Perth's Duke of pearls
A lover of the finer things in life, flamboyant Perth socialite Shane Pavlinovich has launched his own high-end bespoke jewellery line.
He is affectionately known around Perth as the Duke because of his noble ancestry, and his label Le Duke celebrates his lifetime passion for precious stones and pearls.
"I just absolutely love diamonds, rubies and particularly pearls," Pavlinovich told AAA.
"Pearls are something that absolutely anyone can wear and are affordable across the board, which is a great appeal."
Though he's always collected and admired fine jewellery, Pavlinovich never tried his hand at jewellery design until he could not find anyone to repair a treasured strand of pearls.
"I purchased a number of opera strands some years ago and a couple of them broke.
"I wanted to get them repaired but it was very hard to actually have them repaired so I learnt how to strand pearls the traditional way," the sharp-dressing designer explained of his first foray into jewellery design.
"Being able to create jewellery initially was for my own expression but now I can extend that to a niche and unique market.
"I create pieces that are for the individual and to make people feel great."
It's been a busy first year for Pavlinovich and the Le Duke label, with the designer producing a range of stunning one-off pieces tailored to individual clients or inspired by the quality materials he has at hand.
"My general market are those who appreciate one-off pieces which can be worn conservatively at weddings, at the office or at any social function without being top-end couture but still with a point of difference," he said.
"It's not just a normal strand of pearls."
Working towards the launch of an e-boutique later in the year, Pavlinovich currently sells his designs on Le Duke's Facebook page.
He has plans to expand his range to include more pieces for men.
"For the men I've made large South Sea pearl cufflinks, which are quite the hit in Perth and Melbourne.
"I've also created tie pins and further down the line I will create some male wrist jewellery and possibly some neckpieces."
