A FORMER Driffield School pupil’s home-made jewellery has become a big hit with stars of the ITV2 show, The Only Way is Essex (TOWIE).
Samantha Leason, 21, who began making jewellery for herself as a hobby has had her creations featured on The Only Way is Essex which is described by its creators as a semi-reality show which features, “real people in modified situations, saying unscripted lines but in a structured way.”
TOWIE star Sam Faiers wore a bracelet made by Samantha in the finale of Season 3 of the semi-reality show, an episode watched by 1.4 million viewers.
Former TOWIE star, Amy Childs also owns one of Samantha’s designs.
Samantha, whose parents live at Foston on the Wolds, near Driffield, moved to Brentwood, Essex, where TOWIE is filmed, two and a half years ago to work as a club promotions rep. in London and picked up jewellery-making as a hobby.
When the 21 year old came back to the Driffield area last Christmas she realised the appeal of her designs.
Samantha said: “I’ve always been arty and crafty. I started to make jewellery for myself and when I came home last Christmas people commented on how different it was so I starting making jewellery for my mum and my friends.”
TOWIE fan, Samantha then began selling her bespoke jewellery at craft fairs and on Facebook before approaching Sam Faiers, 20, who co-owns Minnie’s Boutique, featured on TOWIE, alongside her sister Bille Faiers, with her designs. The TV star was so impressed by Samantha’s work that she wore one of her bracelets on the show.
“I live round the corner from Sam’s boutique - I did the design, made the jewellery then I dropped it in and she liked it and ended up wearing it on the show,” Samantha added.
Sam’s former co-star, Amy Childs, who left TOWIE after season two, is an equally big fan of Samantha’s jewellery. Amy asked Samantha to make her a bracelet after admiring one of her own when she visited Amy’s salon in Bentwood.
“Amy Childs opened a salon in town (Brentwood) and when I went in I was wearing the bracelet and she said, ‘I love it, will you do me one?’ And she wore it on the show.
“She has her own show now and when I took it in the cameras were rolling. Fingers crossed that bit hasn’t been cut out,” Samantha said.
Samantha describes her jewellery as ‘unique’ claiming everything she makes is a ‘one off’,
Samantha said: “The only time I do a design again is if someone requests it. Otherwise I’ll change the design a bit, add a charm or change the colours.”
Since its appearance on TOWIE Samantha’s jewellery has become very popular with friends on Facebook, bracelets similar to those featured on the show have become a best-seller.
Samantha said: “I put the bracelet on Facebook and it’s gone crazy- it’s been one of the best-sellers this Christmas,
“It feels great to see your own designs on telly and with TOWIE and those kinds of shows, you love it or you hate it and if you love it you want to be like them- my friends all wanted the bracelets, it’s not ‘I like that’, it’s ‘Amy Child’s has that’.”
However, Samantha has not let the popularity of the jewellery affect her pricing with the TOWIE bracelet selling for £15.
“I only charge £15 for the bracelet, some people would charge £200 because it’s been on the telly but I don’t want to go over the top,” Samantha added.
Samantha is now spending time expanding her jewellery business, hoping to have some more of her designs featured on TV shows and often visits family in the Driffield area.
She admits is quite different to what she is used to in Essex, saying: “I go in between the two – I love Essex, it’s all go go go and so busy but when I go home it is nice and relaxed.”