I was invited to a private viewing of the 2011 Dorchester Collection Fashion Prize winners’ jewellery and accessories line at London’s Dorchester Hotel last week.

Anndra Neen was launched in 2009 by Phoebe and Annette Stephens, the two sisters behind this successful brand. Having been born and raised in Mexico City, Phoebe and Annette derived their inspiration and were heavily influenced by their grandmother who was a painter, sculptor and jewellery designer and mixed with the likes of Diego Rivera, Jose Clemente Orozco and Frida Kahlo.

Their work is individually hand-crafted and unique, reflecting antique European jewellery of yesteryear, Egyptian and Bedouin motifs as well as Japanese designs and French Medieval armour. I found Phoebe and Annette to be delightful, clearly dynamic and entrepreneurial and as an added bonus have a great sense of humour! They now live in New York, a perfect multi-cultural city for drawing fresh inspiration.

If you are staying at any of the Dorchester Collection hotels in the near future you may well see some of these beautifully crafted pieces as the sisters will be designing an exclusive range for The hotel group. Their autumn and winter 2012 collection will be on display at Hôtel Plaza Athénée during Paris Fashion Week in March.

Not to be missed