Amelia’s Magazine | Central Saint Martins: Ba Hons Jewellery Graduate Show 2011 Review

Jing Jing Cao headdress
Headdress by Jing Jing Cao.

The Central Saint Martin Ba shows were held for the last time this year in the iconic Charing Cross building, visit before the courses depart for new accommodation in Kings Cross. What will happen to the beautiful vaulted hallways when they go? The caretaker couldn’t tell me…

I can’t help but love jewellery – whilst I’ll happily bypass the graphic design stands if there’s a glint of precious gem I’m in there, help nosing around. The Ba Jewellery offering was a mixed bag – much of it did not appeal to me at all but the designs that did grabbed my attention good and proper. Below are the best designers I found.

Kerry Huff
I was attracted to Kerry Huff‘s rough gemstone jewellery based on natural patterns even before I realised that she had sourced all her materials ethically… and is also passionate about fair-trade practice. How joyous to find students tackling design with a firm grounding in the implications of their work.

Hee Jung Son
Hee Jung Son also worked with recycled lids to create a well presented range of colourful rings on silver bases.

Yung-Han Tsai
Central Saint Martins jewellery graduate exhibition 2011 Yung-Han Tsai
Yung-Han Tsai reappropriated everyday objects and transformed them into something new – in this case she clumped bundles of headphones (I’m hoping they were recycled or upcycled) into sculptural forms.

Bonnie Yiu
Bonnie Yiu did some strange and wonderful things with copper wire and paper which produced curvaceous necklaces and bangles with detailed patterns that bore closer examination.

Central Saint Martins jewellery graduate exhibition 2011 Wenhui Li
Wenhui Li pink ring
Wenhui Li
Wenhui Li showed a fabulous display of coloured mixed media rings featuring strange alienesque bulbous shapes. See more on Wenhui Li’s website.

Lauren Colover
I didn’t notice Lauren Colover‘s work when I was at the exhibition but the piece she has chosen for the catalogue is stunning – based on a Ginkgo Biloba leaf and encrusted on the underside with semi precious stones.

Min Yoo
Min Kjung Yoo created some amazing hybrid creatures from a mix of resin, precious metals and gems. Some were far more out there than this particular frog/dolphin specimen – see her website.

Jing Jing Cao
Jing Jing Cao produced stunning brass and acrylic ruffs that spread around the face like a stylised human frame.

Anna Heasman barter bangle
In her final year Anna has found herself questioning the meaning of jewellery as simply adornment but rather as a means of exchange. Inspired by primitive forms of exchange (or indeed, some might say the most postmodern way to live) Anna Heasman offered exhibition attendees the chance to Barter for a Bangle. How could I resist? I offered to write about her here if she gave me a particularly fetching gold twisted number. But I haven’t heard from her yet, and look, here I am writing about her anyway. Clearly I’m not so good at bartering.

Central Saint Martins jewellery graduate exhibition 2011 Anna Heasman Barter Bangles
One of the most intriguing things were the other barters on offer, everything from a list of herbal medicines to other bits of jewellery, cupcakes and a drink on the town. If it wasn’t so incredibly frowned upon to take photos at the CSM shows I would have taken more snapshots of the amazing array of offered goods and services. Some of them can be viewed on Anna Heasman’s Tumblr.

Still to come… my favourite finds from the Jewellery MA.

Categories ,2011, ,Acrylic, ,Anna Heasman, ,Barter Bangles, ,Bonnie Yiu, ,brass, ,Central Saint Martins, ,Copper, ,Eco-Design, ,ethical, ,fairtrade, ,Gems, ,Ginkgo Biloba, ,Graduate Shows, ,Hee Jung Son, ,Hybrid, ,jewellery, ,Jing Jing Cao, ,Kerry Huff, ,Lauren Colover, ,Min Kjung Yoo, ,paper, ,Precious Metal, ,recycled, ,Resin, ,review, ,Silver, ,Upcycled, ,Wenhui Li, ,Yung-Han Tsai

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Amelia’s Magazine | Central Saint Martins: MA Design Jewellery Graduate Show 2011 Review

Tourmaline Boa pendant by Gwyneth Harris
Tourmaline Boa pendant by Gwyneth Harris.

There were two jewellers that caught my eye from the MA Design course that covers Ceramics, information pills Furniture and Jewellery at Central Saint Martins. Gwyneth Harris‘s Boa Collection was absolutely exquisite: an exploration of surface qualities through shape, generic colour, tone and pattern, inspired by the sinuous lines of snakes. She used German lapidary experts to create her beautiful winding tourmaline pendant, which was first carved in wax. Everything was created in shifting shades of red, her favourite colour. Gorgeous, I wanted to wear every piece.

bite me pendant by Gabrielle Harris
Bite Me pendant by Gabrielle Rosanna Harris. Diamond, Topaz and Gold.

Gabrielle Rosanna Harris first trained in Paris, where she did a range of work experience in exclusive Parisian jewellery workshops such as Boucheron. It was in these joaillerie that she learnt the techniques for setting stones that have so influenced her final collection. I was most entranced by the way she has turned the settings upside down and back to front to achieve a bold new look for The High End Jewellery Etiquette, where the setting of the stone has become the most important part of the design.

It’s a real shame I can’t show you more of these jewellers’ work, but photos were not permitted in the exhibition and images were hard to come by. If you like this why not check out my previous blog about the Ba Jewellery show?

Categories ,Boa Collection, ,Boucheron, ,Central Saint Martins, ,Diamond, ,Diamonds, ,french, ,Gabrielle Rosanna Harris, ,Gold, ,jewellery, ,Lapidary, ,MA Design, ,paris, ,Snakes, ,The High End Jewellery Etiquette, ,Topaz, ,Tourmaline

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Amelia’s Magazine | Ciel: meet ethical fashion designer Sarah Ratty

Ciel S/S 2011 by Jo Cheung
Ciel S/S 2011 by Jo Cheung.

Sarah Ratty set up the label Conscious Earthwear in the early 90’s before creating the Ciel brand in 2005, website like this no rx which we profiled in the print version of Amelia’s Magazine. She currently also works as a design consultant and advises the Soil Association on sustainable issues.

How do you design your garments?
Each collection has its roots in the way I have developed as an eco fashion designer over the last twenty years. I usually start with fabrics, ambulance then I think about what garment shapes will best fit into the current zeitgeist and I combine these with my own influences from contemporary art, order travel, history and nature. I use as many innovative approaches as I can in fabrication and cutting techniques, as well as using the naturally diverse fabrics from a range of indigenous locations, which are made and developed in situ.

What is the best way to design ethically?
Within eco design there is inevitably some compromise but I always do my best to find the best materials to achieve the desired outcome. I use fairtrade materials and organic fabrics from factories in Europe and South America, all of which comply with fair labour laws as set out by Labour Behind the Label. We use azo-free dyes, which do not use harmful metal mordants to fix the colour. Heavy metals are highly polluting and contribute to toxic soil runoff if not treated correctly. We have recently started to bring some production back to the UK and we conduct a lot of our work via Skype to reduce our carbon footprint…

Read the rest of this interview with Ciel in Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration, alongside interviews with 44 other ethical fashion designers and 30 fabulous fashion illustrators. You can buy the book here.

Categories ,ACOFI, ,Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration, ,azo-free dyes, ,Carbon footprint, ,ciel, ,Conscious Earthwear, ,Design Consultant, ,Eco fashion, ,Ethical Fashion, ,fairtrade, ,Jo Cheung, ,Labour behind the Label, ,organic, ,Sarah Ratty, ,Skype, ,Soil Association

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Amelia’s Magazine | Fashion Philosophy Fashion Week Poland Off Out Of Schedule A/W 2011 in Łódź: Maldoror

Maldoror Off Out ?ód? Fashion Week AW 2011 by Fawn Carr
Maldoror A/W 2011 by Fawn Carr.

The hissing sighs of Diamandas Galas provided the musical backdrop to this edgy show from Maldoror by Grzegorz Matl?g, pills which featured street cast models who I had seen around already in the audience at Fashion Week Poland – a refreshing change from the same old faces on every catwalk. Black outfits opened the show, high necked and lacy for both men and women, culminating in a butt revealing suit made entirely of net. Grzegorz Matl?g works with recycled materials, his aim being to challenge the wearer “to create their own look without the cultural restraints and defects of consumerism.” High ideals indeed, and ones which I of course heartily applaud.

Maldoror by Rebecca Strickson
Maldoror by Rebecca Strickson.

Things really started hotting up for me with the introduction of bright devilish red. I particularly loved the short-legged man’s red silk shantung suit paired with shiny red loafers and tied loosely at the waist, followed by a round shouldered coat for women and two interesting sequinned patchwork pieces.

Maldoror Off Out ?ód? Fashion Week AW 2011-photography by Amelia Gregory

Maldoror had constructed some stunning garments for this show but as was true of many other Polish collections successful ideas were not developed to their full potential with The Accuser – which was a shame because I love what he is doing. The show ended to the sound of clanging bells, again. A sound which was done to death at Fashion Week Poland, but which was just about justified in this case. Maldoror is available in the UK at Not Just a Label.

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Maldoror A/W 2011. All photography by Amelia Gregory.

Categories ,bells, ,black, ,Diamandas Galas, ,Eco fashion, ,Fashion Philosophy Fashion Week Poland, ,Fashion Week Poland, ,Fawn Carr, ,Grzegorz Matląg, ,Lodz, ,Maldoror, ,Not Just a Label, ,Off Out Of Schedule, ,Palgue Mass, ,Rebecca Strickson, ,recycled, ,Red, ,The Accuser, ,Upcycled

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Amelia’s Magazine | Fashion Philosophy Fashion Week Poland Off Out Of Schedule A/W 2011 in Łódź: Paulina Plizga

Paulina Plizga by Hannah Simpson
Paulina Plizga by Hannah Simpson.

The last of Saturday’s Off Out Of Schedule featured the work of Paulina Plizga from Silesia, viagra 100mg a graduate of the School of Fine Arts in Krakow.

Paulina Plizga by Hannah Simpson
Paulina Plizga by Hannah Simpson.

Blue smoke, chiming bells and booming bass beats set the atmosphere, but for some inexplicable reason the designer had decided it would be a good idea to dress each model at the head of the catwalk – thereby demonstrating the versatility of her recycled zippered creations, and ensuring that the show took a tediously long time. A garment was carefully removed from one model’s legs and reconvened as a cape on another. Maybe it had seemed like a good and innovative idea in rehearsals but in reality there was barely any light in the smokey gloom and it was a struggle to see what was going on… which made it even more tedious. The looped soundtrack didn’t help matters either.

Paulina Plizga ?ód? Fashion Week AW 2011 photography by Amelia GregoryPaulina Plizga ?ód? Fashion Week AW 2011 photography by Amelia GregoryPaulina Plizga ?ód? Fashion Week AW 2011 photography by Amelia Gregory
Paulina Plizga A/W 2011. All photography by Amelia Gregory.

Despite this I really liked Paulina Plizga‘s collection, which made effective use of upcycled fabrics to create a patchwork collection with ethics at its heart. It was also a rare example of intelligent and interesting styling: models were accessorised with cobwebbed face masks and bin bags on their feet, tangled threads dangling in chaotic patterns. It had real potential to wow.

Paulina Plizga ?ód? Fashion Week AW 2011 photography by Amelia Gregory

Tighter! Faster! Please! Paulina Plizga is stocked in Paris, Tokyo and New York.

Paulina Plizga ?ód? Fashion Week AW 2011 photography by Amelia GregoryPaulina Plizga ?ód? Fashion Week AW 2011 photography by Amelia GregoryPaulina Plizga ?ód? Fashion Week AW 2011 photography by Amelia GregoryPaulina Plizga ?ód? Fashion Week AW 2011 photography by Amelia GregoryPaulina Plizga ?ód? Fashion Week AW 2011 photography by Amelia GregoryPaulina Plizga ?ód? Fashion Week AW 2011 photography by Amelia GregoryPaulina Plizga ?ód? Fashion Week AW 2011 photography by Amelia GregoryPaulina Plizga ?ód? Fashion Week AW 2011 photography by Amelia GregoryPaulina Plizga ?ód? Fashion Week AW 2011 photography by Amelia GregoryPaulina Plizga ?ód? Fashion Week AW 2011 photography by Amelia GregoryPaulina Plizga ?ód? Fashion Week AW 2011 photography by Amelia GregoryPaulina Plizga ?ód? Fashion Week AW 2011 photography by Amelia GregoryPaulina Plizga ?ód? Fashion Week AW 2011 photography by Amelia GregoryPaulina Plizga ?ód? Fashion Week AW 2011 photography by Amelia GregoryPaulina Plizga ?ód? Fashion Week AW 2011 photography by Amelia GregoryPaulina Plizga ?ód? Fashion Week AW 2011 photography by Amelia GregoryPaulina Plizga ?ód? Fashion Week AW 2011 photography by Amelia GregoryPaulina Plizga ?ód? Fashion Week AW 2011 photography by Amelia GregoryPaulina Plizga ?ód? Fashion Week AW 2011 photography by Amelia GregoryPaulina Plizga ?ód? Fashion Week AW 2011 photography by Amelia GregoryPaulina Plizga ?ód? Fashion Week AW 2011 photography by Amelia Gregory
Paulina Plizga A/W 2011. All photography by Amelia Gregory.

Categories ,Bielnik and Elektrownia, ,Eco fashion, ,Fashion Philosophy Fashion Week Poland, ,Fashion Week Poland, ,gothic, ,Hannah Simpson, ,Krakow, ,new york, ,Off Out Of Schedule, ,paris, ,Patchwork, ,Paulina Plizga, ,Podsiadło Ksiezy Mlyn, ,recycled, ,School of Fine Arts, ,Silesia, ,tokyo, ,Upcycled, ,Zips

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Amelia’s Magazine | Fashion Philosophy Fashion Week Poland Off Out Of Schedule S/S 2012 in Łódź: Dominika Naziebly

Dominika Naziebly by rebecca higgins
Dominika Naziebly by Rebecca Higgins.

Having won the Golden Thread Awards earlier this year, Dominika Naziebly stepped up to the mark with another beautiful ethically produced collection that used eco fabrics such as bamboo, organic cotton and recycled materials.

Dominika Naziebly Fashion Week Poland SS 2012-photography by Amelia Gregory
Dominika Naziebly backstage before the show. All photography by Amelia Gregory.

For Cold Summer Dominika Naziebly looked at the ‘quiet combinations of forms and colours‘ to create an elegant collection centred on shades of mushroom and cream. Longer dresses were shredded to give texture, and over-sized eyelets were applied to the sheerest of tops and bottom bearing skintight shorts. The romantic garments had a decidedly modern edge, accessorised with imitation wood clutches and totes. You can see Dominika Naziebly’s previous A/W 2011 collection paraded in the Gala Dyplomowa Show.

Dominika Naziebly Fashion Week Poland SS 2012-photography by Amelia Gregory
Dominika Naziebly Fashion Week Poland SS 2012-photography by Amelia Gregory
Dominika Naziebly Fashion Week Poland SS 2012-photography by Amelia Gregory
Dominika Naziebly Fashion Week Poland SS 2012-photography by Amelia Gregory
Dominika Naziebly Fashion Week Poland SS 2012-photography by Amelia Gregory
Dominika Naziebly Fashion Week Poland SS 2012-photography by Amelia Gregory
Dominika Naziebly Fashion Week Poland SS 2012-photography by Amelia Gregory
Dominika Naziebly Fashion Week Poland SS 2012-photography by Amelia Gregory
Dominika Naziebly Fashion Week Poland SS 2012-photography by Amelia Gregory
Dominika Naziebly Fashion Week Poland SS 2012-photography by Amelia Gregory
Dominika Naziebly Fashion Week Poland SS 2012-photography by Amelia Gregory
Dominika Naziebly Fashion Week Poland SS 2012-photography by Amelia Gregory
Dominika Naziebly Fashion Week Poland SS 2012-photography by Amelia Gregory
Dominika Naziebly Fashion Week Poland SS 2012-photography by Amelia Gregory
Dominika Naziebly Fashion Week Poland SS 2012-photography by Amelia Gregory
Dominika Naziebly Fashion Week Poland SS 2012-photography by Amelia Gregory
Dominika Naziebly Fashion Week Poland SS 2012-photography by Amelia Gregory

Categories ,Dominika Naziebly, ,Eco fashion, ,Eyelets, ,Fashion Philosophy Fashion Week Poland, ,Golden Thread Awards, ,Lodz, ,Off Out Of Schedule, ,Organic Cotton, ,Rebecca Higgins, ,recycled, ,S/S 2012, ,sustainable

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Amelia’s Magazine | Fashion Philosophy Fashion Week Poland Off Out Of Schedule S/S 2012 in Łódź: Paulina Plizga

Paulina Plizga S/S 2012 by Cruz
Paulina Plizga S/S 2012 by Cruz.

For her S/S 2012 collection Paulina Plizga was inspired by dance, so leading the Flesh & Bone collection down the catwalk was contemporary dancer Kaya Kolodziejczyk, who threw a series of crazy shapes in front of the unsuspecting crowd. The next models walked at a stately pace, some fast, some two by two or in hand – the back lighting emphasised their tousled hair and their blackened eye sockets gave the classical ballet aesthetic a dark, distressed edge. Paulina Plizga showed us a predominantly white collection with intermissions of grey, ochre and black in a range of textures, from holey knits and ancient lace to patchworked fabrics and reappropriated sheers.

Paulina Plizga SS 2012 by Geiko Louve
Paulina Plizga S/S 2012 by Geiko Louve.

When I spoke with Paulina Plizga after the show she described how all of her outfits are constructed from scraps which she forages from the couture houses in Paris (where she lives) and these are mixed with antique laces that she finds in markets. For relaxation she likes nothing better than to go to the cinema, and so recent viewings of Black Swan, The Red Shoes and Pina Bausch films helped form ideas for S/S 2012, along with the Greek story of Pygmalion, wherein a statue comes to life. This was a welcome second chance for me to view Paulina Plizga’s clever design aesthetics; read my review of Paulina Plizga‘s previous A/W 2011 collection here.

Paulina Plizga Fashion Week Poland SS 2012-photography by Amelia Gregory
Paulina Plizga Fashion Week Poland SS 2012-photography by Amelia Gregory
Paulina Plizga Fashion Week Poland SS 2012-photography by Amelia Gregory
Paulina Plizga Fashion Week Poland SS 2012-photography by Amelia Gregory
Paulina Plizga Fashion Week Poland SS 2012-photography by Amelia Gregory
Paulina Plizga Fashion Week Poland SS 2012-photography by Amelia Gregory
Paulina Plizga Fashion Week Poland SS 2012-photography by Amelia Gregory
Paulina Plizga Fashion Week Poland SS 2012-photography by Amelia Gregory
Paulina Plizga Fashion Week Poland SS 2012-photography by Amelia Gregory
Paulina Plizga Fashion Week Poland SS 2012-photography by Amelia Gregory
Paulina Plizga Fashion Week Poland SS 2012-photography by Amelia Gregory
Paulina Plizga Fashion Week Poland SS 2012-photography by Amelia Gregory
Paulina Plizga Fashion Week Poland SS 2012-photography by Amelia Gregory
Paulina Plizga Fashion Week Poland SS 2012-photography by Amelia Gregory
Paulina Plizga Fashion Week Poland SS 2012-photography by Amelia Gregory
Paulina Plizga Fashion Week Poland SS 2012-photography by Amelia Gregory
Paulina Plizga Fashion Week Poland SS 2012-photography by Amelia Gregory
Paulina Plizga Fashion Week Poland SS 2012-photography by Amelia Gregory
Paulina Plizga Fashion Week Poland SS 2012-photography by Amelia Gregory
Paulina Plizga Fashion Week Poland SS 2012-photography by Amelia Gregory
Paulina Plizga Fashion Week Poland SS 2012-photography by Amelia Gregory
Paulina Plizga Fashion Week Poland SS 2012-photography by Amelia Gregory
Paulina Plizga Fashion Week Poland SS 2012-photography by Amelia Gregory
Paulina Plizga Fashion Week Poland SS 2012-photography by Amelia Gregory
Paulina Plizga Fashion Week Poland SS 2012-photography by Amelia Gregory
Paulina Plizga Fashion Week Poland SS 2012-photography by Amelia Gregory
Paulina Plizga Fashion Week Poland SS 2012-photography by Amelia Gregory
Paulina Plizga S/S 2012. All photography by Amelia Gregory.

Categories ,ballet, ,Black Swan, ,couture, ,Cruz, ,dance, ,Eco fashion, ,Fashion Philosophy Fashion Week Poland, ,Flesh & Bone, ,Geiko Louve, ,Kaya Kolodziejczyk, ,knitwear, ,Lodz, ,Off Out Of Schedule, ,paris, ,Patchwork, ,Paulina Plizga, ,Pina Bausch, ,Pygmalion, ,recycled, ,Red Shoes, ,Sheer, ,The Red Shoes, ,Upcycled

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Amelia’s Magazine | An interview with Accessory Designer Hope Von Joel from Eye of the World Designs

Eye of the World by Milly Jackson
Eye of the World S/S 2012 collection by Milly Jackson.

Hope Von Joel is a multi-talented knitwear designer, more about stylist, see fashion editor and accessories designer. But just how does she do it all? Read on to find out more about Eye of the World Designs.

Hope, you studied knitwear at Central Saint Martins and have also worked with the likes of Alexander McQueen, Gareth Pugh and Charlie le Mindu. As a stylist you’ve been a fashion editor for Super Super and now at Fiasco Magazine. What prompted the move into accessories design and was it a steep learning curve?
During my time at Central Saint Martins I worked at the houses of McQueen and Pugh on knitwear and design. These where both invaluable experiences and have definitely shaped by view of fashion to this date. It was a pleasure to see how the Design teams worked on the process behind such imaginative and wonderful collections. Styling wise yes I have previously worked with Charlie Le Mindu on his catwalk collection and Look Book; his creative flair is addictive and he is definitely a very capable and imaginative designer and business man! Styling for me is a great pleasure, I have worked on all sorts of projects from editorials for Elle Girl, Vogue, Oyster etc, to various fashion shows and big creative advertising campaigns – it’s a job with many different dimensions. I am always thrilled to work with clothing and accessories which break boundaries and challenge perceptions of the female form.  

Eye of the World Designs
Eye of the World Designs created for Brooke Roberts A/W 2012.

WIth this in mind the move over to accessories designing was quite easy. Having studied the concept of design at Central Saint Martins and seeing what is on offer from the bigger design houses I felt there was definitely a place in the market for sustainable, beautifully designed and hand finished pieces that are also made in the UK. What is nice about this sort of design is the fact that people can follow it from the design to the finished piece. Much of our raw materials are recycled or reclaimed and this gives the buyer a personal experience. I had the opportunity to work with Brooke Roberts because I was styling her collections, and it has been a great platform to launch the designs and see them worn with knitwear, which is another one of my passions.

Eye of the World Designs
Eye of the World accessories created for Brooke Roberts A/W 2012.

How do you juggle your different jobs? 
It’s about time management and everything has its place. The way I work is very creative but things overlap and that’s the joy of London and the creative scene. I am with an agent in London for my styling: Clicks and Contacts. They are a great creative push in that area and the rest I am learning along the way. 

Eye of the World Designs
Eye of the World accessories created for Brooke Roberts A/W 2012.

What’s in a name? How did you come up with Eye of the World designs?
Eye of the World Designs was thought up by my business partner Liam Motyer when we where travelling in South America. It became one of our favourite sayings and can apply to anything and everything. Our love of the organic form of wood seemed to offer a great view point on the world. I like the way it influences everything, very much like fashion; and so our use of wood has stuck.

Eye of the World S/S 2012 belts by Estelle Morris
Eye of the World S/S 2012 belts by Estelle Morris.

What inspires you when you start creating a collection and how do you ensure your ideas are translated into successful accessories. What parameters do you need to consider?
Colour colour colour colour… and wood. We take influences from anything and everything, from organic forms to marbles and glass… really anything that touches us. The colours of wood play a great influence, so if something doesn’t go with wood it’s not for us! This season we have been loving Orchids, Marbles and Wood. We always consider the season, who our customer is and what she is going to wear our accessories for. It’s like playing dress up with your favourite doll, creating a scene, place and style for each particular season.

Eye of the World Designs
Eye of the World accessories created for Brooke Roberts A/W 2012.

Most of your designs use wood – why is this and where do you source your wood from?
All our wood is sustainable, reclaimed or recycled and sourced locally to SE London. The reason we love wood is because Liam is a master craftsmen and his creativity and flair is in his manipulation of wood. We design and hand make every piece together in Peckham, with much love.

Eye of the World Designs S/S 2012
Eye of the World Designs S/S 2012.

Your pieces are notable for being extremely bold. How do you think they are best worn?
With a smile and a confidence that belongs to the wearer. I think that you should wear your clothes and accessories instead of letting them wear you.

Eye of the World Designs
Eye of the World accessories created for Brooke Roberts A/W 2012.

Your collection is styled with knitwear by Brooke Roberts – how does this collaboration work, and does it make you miss the world of knitwear? Any chance of a return?  
We worked with Brooke Roberts on two collaborations this season and last season. Last season I also styled her collections as I have done for some time. Her knitwear is luxurious and beautifully finished and her organic forms lend themselves to wooden accessories beautifully. I would love to return to knitwear and sometime soon I know I will! It’s a love and once you have the bug and the creative knowledge it’s like riding a bike.

Eye of the World Designs Converse
You recently created a special piece for the Converse Bag range. Can you tell me a little bit more about this project and what inspired your design?
Working with Converse was ace, we where asked to design a bag that reflected our love for Back to School. For us school was about movies, skating and moving forwards with speed. So we referenced the movie Back to the Future and created a real treat – a wooden and red flocked bag that combines music and design. Our signature is wood and so it seemed a perfect combination. The wood was all reclaimed and matched the original bags colour and the flocking is a technique that we are perfecting at the moment. We are also flocking wooden hats for editorials, so watch this space. We had a ball making the Converse bag and look forward to more projects in the future.

Eye of the World Designs Converse bag
What’s next for Eye of the World?
Well the world is our oyster. We hope to make more bespoke accessories because we love making extravagant pieces, which we have done for a few mega editorials that will be out in some big publications shortly. We are also now working on an A/W 2012 collection that will sparkle you all away. Eye of the World Designs continues to collaborate with all sorts of people. Our master craftsman Liam is creating some pieces with furniture makers Hendzel and Hunt for Designersblock and also for Selfridges. Lastly but most excitingly Eye of the World Designs for Brooke Roberts are now available to buy at Browns Focus and bespoke pieces are available directly from us.

You can follow Hope Von Joel‘s exploits on her blog, and don’t forget to take a peek at the Eye Of The World website too.

Categories ,accessories, ,Alexander Mc Queen, ,Back to School, ,Brooke Roberts, ,Browns Focus, ,Central Saint Martins, ,Charlie le Mindu, ,Clicks and Contacts, ,Converse Bag, ,Designersblock, ,Elle Girl, ,Estelle Morris, ,Eye of the World, ,Fashion Editor, ,Fiasco Magazine, ,Gareth Pugh, ,interview, ,knitwear, ,Liam Motyer, ,Marbles, ,Milly Jackson, ,Orchids, ,Oyster, ,Peckham, ,Reclaimed, ,recycled, ,S/S 2012, ,Selfridges, ,stylist, ,Super Super, ,sustainable, ,vogue, ,wood, ,Woodcraft

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Amelia’s Magazine | New Designers 2011 Part One: Contemporary Craft Graduate Show Review

New Designers review 2011-Hollie Anderson
Creatures, troche by Hollie Anderson, purchase at Hereford College of Arts.

During part one a large part of exhibition space was given out to what is known as Contemporary Craft – which in essence meant anything that was not particularly innovative in comparison with the rest of New Designers. But there were exceptions… Hereford College of Arts turned out some of the strongest contemporary crafters, page with individual and imaginative artwork that looked fresh against much of what I saw, both in the Contemporary Craft space and elsewhere. Hereford very deservingly won Best Stand.

New Designers review 2011-Ashleigh Williams
Ashleigh Williams was on hand to explain that her crocheted jellyfish filled with LED lights were intended for display as groupings that mimic their tendencies in the natural world. The tentacles and translucency were very convincing – amazing what crochet can do.

New Designers review 2011-Sarah Bevan Toft LaskiNew Designers review 2011-Sarah Bevan Toft Laski
Sarah Bevan also goes by the name Toft Laski. On her display cabinet there was a host of curious beasties: dolls with donkey heads, dried fish on wheels and rolling birds with wigs on. A grand old assortment.

New Designers review 2011-Victoria Midgley
Victoria Midgley created extravagant mirrors from unconventional art materials, inspired by the colours and shapes of tropical sealife.

New Designers review 2011-Hollie Anderson hereford
New Designers review 2011-Hollie Anderson herefordNew Designers review 2011-Hollie Anderson herefordNew Designers review 2011-Hollie Anderson hereford
New Designers review 2011-Hollie Anderson hereford
I was totally stunned by Hollie Anderson‘s work – fuelled by an interest in animistic religions, she’d put together some totemic pieces that were vaguely unsettling and yet utterly compulsive: strange faceless creatures with embroidered snowflake tummies, gaping mouths and protruding spikes… bleeding figures with no discernible features at all… five legged creates with bones for mouths… a tethered fox like creature, again with hair and bones in all the wrong positions. She aims to tug at the viewer’s subconscious, ‘creating an innate emotional reaction to the figures, giving them life.’ Totally dazzled with the brilliance of Hollie’s incredible creations, caught somewhere between craft, totems and fine art. More images can be viewed on her very well designed tumblr website.

New Designers review 2011-Nadine SpencerNew Designers review 2011-Nadine Spencer
Nadine Spencer from Nottingham Trent University showed a huge laser cut city chandelier, with buildings piled on top of each other. Her individual artworks also showed cities, this time populated with alien spacecraft too. What fun!

New Designers review 2011-Laura Matthews Nottingham Trent University New Designers review 2011-Laura Matthews Nottingham Trent University New Designers review 2011-Laura Matthews Nottingham Trent University
By the table Laura Mathews was obviously in charge of the rats. I do so love it when you can spot the maker! She told me how her rats with articulated limbs are made out of recycled acrylic that she found in a skip. At last! Someone thinking ecologically! There really wasn’t enough of this at New Designers. Laura would like to make an animation featuring rats amongst those other urban pests: foxes and pigeons.

Don’t forget to check in with my other New Designers Part One blog posts: Textile Design, Surface Design, Ceramics and Glass and Jewellery. Just click on the links!

Categories ,2011, ,Acrylic, ,Animistic Religion, ,Ashleigh Williams, ,Best Stand, ,Business Design Centre, ,ceramics, ,Chandelier, ,Contemporary Craft, ,craft, ,crochet, ,Curious Beasties, ,Fine Art, ,Hereford College of Arts, ,Hollie Anderson, ,Jellyfish, ,Laura Mathews, ,Laura Matthews, ,LED lights, ,Mirrors, ,Nadine Spencer, ,New Designers, ,Nottingham Trent University, ,Rats, ,recycled, ,Sarah Bevan, ,Toft Laski, ,Totems, ,Upcycled, ,Victoria Midgley

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Amelia’s Magazine | New Designers 2011 Part One: Contemporary Craft Graduate Show Review

New Designers review 2011-Hollie Anderson
Creatures, troche by Hollie Anderson, purchase at Hereford College of Arts.

During part one a large part of exhibition space was given out to what is known as Contemporary Craft – which in essence meant anything that was not particularly innovative in comparison with the rest of New Designers. But there were exceptions… Hereford College of Arts turned out some of the strongest contemporary crafters, page with individual and imaginative artwork that looked fresh against much of what I saw, both in the Contemporary Craft space and elsewhere. Hereford very deservingly won Best Stand.

New Designers review 2011-Ashleigh Williams
Ashleigh Williams was on hand to explain that her crocheted jellyfish filled with LED lights were intended for display as groupings that mimic their tendencies in the natural world. The tentacles and translucency were very convincing – amazing what crochet can do.

New Designers review 2011-Sarah Bevan Toft LaskiNew Designers review 2011-Sarah Bevan Toft Laski
Sarah Bevan also goes by the name Toft Laski. On her display cabinet there was a host of curious beasties: dolls with donkey heads, dried fish on wheels and rolling birds with wigs on. A grand old assortment.

New Designers review 2011-Victoria Midgley
Victoria Midgley created extravagant mirrors from unconventional art materials, inspired by the colours and shapes of tropical sealife.

New Designers review 2011-Hollie Anderson hereford
New Designers review 2011-Hollie Anderson herefordNew Designers review 2011-Hollie Anderson herefordNew Designers review 2011-Hollie Anderson hereford
New Designers review 2011-Hollie Anderson hereford
I was totally stunned by Hollie Anderson‘s work – fuelled by an interest in animistic religions, she’d put together some totemic pieces that were vaguely unsettling and yet utterly compulsive: strange faceless creatures with embroidered snowflake tummies, gaping mouths and protruding spikes… bleeding figures with no discernible features at all… five legged creates with bones for mouths… a tethered fox like creature, again with hair and bones in all the wrong positions. She aims to tug at the viewer’s subconscious, ‘creating an innate emotional reaction to the figures, giving them life.’ Totally dazzled with the brilliance of Hollie’s incredible creations, caught somewhere between craft, totems and fine art. More images can be viewed on her very well designed tumblr website.

New Designers review 2011-Nadine SpencerNew Designers review 2011-Nadine Spencer
Nadine Spencer from Nottingham Trent University showed a huge laser cut city chandelier, with buildings piled on top of each other. Her individual artworks also showed cities, this time populated with alien spacecraft too. What fun!

New Designers review 2011-Laura Matthews Nottingham Trent University New Designers review 2011-Laura Matthews Nottingham Trent University New Designers review 2011-Laura Matthews Nottingham Trent University
By the table Laura Mathews was obviously in charge of the rats. I do so love it when you can spot the maker! She told me how her rats with articulated limbs are made out of recycled acrylic that she found in a skip. At last! Someone thinking ecologically! There really wasn’t enough of this at New Designers. Laura would like to make an animation featuring rats amongst those other urban pests: foxes and pigeons.

Don’t forget to check in with my other New Designers Part One blog posts: Textile Design, Surface Design, Ceramics and Glass and Jewellery. Just click on the links!

Categories ,2011, ,Acrylic, ,Animistic Religion, ,Ashleigh Williams, ,Best Stand, ,Business Design Centre, ,ceramics, ,Chandelier, ,Contemporary Craft, ,craft, ,crochet, ,Curious Beasties, ,Fine Art, ,Hereford College of Arts, ,Hollie Anderson, ,Jellyfish, ,Laura Mathews, ,Laura Matthews, ,LED lights, ,Mirrors, ,Nadine Spencer, ,New Designers, ,Nottingham Trent University, ,Rats, ,recycled, ,Sarah Bevan, ,Toft Laski, ,Totems, ,Upcycled, ,Victoria Midgley

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