OUR BRAND Evolution

 
  • October 1, 1992

    FIRST TRIP TO ASIA

    After graduating from college in 1990 and spending a couple years saving money, working in the "real world," Ian embarks on a trip to explore Nepal, India and Thailand. His goal is to study Buddhist meditation techniques with several of its greatest living masters. The trip makes a deep and lasting impression on him.

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  • Summer 1996

    Necessity is the mother of invention

    Returning to live in Nepal in late 1993, Ian spends almost 3 years being a "dharma bum," before it's time to get a job again. Impressed with the handicraft traditions of Kathmnandu's native Newar peoples, Ian starts to learn to make jewlery and to explore the other local traditions of arts and crafts. Charging the raw materials on his credit card, his first jewlery collection is born.

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  • Fall 1996 - Summer 1997

    Saude & Co. launches

    In colaboration with his mother, Regina, and a long time friend, Ian establishes Saude & Co. While still continuing to live and study in Asia, Ian finds representation in New York for his nascent brand, focused on designing and importing handmade jewelry and unique personal accessories for the American market.

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  • 1997 - 1998

    the Pashmina

    Working with local weavers, Ian helps develop new variations on the classic South Asian superfine cashmere shawl, known as the "pashmina". The market for pashiminas explodes into a world-wide phenomenon, creating considerable interest from top European brands for cashmere from Nepal. While continuing to work on his own collections , Ian does private-label development and design for a number of European fashion houses, focusing on cashmere, handlooms and embroideries.

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  • Summer 2006 - Summer 2007

    Shifting Gears

    After almost a decade of working and living through Nepal's brutal civil war, Ian begins working on a new fashion forward jewelry collection that will eventually take him back to the United States. Relinquishing his long time home there, Ian begins to shift beyond Nepal, splitting his time between exploring other parts of Southesat Asia and relocating to California .

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  • Fall 2007

    Ian Saude: IS

    Back in California, Ian launches his new brand — IAN SAUDE: IS. Focused on raw organic shapes and textures coupled with fine materials, finishes and detailing, the new collection is composed of two product lines: fine jewlery and a luxe collection of scarves and wraps.

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  • Summer 2010

    Ian Saude: Jewelry & Lifestyle

    As America begins to feel the full weight of the Great Recession, Ian decides to open his first retail store! Designing a compact but comforatble space to house his jewelry, scarves, and accessories, he also begins to exhibit art and objects and select pieces of artisan furniture. This process leads him to a new appreciation for interior design, as the retail space begins to garner attention.

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  • Spring 2015

    IS for Kaiser Gems

    In collaboration with the international gemstone company, Kaiser Gems, Ian designs a collection of critically acclaimed fine jewlery pieces focused on luscious colored gemstones from Kaiser's extensive collection as well as creating a new series of unique, custom contemporary cuts with their expert stone cutters.

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  • Spring 2016

    IS: Studio Gallery

    From 2013 Ian begins to be offered more commercial and residential interior design projects. Even though this is a departure from his background in product design, he decides to pursue it. With the advent of the Hotel Cerro project in 2014, these design jobs soon begin to outgrow his existing space. After 6 years in downtown SLO, in 2016 the Company decides to move in order to expand their retail store into to a much larger showroom space — transforming a warehouse in the emerging SLO Design District. The new location is able to house an artisan furniture, rug and lighting showroom, an art gallery, a full service interior design studio, plus a jewlery studio — all in one location. The move enables the Company to work on larger and more diverse projects and to support more robust team collaborations.

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  • Spring 2018

    FINE ART COLLABORATIONS

    In tandem with Sheryl Daane Chesnut and Edna Contemporary, Ian adds art development, sourcing and curation to it's menu of services for spacial design projects. In addition, working with other artists as well as his own in-house design team, Ian begins a unique collaboration with Sculptech, in order to assist art and design clients to realize more complex sculptural pieces on a larger scale.

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  • Summer 2019

    The Next Chapter

    In the context of developing furniture and rugs for several projects over the subsequent two year period, Ian begins work on his own collection of designer furntiture and rugs. The project evolves. In concert with several friends — who are, themselves, experienced designers, artists or product engineers — Ian begins to lead the creative process in a new collaborative furniture and interior arts project.