Collection: Mel Mueller

Wānaka-based jeweller Mel Mueller has been working with metal for over a decade, a passion that began in her father’s garage in Germany. Her early years were spent welding furniture and lighting from recycled materials, forming a lifelong creative foundation centered on transformation and form.

Since moving to New Zealand in 2001, Mel’s practice has evolved from large-scale sculptural metalwork into the intimate craft of contemporary jewellery. Her background in interior design and curation has refined her aesthetic, giving her a unique understanding of how material and space interact.

Inspired by the organic textures of the natural world, Mel uses techniques such as Mitsuro Hikime and lost wax casting to create fluid, tactile pieces. Her work is designed to be "grounded luxury" elegant enough for the opera, yet versatile enough for the rituals of everyday life.