Nigerian Soul: AKANO Presents its Vision of Colourful High Jewellery 

On the day I met Akunna Nwala-Akano of Nigerian brand AKANO in London, she was still smiling from a chance encounter while attending the BAFTAs awards the night before. The creative director of an important Italian High Jewellery Maison had spotted Akunna wearing her Chikaodili suite set with turquoise and diamonds and wished to pass along her compliments. This would likely please even the most experienced designer but is especially encouraging for Akunna, who only founded her jewellery business amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, she has established a flourishing brand infused with large gemstones, a huge personality, and facets of her Igbo culture and language. Below are some of the highlights of our first meeting and the jewels I encountered…

Experiencing culture through jewellery is one of the most fulfilling aspects of my professional life. In February, I simply couldn’t miss the opportunity to meet Akunna and discover her Nigerian high jewellery company (the first I have discovered!), especially when all that was separating us was the English Channel and not a 12-hour flight! Akunna is a multi-entrepreneurial businesswoman who has grown AKANO by staying true to her own vision and trusting her instincts. Her designs struck me as being meticulously considered and surprisingly complex, which I only point out because of the relatively short time that Akunna has been dedicated to jewellery. A small example of this is in her use of pavé diamonds; rather than just dusting surfaces with equal-sized gems, she plays with size to create the impression of volume and dynamism. These are the kinds of subtleties that can transform a piece from good to exceptional. 

During our conversation, we also found that we had some very specific things in common. Firstly, we both discovered our love of jewellery through our grandmothers. Akunna shared how her grandmother was a royal and loved jewellery which helped to shape the designer’s tastes for pieces with great colour combinations, detail, harmony and balance from an early age. “I grew up playing dress-up with her jewellery,” Akunna tells me. “I’ve always loved movies, too, with women like Elizabeth Taylor. I said, one day, I will have this type of jewellery to adorn me.” We also both believe in the power of jewellery to instantly elevate an outfit and transform something understated into something powerful. For example, after the night out Akunna met me in rather casual clothes, but she wore some statement rubellite earrings and a huge diamond ring that instantly made her look like she is ready to go on that red carpet again!

AKANO is a glamorous yet thoughtful brand. By that, I mean the jewels make a statement, but they aren’t ostentatious. There’s a considered quality to the pieces Akunna creates, whether they are more daytime-appropriate diamond stacks or colourful parures for a black tie occasion. The codes of the house centre around gemstone choices, such as warm rubellites (a more accessible source of deep red in larger sizes compared to rubies), Zambian emerald cabochons, and bold combinations of turquoise and tsavorites, among other chromatic blends. The necklace in the Chikaodili suite is transformable thanks to an extension, allowing it to be worn in both a longer and shorter variation. Plus, there are two pairs of earrings to choose from, large studs or drops, both boasting a trilogy of turquoises, tsavorites and diamonds.

Next, there’s the Mkpulu necklace, earrings and matching ring with plumes of Zambian emerald cabochons that appear to grow from a diamond-set branch. In Igbo, the name of this collection means ‘seeds’, and Akunna says she found inspiration in the dewdrops found on leaves. I was also presented with the Nko or ‘hook’ necklace, matching ring and earrings. I will admit this was my personal favourite, with a large 54-carat rubellite and a heart-shaped 5-carat rubellite above it to symbolise the ‘hook to my heart’. All this is enveloped in ribbons of pigeon blood rubies (to capture the idea of blood ties and strong emotional bonds) and surrounded by white diamonds set in 18k gold. 

Finally, I would like to mention another piece – the Mkpo or ‘potion’ necklace - that reimagines an elixir vessel through a 75-carat rubellite, surrounded by colourless diamonds and a loop of channel-set rubies. The proportions are perfect, ensuring that despite the colossal size of the central gemstone, everything still feels harmonious and feminine. 

To achieve these complex pieces, Akunna completes a rough sketch and then her team prepare a CAD rendering to see if it matches her vision. Next, she turns to another company to calculate every gemstone required, right down to the smallest pavé diamond. Some of her stones are sourced from within Nigeria, while others hail from Burma, Zambia or from polished stone dealers in Asia and Antwerp. Finally, she works with two family workshops outside of Nigeria to bring her pieces to life. 

What impresses me most about Akunna is that she is self-taught, and she relies on instinct and innate talent to bring what’s in her imagination into being. As someone who has also learned along the way, simply by reading, observing and reacting to the jewellery world around me, I can really see (and feel) how much passion has gone into AKANO. I can’t wait to see how the brand evolves in the future.