The Spirit Of Shamballa
- Words
- Laura Lovett
- Photography
- Laurent Segretier
- Model
- Alfred Ng of Mr. Sailor Tattoo
From the sidewalks of Brooklyn, New York to Gulou in Beijing, there is a style tribe proving that real men wear jewellery. Founded by Danish brothers Mads and Mikkel Kornerup in 2001, Shamballa Jewels is behind the now iconic style, a bracelet comprised of diamond-studded gold beads strung together by the ancient technique of macramé.
SPIRITUAL THINKING
The influence of Buddhist teaching on the brand is strong – in Tibetan tradition, Shamballa is a mystical lost city and, as creative director, Mads Kornerup says, “Spirituality was the very origin of my designs.” The brothers believe that Buddhism is easy to relate to because “it directs you towards a way of life that highlights basic, good human values.”
REAL MEN WEAR JEWELLERY
There are now more and more icons in the public eye demonstrating the effortless edge that jewellery can add to an outfit. Aside from Jay Z, who set Shamballa onto its current stellar trajectory, the brand is worn by some of today’s biggest and most eclectic stars, including Leonardo DiCaprio, Usher, Karl Lagerfeld, Valentino and Lewis Hamilton.
Designed to trigger curiosity and inspire conversation, Shamballa does exactly that, making men both look and feel like modern-day heroes.
