively open. It’s designed for people who want to create something completely unique from the ground up. That process usually begins with a conversation about the story behind the ring, what the wearer is drawn to and any ideas they may already have. From there we move through sketches, stone sourcing and CAD design with our jewellers, refining the details together before the ring is handcrafted in our studio. It’s a slower, more collaborative journey – but for couples who enjoy the creative process, it becomes part of the story of the ring itself.
What are couples gravitating towards right now in engagement rings?
It’s definitely a mix. We have a lot of couples who gravitate towards classic shapes and timeless settings – oval and elongated stones are always favourites in that space. But it’s also been really exciting to see couples experimenting with what an engagement ring can actually be. Some are choosing eternity bands over traditional solitaire styles, or opting for our toi et moi designs as a way of selecting stones that feel unique to them and meaningful when paired together.
Our signature Pear Duet has become a toi et moi style we’re known for – it’s a perfectly balanced design with two pears sitting side by side that has this really romantic, almost poetic feeling. Our Clara Oval Ring is one of our most popular designs, and through our Jewellery Builder, you can customise it with your choice of metals, band widths, and personalised elements – so even though it’s a signature style, every finished ring is still entirely unique to the person wearing it.
What advice would you give someone choosing an engagement ring for their partner?
The biggest piece of advice is not to overcomplicate it. The ring doesn’t need to tick every possible box — it just needs to feel right for your partner.
If you’re unsure, start by observing the jewellery they already wear. Do they lean towards yellow gold or platinum? Minimal pieces or something with a little more presence? That usually tells you quite a lot.
And if in doubt, simplicity is rarely a mistake.
What does a typical day in your studio look like?
Honestly, no two days are exactly the same, which is part of what we love about it. The day always starts with a walk to grab a matcha, and then it’s into meetings – we’re a relatively small team, so we’re involved in everything from creative direction and product development through to packaging, website design and everything in between. At the moment, our focus is on the launch of our new Bridal Edit, Nouve – a collection of special pieces designed for brides to wear on their wedding day. We’ve also just returned from a trip to New York, where we showcased these pieces on the runway at New York Bridal Fashion Week and debuted them in our first US retail space in collaboration with WeWearAustralian in SoHo. It’s a lot, but it’s the kind of busy we thrive on.
You’ve just unveiled a jewellery-inspired entertaining collection – what sparked the move beyond wearables?
For Sara in particular, objects have always been part of the creative interest behind Kate & Kole. While studying design she explored object design alongside jewellery, so the idea of creating something functional but sculptural has been sitting in the background for a long time.
The catalyst was actually quite personal. Sara was searching for a Christmas gift for me actually, and she kept coming back to oyster forks, because so many of our favourite conversations and meals over the years have happened over oysters. When she couldn’t quite find the right one, she decided to design it herself and have the team create the pieces in secret – and from there the collection grew naturally. There were definitely tears when I opened the pieces for Christmas!
How does this new category feel different creatively from designing fine jewellery?
In some ways it’s surprisingly similar. The scale is different, but the thinking is the same – proportion, weight, balance and how it all comes together to feel aligned with our aesthetic. We’ve always had an interest in taking Kate & Kole into a more sculptural space that still feels like it sits within our collection so this felt like a really organic trajectory. We wanted the pieces to feel like something you’d happily leave out on a table or bar, almost like small objects of art.
Each piece features a freshwater pearl – can you talk us through the symbolism there?
The pearl felt like a natural connection point. Oysters and pearls have such a beautiful symbolic relationship, so incorporating a freshwater pearl into the handle felt almost inevitable as pearls have always had a special place in our jewellery collection also. Pearls also have a quiet elegance to them that aligns with the Kate & Kole aesthetic. They’re timeless and understated and in this context, they add a small moment of jewellery to an otherwise functional object.
Do you see Kate & Kole evolving further into the world of objects?
The response to our cocktail collection has been really encouraging and it’s been creatively satisfying to explore objects in this way. At the same time, jewellery will always remain the heart of Kate & Kole. If we do expand further into objects, it will likely be in a very considered way — pieces that feel connected to the same rituals and moments that jewellery celebrates.
