How I Got Here: Keira Wraae Stewart Trades Fashion for Fine at ætla

By Karen Dybis | November 12, 2025

A series of life events pushed Keira Wraae Stewart out on her own in the jewelry industry: She turned 30, left a prestigious job at Vivienne Westwood, and then, during the coronavirus pandemic, went through a kind of work-life reevaluation.

That period of assessing what she really wants and how to get there was worth it, Stewart says, because of where she stands today. Her Edinburgh jewelry business ætla is celebrating five years in business this month, and she recently opened her new studio on the same street, St. Stephen.

The ætla brand is about history, beauty, and investment, says Stewart, who grew up in northeast Scotland with her Scottish dad, Danish mom, and two younger sisters. Both her parents have roots in the Faroe Islands—which are part of Denmark but geographically closer to Scotland—and during high school, Stewart moved between Aberdeen and the Faroes. She also lived on the islands as an adult, not long before she founded ætla.

Stewart says the name she chose for her boutique helped show her the path to where she is now. “I named it ætla because after leaving the Faroe Islands I wanted to stay connected to that part of my heritage. The Faroese word ætla translates as intention, which felt right for how I wanted to work—with purpose and longevity,” she explains.

aetla boutique edinburgh — *After starting as a pop-up in 2020, ætla settled into a permanent space in Edinburgh the following year.*

“Interestingly, I later learned from my late Scottish granddad that the Scots word ettle, meaning to intend or plan, derives from the Old Norse ætla. The name connects both sides of my heritage, Faroese and Scottish,” she adds.

Stewart received a degree in jewelry, glass, and ceramics from Gray’s School of Art in Aberdeen in 2010, and that fall she joined the Italian fashion jewelry brand Maria Francesca Pepe in London as a creative assistant. She worked on commercial collections, gaining an early understanding of how creativity and production meet in a fast-paced fashion environment. During Stewart’s time at Maria Francesca Pepe, the company was in the news regularly, making jewelry for celebrities including Rihanna and Lady Gaga, she says.

In August 2012, Stewart moved to Vivienne Westwood as an assistant to the head jewelry designer, Laurent Rivaud. She worked in its London and Chiang Mai, Thailand, offices, learning design and product development for both commercial and catwalk collections.

“The environment was fast-paced and full of character, and it taught me the importance of precision, consistency, and collaboration,” Stewart says. “Working under Laurent Rivaud set a benchmark for me. His creativity and standards had a huge influence on how I understand good design and decision-making. He had a playful approach and a real appreciation for historical jewelry.”

aetla cobalt — *One earring in Grainne Morton’s Branch and Butterfly pair, made of 18k gold-plated silver with cameo, iolite, lapis, mother-of-pearl, shell, and vintage rhinestone ($1,284)*

Working in such an intense and highly creative place pushed everyone to be their best, Stewart says. Her favorite part of the job was the catwalk collection. “Each season we collaborated with different craftspeople and specialists, translating elaborate designs into unexpected materials,” she recalls.

“That exposure to such a wide range of skills and techniques deepened my appreciation of craft in all its forms. I have always found structure and organization to be a challenge, and working in those environments made that clear.”

Just as she was turning 30, Stewart decided to leave Westwood in 2019 and take some time for herself. She moved back to the Faroe Islands, where the pace of life was vastly different, and worked in a nursery school. Stewart says her happiest memory of that job was doing artwork with the children.

When the pandemic struck, Stewart relocated to Edinburgh, where her parents lived. And there an idea formed: She would return to jewelry, but on her own terms. She started reaching out to jewelers whose work she admired and gradually pulled together a small curated group for a pop-up.

ætla Cairngorm Brooch — *This antique gold and Cairngorm quartz brooch ($2,652) is another jewelry piece sold by ætla.*

“I wanted to move away from costume and fashion jewelry and focus instead on pieces made from precious materials—gold, silver, and natural gemstones—that could be repaired and last for generations,” Stewart says.

She opened ætla as a pop-up in November 2020 and turned it into a permanent space on St. Stephen Street in 2021. She stocks contemporary jewelry from independent makers across the U.K. and elsewhere, as well as antique and vintage jewelry, including the Revival collection of restored and transformed pieces.

Stewart also runs a residency program at the boutique, bringing in about three jewelers each quarter to showcase their work and grow their businesses.

“I realized I work best when I can build my own systems and pace, which is exactly what running my own business allows. It turned out to suit me really well,” says Stewart.

“I think jewelry should live with you and change with you. I am drawn to pieces that become part of someone’s story rather than things that sit in a box,” she says. “Longevity is important, how something is made, the materials used, and how it can be worn, repaired, or adapted over time.”

Top: Keira Wraae Stewart, founder and owner of ætla, a specialty boutique in Edinburgh, Scotland (photos courtesy of ætla)