Words: Lara Pacillo // Photos: Elly Pepper
Nativis pieces are made to look like they’re treasures in nature.
Enchanting mystical jewellery nestled by creeksides, irregular shapes forming bands and claws, iridescent shimmering gemstones with ethereal pixie energy — they embody the essence of fairycore.
“Flow is probably the most important word that I use in my designs,” says 27-year-old founder Elly Pepper.
“They’re created in a flow state and visually, I think they flow well too — that’s really important to me.”
The name Nativis means “natural beauty” in Latin, where intricate designs are made to resemble elements of flowers, leaves, or magical creatures. Despite their delicate appearance, they’re far from fragile. Elly ensures durability by using solid recycled metals, never venturing into gold-plated or gold-filled iterations.
“For me, it’s just solid gold, because if you’re working with solid gold, you can ensure that it actually will last forever and beyond,” Elly says.
“If you use quality materials, you’re going to end up with a quality piece. You’re not going to need it replaced in two years, and it also means that I can perform maintenance on pieces, if necessary.”
Stones are sourced consciously direct from suppliers. It helps with quality control, provides a wider selection of stones, backs ethical sourcing practices, and supports local too.
“We have a huge opal business here in Australia, amongst all other beautiful precious gems like Garnet and Amethyst. I work directly with the people who cut them, or the families of the people who cut them. It’s usually a close-knit loop with the miners and cutters in the family — supplied directly from their inventory.”
Jewellery making was always an interest to Elly. As a child, she played with beads and stones in her step-mum’s CBD jewellery store. After leaving school, she created crafty “cheapish” pieces to sell on eBay. It wasn’t until she undertook a 10-week jewellery making course at JamFactory in 2019 that she began looking at her hobby as more of a career.
With a vision for pieces that she could never really come across on the market, she decided to make them herself under her own jewellery brand. While studying Horticulture at the time, her connection to and admiration for the environment reigns on through her jewellery.
Whether they’re a part of her regular releases or commissioned pieces such as engagement rings and heirlooms, there are two main methods to Elly’s magic. The first is silversmithing, which involves shaping, fusing, and finishing metals with flame.
The other method is the ancient “lost wax” technique, where a wax model is created, encased in a mold, and replaced with molten metal to create the final piece.
Elly teaches this wax technique in her monthly jewellery making workshops held at various locations across Adelaide, from KIKI Studio to Upstairs Studio at The Mill. Participants are guided through a 3.5-hour session and get to keep their unique creations.
“It’s super palatable – something that you can easily come to on a weekend with a friend or a family member, with no prior experience necessary,” Elly explains.
“It’s an inward task. You’re sitting by yourself making these tiny movements to create this ring and it’s really quite meditative.”
Elly’s pieces have whimsical names resembling the lexicon of fairy tale books – desert star, pixie treasure, sleepy lizard, lavender love, golden daisy. It embraces a playful and imaginative spirit of the jewellery.
When we ask about her favourite piece to make, Elly says it’s the iridescence of the stones themselves that she’s drawn to most. The process of transforming gems into wearable pieces, becoming a part of other people’s worlds, is an honour for her.
“I’ve been liking using like Australian Garnet and creating nature-inspired settings that look like the piece was found at the bottom of the ocean. I feel like my last collection had a specific vibe to it, even if I didn’t mean for it to. It’s stuff that looks like it could be found as treasure, and it’s honestly so special to be a part of creating that.”
Keep up to date with Nativis on Instagram and shop its collection through the Nativis website
Workshop updates // Website // Instagram
