A creative spark at just 11

At just 11 years old, Katie Ann Gunn found herself at local auction houses with her antique dealer mum. To keep her busy, her mum would hand her a tray of broken costume jewellery and ask her to make bracelets.

“It didn’t take long before ladies started noticing what I was doing and wanted to get involved,” Katie recalls. “They’d come and ask if I had stones to match their brooches, or if I could repair something broken. My mum probably asked them to play along, but at the time it gave me a sense of purpose during those auctions – and it started a crafting hobby that’s stayed with me for life. Even as an adult, if I felt stressed or overwhelmed, I’d sit down and do some beading to relax.”

After school, Katie began studying A Level Art and Design but soon realised it wasn’t for her. “Because I loved making jewellery, I thought it would be the right course – but it wasn’t specific enough. It didn’t cover jewellery making at all.” She dropped out and instead trained in personal fitness while also excelling as a squash player, being selected for the England squad by the age of 16. “I went down the health and fitness route, training as a swimming instructor and personal trainer.”

Meanwhile, Katie’s mum continued working as an antiques dealer, and her sister was creating designs with glass crystals. Together, the three of them rented a small wooden hut at a garden centre to showcase their skills.

“My personal training work started to dry up, and I ended up working in HR admin – a career path I didn’t really want. So Monday to Friday, I’d be in the office, and at weekends I was in the hut making and selling jewellery. I did that for five years,” laughs Katie.

“It never felt like work. I loved it. We realised that weekend sales were stronger when I was there, and people would even wait until the weekends just to see me. Around that time, I met my now husband, Jamie, who is in the Royal Marines Band. He moved around the country a lot, and when he was posted to Scotland, he asked if I’d go with him.”

Taking the leap

Katie jumped at the chance. At 37, she relocated and began studying part-time in jewellery design and silversmithing – learning how to form and work with silver. Soon after, Jamie was sent back to Portsmouth, and the couple moved again. 

Back in 2014, Katie worked briefly in high-end jewellery shops. “But I realised that wasn’t me. Jewellery isn’t about a price tag – it’s about how it makes you feel. I was dealing with £60,000 Rolexes, but that wasn’t my vision. I wanted to connect with people and create pieces that meant something.”

Soon after, Jamie was sent to Plymouth, and the couple moved again.

“By then, I had the skills, qualifications, and a bucket load of enthusiasm and creativity. So, I bit the bullet and leased a space in a shopping arcade on the Barbican, where I stayed for two and a half years. Then Jamie was assigned back to Portsmouth, so we moved again.”

Back in Gosport in 2020, Katie said she felt inspired by independent jewellers who had a vision and made it their own, and that’s what she wanted. “I wanted to be a part of a community where I could really connect with people through my craft.” 

Opening KatieAnnDesigns

Two months later, she opened KatieAnnDesigns in Gosport – something she says was always her dream.

“Just because you have a shop on the high street doesn’t mean customers will come,” Katie says. “From day one, I made sure I was part of the community. I introduced myself to all the other shop owners and set up collaborations, like with Blitz Photography where we met monthly to share ideas and support one another. I got involved in community events and even co-ran some myself – like a Christmas late-night shopping event with carol singers, a Jubilee celebration and a Festival funded by a £24,000 Arts Council grant. We had workshops, singers, and thousands of visitors. It was amazing.”

Katie believes this community spirit has been the secret to her success. “Being a shop owner isn’t just about opening and closing every day. You have to care about your community and want to make a difference.”

Repurposing with meaning

Her personal approach keeps customers coming back. “When people come to me, they know it’ll be me personally creating or repairing their jewellery. I sit with them, ask about their vision and why it’s important. Jewellery is so personal – you have to get it right. Whether it’s a £20 bracelet with sentimental value or a brand-new bespoke piece, if it matters to them, it matters to me.”

Repurposing inherited jewellery is one of Katie’s most popular services. “Often people bring in pieces from loved ones that aren’t their style. I can melt them down and create something new, so they feel comfortable wearing it. Prices for that start at around £150.”

One memorable project involved a customer with a wedding band and diamond pendant she wanted to leave to her daughters. “I sat down with her daughters to understand their style, then I created stacking rings that the mum could wear until the time came to pass them down. Each element reflected her daughters’ styles, so one day they’d inherit a piece that they had all designed together. When she saw the finished piece, she was moved to tears – and that’s an incredible feeling.”

Inspired by the coast

Today, Katie sells a wide range of her own designs, from drop earrings and studs to bracelets and necklaces, with prices ranging from £7.50 up to £5,000. Much of her work is inspired by the coast. “I grew up in Northampton, but we spent summers travelling to the seaside. I remember that we were bundled into the car in the middle of the night and I would wake up and see the hills open up to the sea in the distance. That coastal view – the rippling waves and sunlight – is a huge inspiration for me. I even call one of my ranges ‘Recycled Coastal View,’ made using recycled silver.”

I ask Katie what it is about jewellery that speaks to her, and she explains that it has the power to transform an outfit completely. “My mum always used to say, ‘It’s not what you wear, it’s how you wear it,’ and she was right. Jewellery can change how people see you – and how you see yourself. Rings and bracelets are my favourite pieces to make because they bring such a noticeable transformation.”

Welcoming a new apprentice

Katie says she is excited about the next chapter for her store with the arrival of her new apprentice, Amelie, this September.

“To my amazement, I’ve won a Heritage Top Up Grant that will enable me to employ an Apprentice,” Kate smiles. “This is a huge step in retaining endangered crafts in the UK and is the very first scheme ever to run – so once again Gosport is the pilot for a Heritage highlight,” she squeals with excitement.

“Amelie will be studying jewellery design part-time while working alongside me. I’ve always wanted an apprentice, but it’s such a personal role that I never quite found the right person – until I met Amelie. On her very first trial shift, I was in a consultation with a customer discussing a bespoke piece. After the meeting, Amelie showed me a sketch she’d been quietly working on in the background, capturing the customer’s vision as she listened in. That’s exactly the kind of instinct and passion I look for.

“I want someone with fire in their belly. Someone creative, but also a real people person. This work isn’t just about making jewellery; it’s about connecting with customers, putting them at ease, and taking them on a journey. Amelie has that spark. She’s hugely talented, quick to learn, and has such natural communication skills. I feel very lucky to have found her.”

Hopes for Gosport’s creative future

Katie also has big hopes for Gosport’s creative scene. “There’s so much untapped talent here. I’d love to see an arcade-style space for makers to have pop-up stalls and really showcase what they can do. The high street is changing, and it’s exciting to see so many new independent businesses, especially craft shops.”

But she worries about the decline of traditional trades like silversmithing. “It’s becoming an endangered craft. The UK relies too heavily on imports, but people are starting to realise the importance of keeping these skills alive.”

Advice for creatives

Katie’s advice for other creatives? “Think big and don’t be afraid of hard work. Always put yourself in your customers’ shoes – and always give them 25% more than they expect. You can’t go wrong with that.”

And her final message: “If my story shows you anything, it’s that it’s never too late to realise your dream.”

For more information please visit: www.katieanndesigns.co.uk