Art of survival: back to basics for Boyscouts

Zelda Beauchampet, founder of fashion accessory label The Boyscouts, originally studied industrial design before turning to jewellery: ‘I liked the medium, the fact you can design things that you an wear on your skin,’ she says. The Dutch designer’s fascination with the original British Boy Scout movement informs the philosophy of her Netherlands-based brand.
The can-do, practical attitude espoused by Scouts – girls now being as much part of the movement as boys – is reflected in Beauchampet’s tendency towards fuss-free outlines and wearable, affordable pieces. ‘Scouts provide inspiration for the stories behind our collections because what they do presents practical questions: how do they develop survival skills or learn to use basic tools, for instance?’
From left, Earring Rivet, €150; and Earring Rivet Cuff €50.
Past Boyscouts ranges are inspired by the adventure process and outdoor activities we associate with the Scouts movement: glinting silver and black charcoal are used as if reflecting the remains of a campfire, for instance, while the jewels themselves double up as a kind of trophy or achievement badge.
Beauchampet’s new ‘Building Character’ line, comprised of bracelets, rings, earrings and necklaces, draws on these inspirations, while always reflecting her own taste for simple forms and mixing the contemporary with the traditional. ‘I'm not the sort of designer or girl who likes decoration. Rather, I create pieces have a sense of urbanity mixed with adventure.’
Earring Trove €150; and Earring Garner €125.
‘Building Character’ is a progression from previous collections and considers the long-established ways that Scouts are taught varied methods of construction. ‘We have built a bridge between shapes we have already made to create new forms’. As such, the new pieces are focused on an interplay of lines cast in silver or gold plate.
All pieces are made in the studio by a small team working with fair-trade materials and local artisans. ‘They are not made by others but by us because we want them to be timeless. They are meant to last.’
From left, Bracelet Trove, €230; Ring Trove, €130; and Ring Trove, €130
INFORMATION
For more information, visit The Boyscouts website
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
Hannah Silver is the Art, Culture, Watches & Jewellery Editor of Wallpaper*. Since joining in 2019, she has overseen offbeat design trends and in-depth profiles, and written extensively across the worlds of culture and luxury. She enjoys meeting artists and designers, viewing exhibitions and conducting interviews on her frequent travels.
-
Meet Malak Mattar, the Palestinian artist behind the 'Together for Palestine' concert at London's Wembley Arena
The London-based artist curates a landmark concert of music and art in support of Gaza, alongside Brian Eno, James Blake, Jamie xx, Neneh Cherry and more
-
A new coffee table book proves that one designer’s trash is another’s treasure
The Rizzoli tome, launching today (16 September 2025), delves into the philosophy and process of Retrouvius, a design studio reclaiming salvaged materials in weird and wonderful ways
-
A carbon-emission-busting house, yeast-biomass building, and more ‘Designs for a Cooler Planet’
‘Designs for a Cooler Planet’ returns to Aalto University in Finland as part of the annual Helsinki design and architecture week, highlighting buildings, materials and solutions towards a better future
-
Art takes London: Tiffany & Co, Damien Hirst and artists take over Selfridges' windows
Four British contemporary artists celebrate Tiffany & Co's pioneering history with a series of storied window displays
-
All smiles: How a grillz jewellery making class in London became an international hit
What started as a passion project quickly exploded in popularity. We get the story behind the grillz-making workshop at Cockpit London
-
Emerging jewellery designers to get to know
These independent, new and emerging jewellery designers and brands from New York to Paris are firmly on our radar
-
Playing it cool: pearls are having a moment
We've been deep-diving into boutiques around the world to find the very best calcium carbonate in minute crystalline form. It seems jewellers have been busy rethinking pearls, with contemporary (and often affordable) results
-
Eternity rings for the modern couple
Eternity rings, whether sleekly minimalist or sprinkled in diamonds, can be a chic and contemporary love token
-
CryptoPunks come to life on Tiffany & Co pendants
Tiffany & Co has partnered with blockchain infrastructure company Chain to create custom pendants and NFTiffs
-
Order of the day: Pomellato’s high jewellery takes us from dawn to dusk
Pomellato’s new high jewellery collection, La Gioia, tells the story of a day in precious stones
-
Anklets welded onto the body make romantic and enduring jewellery tokens
Atelier VM’s ‘L’Essenziale’ jewellery collection now includes slender gold anklets