‘YOU HAVE TO KEEP GOING'

Jewellery designer Jenna Clifford reflects on the breakdown of her marriage and why she’s hopeful about the future

- CARLA COETZEE

HER name is synonymous with style and glamour – and that’s because the jewellery she designs is worn with pride by royalty, Hollywood stars and models.

But away from the limelight, Jenna Clifford’s life hasn’t been nearly so sparkly these past three years. Things have been tough, the world renowned jewellery designer admits.

Not only did both her parents pass away, but she also split from the man she’d loved for decades.

Two years ago Jenna (61) opened up to us about her heartache after Dex Kotzé (59), father of two of her three children, turned to her one day and told her he no longer loved her (YOU, 15 March 2018).

But Jenna isn’t one to let things keep her down for too long.

She shed all her tears after Dex moved out of their farmhouse in White River, Mpumalanga in 2017, she says.

For 28 years they’d been a dynamic duo in business and in love. It was with him that she founded Jenna

Clifford jewellery in 1992 – so the loss felt monumental and Jenna knew it was important to give herself time to grieve.

But after taking 11 months off from her business, she picked herself back up and carried on working.

“To be successful you have to keep going,” says Jenna, who’s been married twice before. “To throw in the towel is never an option. I believe feeling drives purpose but at the end of the day we’re stronger than we give ourselves credit for. I learnt about myself.”

She doesn’t dwell on what she could’ve done differently to make Dex stay.