Penchant Design started in 2003 and has grown slowly but steadily since, with our flagship store, workshop and office in the beautiful little town of Franschhoek in the Cape winelands.
Penchant...
If you’re thinking Penchant is one of those fancy French words, you’d be right. It’s pronounced “ponshon”, and is defined as “a definite liking, a strong inclination”. Apparently it’s such a fancy word it’s pronunciation more often than not gets completely stomped on.
DAISIES DAISIES DAISIES! What's with all the daisies?!
What is it with Penchant Design and all the daisies!? It all started with daisies in 2002. Four daisies to be precise.
Cathy Clayton, founder of Penchant Design, simply loves daisies. So much so in fact that one day she declared “I want a ring with daisies on it!”
So without a second thought, she enrolled in a jewellery making course and emerged with just the ring she’d wanted - a sterling silver band with four little daisies on it. And in the centre of each little daisy was a little gold ball, because gold and silver go just beautifully together.
It was an instant hit. “LOVE your ring! Where did you get it? You MADE it?!! Can I order one?”
Turns out, it’s not only Cathy Clayton who simply loves daisies. A lot of people do, and an idea started to germinate in her busy little mind. And as that idea started to grow, Penchant Design emerged, insignificantly at first and eventually blossoming into the beautiful brand you see before you.
As the Penchant brand took shape, the daisy remained a strong theme. So much so that to epitomise the elegance and grace of our brand we searched high and low for the perfect giraffe, covered her in daisies and named her... Daisy!
It’s difficult to fathom the appeal of the simple daisy and the emotion it evokes. A daisy is cheerful; it’s uplifting; it’s the epitome of sweetness; it’s humble and uncomplicated; but above all, it’s always perfect.
Perhaps it’s the power a daisy holds in it’s ability to determine if he/she loves me or loves me not.
Perhaps it subconsciously reminds one of the innocence of a child’s drawing. Is it not the only flower children ever draw?
How is it that to be given just one single little daisy can lighten ones mood so... one single
little daisy?
You’d think a daisy is a daisy is a daisy, and that people would say “enough with all the daisies! Give us something new and exciting!”. But that is simply just not the case. And rightly so, because it’s often the simple little things in life that make it a delight.
Fourteen years later Penchant Design is still designing and making daisy rings, but with a
new lady holding the compass - goldsmith and jewellery designer Jackie Hahn, a Stellenbosch University graduate and another daisy fan. The daisy rings are set to continue, and who knows where they’ll end up. But one thing’s for sure, Penchant Design will always be “the shop with the daisies”.
