In Conversation: Matt Lennon on Style, Design, and the Details That Matter
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In Conversation: Matt Lennon on Style, Design, and the Details That Matter

There’s a quiet confidence in the way Matt Lennon approaches style. As SARAH & SEBASTIAN’s Global Head of Brand, his days span shaping campaigns, refining brand strategy, and collaborating on our philanthropic Xanthe Project initiative, yet it’s his eye for detail and love of design that truly anchor his work. For our men’s collection campaign, he chose the National Gallery of Australia as the backdrop, drawn to its striking brutalist architecture and the dialogue it creates with the art inside. Here, Matt reflects on the influences shaping his aesthetic, from Tadao Ando’s concrete forms to the shifting colours of the natural world, and considers how jewellery is carving its place in the evolving language of modern masculinity. Tell us a little bit about what you do at SARAH & SEBASTIAN My days are filled with everything from art direction and campaign ideation to brand strategy and communications planning. I’m lucky to work with a great team, exploring new ideas and contributing to a creative direction for our brand that feels deeply aligned with my own sensibilities. I also work closely with our Creative Director, Sarah, and Head of Philanthropy, Phoebe, on the Xanthe Project, our initiative that supports ocean conservation, a cause I’m incredibly passionate about. Matt wears the Lock Bangle, the Traction Ring and the Traction Signet Ring. The National Gallery of Australia was chosen as the shoot location, what connection do you feel between the space and the SARAH & SEBASTIAN men’s collection? I’ve always been quite obsessed with the NGA; it’s an extraordinary building, and I love the way its brutalist architecture interacts with the art it houses. I’ve spent many afternoons there, often making the trip from Sydney to see new exhibitions. I do think there’s a parallel between the building’s character and our men’s collection: the gallery has a certain masculinity to its external structure, but once inside, you discover nuance, intimacy, and a truly singular curation. Many of our pieces mirror this, too… the closer you look, the more detail and refinement you uncover. “THE CLOSER YOU LOOK, THE MORE DETAIL AND REFINEMENT YOU UNCOVER.” How does brutalist architecture resonate with your personal aesthetic? I’ve always been drawn to brutalism. The designer Tadao Ando has been my number one since my first trip to Japan over a decade ago. He fuses the stark, geometric qualities of brutalism with the warmth and restraint of Japanese design. One of the most moving experiences I’ve ever had was in the Monet Room at the Chichu Art Museum, which Ando designed. The paintings are set in contemporary frames and bathed in natural light. There’s something extraordinary about seeing masterworks in such a modern, minimalist setting, it’s one of the few times I’ve been brought to tears in front of art. “THERE’S SOMETHING EXTRAORDINARY ABOUT SEEING MASTERWORKS IN SUCH A MODERN, MINIMALIST SETTING” [featured_images1]Matt wears the Chase Signet Ring, the Lock Bangle and the Valentine Bracelet. When it comes to men’s jewellery, do you prefer layering or wearing pieces solo? How do you decide? If a piece is bold, I like to give it room to breathe but with finer pieces, like delicate chains, layering can add dimension and interest. It’s all about creating balance without losing the individuality of each piece. “IT’S ALL ABOUT CREATING BALANCE WITHOUT LOSING THE INDIVIDUALITY OF EACH PIECE.” Which pieces from the men’s collection are you most drawn to, and why? I wear my Lock Bangle every day, it was the first piece I purchased when I started to work with SARAH & SEBASTIAN and I don’t think I’ve taken it off since. Matt wears theLock Bangle, the Traction Ring and the Traction Signet Ring. What role does proportion, texture, and finish play in your jewellery styling? I think proportion is everything, it sets the tone for how a piece interacts with what you’re wearing. Texture brings depth, and finish determines the mood. A matte finish can feel understated and architectural, while a high polish reads more classic and refined. Playing with those elements is what keeps styling interesting. “I THINK PROPORTION IS EVERYTHING, IT SETS THE TONE FOR HOW A PIECE INTERACTS WITH WHAT YOU’RE WEARING.” [featured_images2]Matt wears the Bold Scale Ring, the Promise Bracelet and the Khaki Lock Cord Bracelet. What influences — whether art, design, or fashion — are currently shaping your approach? I’m constantly absorbing influences from art, music, film, and architecture, but nature is always my biggest inspiration. The structure of a shell, the shifting colours of a sunset, those patterns, tones and forms always seem to find their way into how I think creatively. “NATURE IS ALWAYS MY BIGGEST INSPIRATION” How does your work at SARAH & SEBASTIAN influence your personal style, and vice versa? I’ve become far more attuned to jewellery since joining the brand… as you’d hope! I’ve always loved fashion, but working closely with our jewellers and seeing the craftsmanship involved has deepened my appreciation for design detail. There’s also something really special about being part of pieces that mark personal milestones for people. Matt wears theChase Signet Ring, the Traction Ring and the Pearl Piston Bracelet. How do you think jewellery fits into the evolving conversation around modern masculinity? I think men are increasingly seeing jewellery as an extension of self-expression rather than a status symbol. It’s becoming less about adhering to a set idea of “masculine” and more about wearing pieces that feel authentic, whether that’s a bold statement chain or something subtle and personal. How do you see the role of jewellery in a man’s everyday wardrobe shifting over the next few years? I think it’s moving toward a place of ease, where a man might reach for a necklace or bracelet in the same way he chooses a watch. It will become less of a special occasion accessory and more a part of daily ritual, layered into how we present ourselves every day. “I THINK PROPORTION IS EVERYTHING, IT SETS THE TONE FOR HOW A PIECE INTERACTS WITH WHAT YOU’RE WEARING.” [featured_images3]Matt wears the Chase Signet Ring, the Traction Ring and the Pearl Piston Bracelet. If you could only wear one chain for the next year, which would it be? It’s hard to choose just one, but I think the Bold Valentine Chain is pretty special. I’ve always liked marine-style links and a heavier weight. It’s a piece that I think I could quite easily work into every day looks but also dress up and layer when the occasion called for it. Outside of jewellery, what object or item do you wear or carry daily that reflects your personality? A photo of my cat, Aki on my phone’s . He’s the sweetest.

Unearthing Origins:  The Story Behind Our New MARINE Collection
Collection

Unearthing Origins: The Story Behind Our New MARINE Collection

Earlier this year, I travelled to Central Queensland, tracing the origin of our Australian sapphires featured in our MARINE collection. From fossicking sites and an underground mine to the careful hands that cut each stone, this trip offered a deeper understanding of where our materials are sourced and the people connected to them throughout our supply chain. As a gemmologist, it was an opportunity to reconnect with the full story behind the stones I work with every day. The MARINE collection is a celebration of that experience. It’s a reflection of our respect for natural beauty, our commitment to responsible sourcing, and our enduring connection to the people and places that shape the pieces we create. “AN OPPORTUNITY TO RECONNECT WITH THE FULL STORY BEHIND THE STONES I WORK WITH EVERYDAY” THE GEMFIELDS In the gem fields of Central Queensland, everything slows down. There’s a sense of quiet, the air is hot and dry, and the dust from the red earth clings to everything. This is where our Australian sapphires begin their journey. Long before they’re polished and set, they lie buried beneath layers of earth, brought to the surface by millions of years of volcanic activity and erosion. The team and I arrived in Rubyvale, a town known for its sapphires and the families who have dedicated their lives to finding them. At Tomahawk Creek, we met artisanal miners in search of the elusive “wash”, a thin, precious seam of earth where sapphires hide. It’s a task that demands patience. In the heat, under the open sun, there is no quick way to uncover a stone. “THERE IS NO QUICK WAY TO UNCOVER A STONE” THE WASH The next morning, we witnessed the next stage of the process unfold. At an artisanal wash plant, gravel was loaded into a trommel, a rotating drum that, with the help of water, separates the heavier stones from the dirt. Its slow rotation and steady flow separates the lighter material, like sand and gravel, leaving the denser, more precious stones behind. [featured_images1]Though I had studied this process during my gemmology training, seeing this firsthand changed the way I understood it. This wasn’t just a mechanical process. I was filled with anticipation, waiting to see if something extraordinary would emerge from the earth. “I WAS FILLED WITH ANTICIPATION, WAITING TO SEE IF SOMETHING EXTRAORDINARY WOULD EMERGE FROM THE EARTH” Then it happened. A flash of colour in the pan, deep blue, a hint of gold, some subtle greens. Australian sapphires are known for their complexity and unique colouration. Rich in iron and titanium, their hues shift casting a spectrum of colour as they catch the light. [featured_images2] THE CUTTING Later, we spent time with our cutter, who carefully studies each piece of sapphire rough to reveal the best possible stone within. It’s a true collaboration with nature, every facet cut by hand, with an instinctive feel for the gem’s character. I chose to work with our cutter because of their unique talent, a rare ability to bring out the most incredible forms from the rough. I’ve seen thousands of stones over the years, in every cut imaginable. But these are truly special. “I’VE SEEN THOUSANDS OF STONES OVER THE YEARS, IN EVERY CUT IMAGINABLE. BUT THESE ARE TRUELY SPECIAL” As we left Rubyvale, I saw the collection in a new light. I had always known that the stones we use, and the suppliers we partner with, are exceptional. But being there, in the place where each sapphire begins its journey, gave me a deeper appreciation for the craft, the generational knowledge, and the hands that shape every stage of the process. Your browser does not support the video tag. This experience made the MARINE collection even more meaningful to me. Yes, it’s a celebration of Australian sapphires, but it’s also a tribute to where they come from, and to the people who bring these incredible stones to life. Here in the studio, we honour that journey by designing every ring individually to respond to the unique character of each sapphire.

NOW YOU SEE ME, Ningaloo's Nursery—A SARAH & SEBASTIAN SHORT FILM

NOW YOU SEE ME, Ningaloo's Nursery—A SARAH & SEBASTIAN SHORT FILM

When we started the NOW YOU SEE ME film series four years ago, we didn’t know exactly where it would take us, only that we felt a responsibility to show the fragile beauty of Australia’s marine life, and the growing threats it faces. Ningaloo’s Nursery, our final chapter, is perhaps the most emotional and confronting journey we've taken yet. We travelled to Western Australia’s remote northwest, to a place that still feels truly wild. The Ningaloo region: Cape Range, the reef, and Exmouth Gulf, holds an ancient kind of magic. It’s home to whale sharks, manta rays, dugongs, and a tapestry of life we were honoured to witness. But it’s also a region in crisis. When we arrived, the reef was in the midst of a mass coral bleaching event. We hadn’t set out to tell a climate change story, but there was no ignoring it. One day we’d dive among radiant coral gardens; the next, we’d emerge shaken from ghostly, colourless reefs. The contrast was devastating. [featured_images1] Seeing it with our own eyes made the science real. These weren’t abstract statistics or satellite photos; they were living, breathing ecosystems vanishing in front of us. And it wasn’t just the reef. Exmouth Gulf, a vital nursery for this entire marine region, remains unprotected and is facing mounting industrial pressure. It’s excluded from World Heritage status, and still treated like an expendable buffer zone. We found that heartbreaking. We madeNingaloo’s Nursery with filmmaker Alice Wesley-Smith, whose sensitivity and sharp eye helped us tell this story with both urgency and reverence. The film premiered at the State Library of NSW on the eve of World Oceans Day. It was an intimate night, filled with friends, some brilliant environmental advocates, and leading lights from the fashion and creative industry. We hoped our audience would feel what we felt: awe, grief, and a spark to act. What we’ve learnt along the way in creating these films, is that it isn’t just about awareness anymore. It’s about advocacy. And with that in mind, we’ve launched a public petition calling for stronger national nature laws and for Exmouth Gulf to be formally protected. Because it deserves more than admiration – It needs guardianship. As this film series comes to a close, what stays with us is a deepened sense of responsibility. We can’t unsee what we’ve seen. And we don’t want others to look away. Go behind the scenes of NOW YOU SEE ME Ningaloo’s Nursery here. – SARAH & SEBASTIAN

Behind the Scenes: Filming Ningaloo’s Nursery

Behind the Scenes: Filming Ningaloo’s Nursery

“THERE ARE EXPERIENCES THAT SHIFT YOUR PERSPECTIVE. NINGALOO’S NURSERY WAS ONE OF THEM.” Months before we began filming, the concept for the final chapter of our Now You See Me series had already taken shape. At first, it was a story of scale and spectacle; whale sharks, manta rays, pristine coral reefs. But the more we listened, the more urgent the story became. Our filmmaker, Alice Wesley-Smith, and I spoke with scientists and conservationists who explained the interdependence of three ecosystems: Ningaloo Reef, Cape Range, and Exmouth Gulf. What stayed with me wasn’t just what had been protected, but what hadn’t. Exmouth Gulf, often referred to as Ningaloo’s nursery for its critical role in early marine life stages, remains outside the World Heritage boundaries. When we landed in Exmouth, the heat was immediate and intense. We arrived after a cyclone, in the middle of a historic marine heatwave and a mass coral bleaching event. The damage was clear. But so was the opportunity: to shine a light on a place that urgently needs protection. NINGALOO REEF Filming in remote locations always comes with its own set of challenges; equipment, logistics, finding the wildlife, dealing with weather. And that's all before you even get wet. “UNDERWATER, NINGALOO IS HYPNOTIC. IT’S ONE OF THE MOST BIODIVERSE PLACES I’VE EVER SEEN...” Kaleidoscopic coral gardens, an abundance of fish weaving through reefs, and that rare sense of being a visitor in someone else’s world. But not everything was as it should be. The coral bleaching was even more devastating than we’d expected. So much so that on a couple of dives we just couldn’t stay underwater any longer, it was too heartbreaking to witness. Still, there were moments that left me speechless. A manta ray swam beside me, mirroring my movements for what felt like minutes. Later, swimming alongside whale sharks was humbling. And exhausting. Even when they glide, they move faster than you think. THE GULF To the east, the Gulf is quieter. Less photographed. But ecologically, just as important. The palette changed, deeper greens, silty browns, thick mangrove roots. Our drone followed the winding channels of the wetlands. We waded through knee-deep shallows, tracking shovelnose rays in seagrass beds. We snorkelled through mangroves, trying not to stir the bottom and cloud the frame, holding our breath, waiting for stillness. CAPE RANGE Rising between reef and gulf, the Cape Range is the spine of the peninsula. On our first morning, we woke before dawn to visit Charles Knife Canyon for sunrise. We drove through the pitch black and parked alongside a steep gorge. As the sun came up over the horizon, we caught our first glimpse of the incredible scale of this place and raced to capture the glow of first light before the sun climbed too high. At Yardie Creek, on our last night, we hiked through fossil beds etched with coral from millions of years ago. Rock wallabies watched us from the cliffs. The past felt close here. [featured_images1] As we packed up our cameras for the final time and looked out towards the reef, I felt the weight of what we’d witnessed. Ningaloo’s Nursery is exactly that, a cradle of life. It’s where humpbacks return to raise their calves, where endangered sawfish still slip through the estuaries, where coral, mangrove, and mountain all converge. And yet, it’s not protected. “DESPITE EVERYTHING WE KNOW; THE SCIENCE, THE CULTURAL VALUE, THE IRREPLACEABLE BIODIVERSITY. EXMOUTH GULT IS STILL VULNERABLE...” To dredging, to development, to pollution. We saw firsthand what’s at stake. We felt it in the heat of the water and in the silence of dying coral. Over five films, Now You See Me has taken us across Australia’s coastlines, from southern kelp forests to tropical reefs. Each film has revealed what’s at risk. This final chapter is a call to action. If you do one thing for our oceans today, make it count. Sign our petition to strengthen Australia’s nature laws. Because places like this can’t speak for themselves. But we can.

Fine Jewellery To Take You To The Sea
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Fine Jewellery To Take You To The Sea

With the ocean as our constant muse, our jewellery designs often draw from life beneath the waves. For those with an affinity for the deep blue, discover our most-loved ocean-inspired pieces.

Five Reasons Why Personalised Jewellery  Should Be On Your Radar

Five Reasons Why Personalised Jewellery Should Be On Your Radar

Consider your current jewellery collection: the meaningful rings and necklaces marked by milestones, the thoughtful gifts from someone close, or the earrings and bracelets you never take off. Beyond expressions of style, jewellery serves as tangible reminders of our most cherished memories, moments and people.Yet, while ready-to-wear jewellery will naturally shape to your story, there’s something particularly special about creating a custom piece that you can truly call your own. Enter the art of personalisation. From birthstone charms on delicate chains to palm tree and shell motifs threaded on leather bracelets, discover the must-have additions to your collection and why personalised jewellery should be your next investment. 1. IT’S ONE-OF-A-KIND The beauty of personalisation is that you can create something completely unique. Our 18 karat gold Charm Necklace and Bracelet are the perfect pieces to tailor to you, featuring up to six hand-selected charms for every mood. For playful layering, our colourful Leather Bracelets are designed for those with a bold sense of style, featuring a range of 14 karat gold or silver sliders to inspire your imagination. 2. IT’S A CHANCE TO MAKE YOUR MARK Let your creativity run wild with endless combinations. Choose from coloured birthstones symbolising loved ones, solid gold initials spelling out names and words of endearment, or heart, floral and ocean-inspired motifs for a splash of fun; our personalised pieces are yours to make a meaningful statement. Your browser does not support the video tag. 3. IT’S THE PERFECT PERSONAL GIFT While jewellery is inherently personal, a custom-made piece embodies unique stories and significance, a token to be cherished whether created for yourself or a loved one. And, with Mother’s Day just around the corner, there’s no better way to honour the most important woman in your life than with a necklace or bracelet thoughtfully composed just for her.Discover our Mother’s Day gift guide here. 4. IT’S A KEEPSAKE TO REPRESENT MILESTONES Like an engagement ring that symbolises a union between two individuals, a personalised jewellery piece becomes an emblem of life’s biggest milestones and moments. Every detail of a personalised necklace or bracelet is imbued with deeply personal meaning, making it the perfect item to be cherished and passed down for generations. Your browser does not support the video tag. 5. IT’S EASY TO CREATE AND QUICK TO CRAFT For our Petite Charm Necklace, Charm Necklace and Charm Bracelet, use our digital Personalisation Studio to easily create your one-of-a-kind piece. Simply select the chain length, the type of gold, and mix and match a combination of letters, birthstones or symbolic elements of your choosing. Your personalised necklace or bracelet will then be made-to-order within 3 days by a master jeweller in our Sydney Studio. For our Leather Bracelets, choose your bracelet colour and length and select the Sliders that catch your eye to embellish your piece at home. Your browser does not support the video tag. FOREVER PERSONALISED If you’re in the mood for something with permanence, look no further than our iconic SOLDERED experience. With custom-fitted chains permanently soldered together on the body, our SOLDERED bracelets are personalised pieces with a unique point of difference. Make it yours with a range of Sliders, including petite birthstones, letters, hearts and trio diamonds. Learn more and book a SOLDERED appointment here. Discover our full range of personalised jewellery here.

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