Presley Oldham’s upbringing gave him a deep appreciation for design, ultimately laying the foundation for his modern-day heirloom-inspired jewelry label.
Oldham hails from a creative family. His father is sculptor Brad Oldham, his uncle is fashion designer Todd Oldham and his grandmother is artist Linda Oldham.
The Hudson, N.Y.-based Presley Oldham, who launched his eponymous jewelry label in 2020 focusing on bringing a lighthearted and fresh perspective to pearls, says his family’s influence helped lay the groundwork for his design aesthetic, which he describes as “organic, opulent and elegant,” as well as his cautious approach to business building.
Now a CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund nominee and a CFDA Emerging Designer of the Year nominee, Oldham is ready to make his own name in the fashion industry.
“Part of the last four and a half years has been making my own name for myself and stepping out of [my uncle’s] shadow,” he says. “In a way, the nomination with the Fashion Fund, it feels like I’m stepping fully into myself. It’s just a nice reassurance that I have a point of view and that I’m creating something of worth, which it’s always felt that way for me internally, but there’s always that like tickle of doubt. ‘Am I just here because of my upbringing or my last name?’ It feels like the hard work is paying off in many ways.”
Oldham took jewelry design on as a hobby during the COVID-19 quarantine and launched his brand during the pandemic. He opted for deadstock materials as his go-to resource and inspiration, giving new life to vintage and antiquated pieces that quickly resonated with his social media following.
He sold very small quantities of his jewelry and developed his following to the point that he was selling out of his collections. He started small — with about four units per style — given material limitations, but now, offers roughly 40 to 50 units per style.
Presley Oldham’s beaded necklace
Courtesy of Presley Oldham
Pearls — which became more popular during the pandemic — are Oldham’s go-to material.
“We all have such established connotations of what a pearl necklace is and in the last five years a lot of that has been rewritten,” he says. “I’ve been very lucky to be a part of that wave, but the way that I always look at it is how can I recontextualize this and make it still feel accessible and familiar to people in a way, but also show it in a new light and elevate these materials where anybody can pick it up and feel more beautiful.”
Oldham uses freshwater pearls in odd shapes and varying colors to give the styles a unique, non-uniform feel. He has a “bit of an aversion to faceted gems” and “never wants to use perfectly round pearls,” he says.
The jewelry designer is constantly seeking education. He taught himself jewelry design, and has studied wax carving, weaving, glassmaking and silver smithing along his journey.
“When making things, I care a lot, but I don’t think it has to be very serious — it should be fun,” Oldham says. “That’s an attitude that I try to bring to everything I do. Of course, running a business is hard, but the creation side of it should be fun.”
Presley Oldham’s pearl jewelry
Courtesy of Presley Oldham
Oldham is coming off participating in his first New York Fashion Week, presenting his own collection and designing the jewelry presented in Zankov’s spring collection. His aim is to grow the company slowly, gradually adding products, retail distribution and a custom business where customers can send in vintage pieces for reimagining.
“A lot of the inspiration I get is from nature and going on walks and my travels,” Oldham says. “I always try and bring a very fluid and organic feel to the work that I’m creating. In keeping with this sort of aversion to faceted stuff, it’s the hard lines for me that are a little difficult. For me the pearl, the curve of it and the fluid quality to it is something that’s really interesting.”
“I’ve always allowed the materials to influence the designs and the quantity influence how I’m marketing these things and just allow it all to flow in a way,” he says.
