Amelia’s Magazine | Review: An evening class at the London Jewellery School

London Jewellery School 2011 -photography by Amelia Gregory
All photography by Amelia Gregory.

A couple of weeks ago I went along to the London Jewellery School for a night of cupcakes and cocktail rings, otherwise known as a lesson in how to make wire wrap beaded jewellery.

London Jewellery School 2011 -photography by Amelia Gregory
At the work table each seat was laid with an individual jewellery kit but all attention was immediately drawn to the twinkling assortment of glass beads in the centre of the table. I am sure that anyone with a magpie mind can appreciate the lure…

London Jewellery School 2011 -photography by Amelia Gregory
We were soon dipping into the beads, pulling out our desired options to start the first project, a wire wrap bracelet made on bouncy pre-shaped wire. This was extremely simple, with the most taxing part choosing the right combination of beads, not too small and not too heavy, to produce the right look. Many of the others settled on tasteful monochrome pieces, but as usual I could not resist something a bit more colourful, a heathery palette of purples, blues, deep reds and greens.

London Jewellery School 2011 -photography by Amelia Gregory
Our tutor was Chu-Mei, who runs Grace & Firefly. She was super helpful and funny, immediately on hand to help with out any problems or advise on design decisions.

London Jewellery School 2011 -photography by Amelia Gregory
Once we had all managed to create a bracelet it was straight on to the next project, a blingy wire wrap ring. This required a more concentrated mind, as the rings were constructed from wire to fit our fingers perfectly and then clusters of beads were piled on top of each other to create the final cocktail ring. I managed to produce three different over the top creations that featured an assortment of brightly coloured, gold and pearlised beads.

London Jewellery School 2011 -photography by Amelia Gregory
London Jewellery School 2011 -photography by Amelia Gregory
London Jewellery School 2011 -photography by Amelia Gregory
Who needs Accessorise when you can create something utterly unique in under half an hour, and so much satisfaction comes from the creation process itself? I think that we were all quite pleased and pleasantly surprised with the amount of booty that we each managed to produce during the class. And one of the best things about the evening? The chance to meet other talented jewellers and find out a bit more about the London Jewellery School.

Afro deco upcycled watch pendant
Natasha Williams is Afro Deco, a jeweller who specialises in upcycling jewellery with added resin details – beautiful and unusual.

London Jewellery School 2011 -photography by Amelia Gregory
Another lady was an expert in polymer clay, the far classier descendent of Fimo. Remember Fimo? The new stuff is streets ahead, just check out the beautiful necklace above. Mary Ann of Zarafa Designs was also very helpful when I ran into trouble with my designs.

London Jewellery School 2011 -photography by Amelia Gregory
The London Jewellery School fits into a surprisingly compact room in Hatton Garden. Classes are incredibly diverse, in everything from perspex to gold – you an even make your own wedding bands (what a lovely idea!) I even learnt about the charms of Dichroic Glass, which can do all sorts of fabulous things (see below).

London Jewellery School 2011 -photography by Amelia Gregory
Coming up before Christmas the London Jewellery School is running a few classes where you can make bespoke Crimbo presents, and they have just announced news of a Set up your own Jewellery Business Distance Learning Course. In another life I quit this internet malarkey and concentrate on making things myself, so if you, like me, have always wondered whether you can make something you love into a career then this course could be just the ticket for you. The London Jewellery School was set up by young entrepreneur Jessica Rose who herself learnt the trade by doing short courses, so she is well equipped to talk about these kind of things.

Whether you have plans for a small pocket-money operation, a full time job or an even larger business employing others, the course is designed to guide you through all the basics of running a successful jewellery business. The course pack contains a 50-page glossy workbook, supporting case study booklet and more than 80 minutes of video footage with advice from jewellery business expert and course tutor Jessica Rose. ‘ If you pre-order this comprehensive course before the official release date on Friday 9th December then you can get the whole kit for just £99.

Categories ,Accessorise, ,Afro Deco, ,Beading, ,Bling, ,Bracelet, ,Christmas, ,Chu-Mei, ,Classes, ,Cocktail Rings, ,cupcakes, ,Dichroic Glass, ,Fimo, ,Gold, ,Grace & Firefly, ,Hatton Garden, ,Jessica Rose, ,London Jewellery School, ,Mary Ann, ,Natasha Williams, ,Perspex, ,Polymer Clay, ,Resin, ,review, ,Set up your own Jewellery Business Distance Learning Course, ,Short Courses, ,Silver, ,Upcyled, ,Wedding Rings, ,Wire Wrap, ,Zarafa Designs

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Amelia’s Magazine | London Fashion Week A/W 2011 Catwalk Review: Alice Palmer


Illustration by Jo Cheung

So after a rollercoaster six days, capsule for sale Menswear Day and London Fashion Week drew to a close with hip-store Kokon To Zai’s label, KTZ, and what would be my final show of this season. I absolutely loved what they did last season, and I couldn’t wait to see what they’d come up with next.


All photography by Matt Bramford

A heavily policed front row meant me and illustrator Gareth took seats on the second, but I managed to get on the end so that my pictures would make it look like I was Frowing all along. I was bloody exhausted and feeling very sorry for myself, and I couldn’t help but wish that they’d just get on with it and stop papping people wearing pig masks. My legs wobbled and I struggled to keep my eyes open, but when the music started and the first look appeared, I quickly forgot my woes.


Illustration by June Chanpoomidole


Illustration by Thomas Leadbetter

Memphis-inspired fashion? I thought I’d died and gone to heaven. A pumpin’ soundtrack blasted from the PA system as gorgeous models (more women than men, but who cares?) sashayed up and down the length of the BFC tent. Stripes were a plenty on figure-hugging dresses with sweetheart necklines that feature extra flaps in that Pop Art/Memphis splatter pattern. Vibrant primary colours made black dresses playful: such a sophisticated, considered collection expertly styled by wonder-styilst Anna Trevelyan.

A whole load of other influences filtered into this power collection – the womenswear referenced power dressing from the 1980s (think Dynasty) and Mondrian’s prints; the menswear also digging up the eighties with (faux!) fur lapels and broad shoulders.


Illustration by Abby Wright

I have to admit, I did prefer the womenswear – it was far more wearable for fashion-forward ladies and it oozed sex appeal with dresses cut above the knee and details in all the right places to emphasise the curves. The menswear featured striped balaclavas topped with pom-poms, acrylic brooches which referenced the womenswear, over-sized imposing puffa jackets and graphic-print trousers. But it’ll be the womenswear that cements Kokontozai’s place as one of London’s hottest design duos.


Illustration by Lesley Barnes

Huge orb-like creations were worn on wrists, picking out patterns from lapels. And, oh, the cuts! Dynamic pieces of fabric were layered onto classic tailored pieces to give them a seriously sexy aesthetic. This was a collection that was playful but sophisticated at the same – a really difficult challenge to pull off.


Illustration by Valerie Pezeron

I loved EVERYTHING about it. I can’t put it into words, so just have a look at the pictures. Oh, and read Amelia’s more comprehensive and articulate review here!

You can see more from Jo Cheung, June Chanpoomidole, Abby Wright and Lesley Barnes in Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration!


Marnie for Ziad Ghanem A/W 2011 by Tigz Rice
Marnie Scarlet for Ziad Ghanem A/W 2011 by Tigz Rice.

Ziad Ghanem‘s Never End, salve Never End, troche Never End was one of those hotly tipped shows that all my contributors were desperate to go to so I was promised performance catwalking at its best. What I hadn’t expected was to land a prime seat right opposite Boy George, looking remarkably svelte next to Daniel Lismore.

Boy George and Daniel Lismore. Photography by Amelia Gregory
Boy George and Daniel Lismore. Photography by Amelia Gregory.

I remember the allure of Karma Chameleon, back when a dodgy video was sufficient accompaniment for pop songs of such genius. Colour by Numbers was actually the VERY FIRST album that I owned, given to me by my aunt on good old cassette tape.

YouTube Preview Image

But then, ah, the show!!! This collection was inspired by a horror video game called Silent Hill and the work of Romantic painter John Henry Fuseli, and it explored themes of gothic romance. The press release states that the same garment viewed in a dark, gothic context by one viewer will be interpreted as romantic and liberating by the next.

Ziad Ghanem A/W 2011. Photography by Amelia GregoryZiad Ghanem A/W 2011. Photography by Amelia GregoryZiad Ghanem A/W 2011 by Jessica Holt
Ziad Ghanem A/W 2011 by Jessica Holt.

The show opened with a stunning piece of performance, as a red-headed model appeared in gothic Tim Burton-esque make up, black skirts tumbling as she grew before our eyes into a 12 foot monster burlesque bride waving great green feathered fans. Thereafter followed a series of printed, billowing capes and tightly corseted dresses, all accessorised with veils, reddened eyes, cracked cheeks and Joker smiles. Apparently Ziad asked each model to choose their own favourite horror film make up for the show.

Ziad Ghanem A/W 2011. Photography by Amelia GregoryZiad Ghanem A/W 2011. Photography by Amelia GregoryZiad Ghanem A/W 2011. Photography by Amelia GregoryZiad Ghanem A/W 2011. Photography by Amelia GregoryZiad Ghanem A/W 2011. Photography by Amelia GregoryZiad Ghanem A/W 2011. Photography by Amelia GregoryZiad Ghanem A/W 2011. Photography by Amelia GregoryZiad Ghanem A/W 2011. Photography by Amelia GregoryZiad Ghanem A/W 2011. Photography by Amelia GregoryZiad Ghanem A/W 2011. Photography by Amelia GregoryZiad Ghanem A/W 2011. Photography by Amelia GregoryZiad Ghanem A/W 2011 by Jamie McGregor
Ziad Ghanem A/W 2011 by Jamie McGregor.

Androgynous models wore chiffon and beaded dresses, a spooky ghost couple trailed still more netting behind as they faced the photographers together. Amidst the drama cleverly made outfits showcased traditional haute couture skills using bias cut vintage silk chiffons and duchess satin that flowed around the body.

Ziad Ghanem A/W 2011. Photography by Amelia GregoryZiad Ghanem A/W 2011. Photography by Amelia GregoryZiad Ghanem A/W 2011. Photography by Amelia GregoryZiad Ghanem A/W 2011. Photography by Amelia GregoryZiad Ghanem A/W 2011. Photography by Amelia GregoryZiad Ghanem A/W 2011. Photography by Amelia GregoryZiad Ghanem A/W 2011. Photography by Amelia GregoryZiad Ghanem A/W 2011 by The Lovely Wars
Ziad Ghanem A/W 2011 by The Lovely Wars.

A white faced creature smeared its face with black paint and make up took a turn towards our feathered friends: blue winged eyes echoing the giant bird prints on winged dresses. Out stepped a ballet dancer on pointe, edging down the catwalk in frilled lilac, her skull face shrouded in grey. As she retreated backwards a series of busty ladies swept down the catwalk in eminently wearable multi coloured chiffon dresses: amongst them walked transvestites, burlesque artists and a giant lady in grey. I particularly adored the bustle backed electric fuchsia number that emphasised every womanly curve.

Ziad Ghanem A/W 2011. Photography by Amelia GregoryZiad Ghanem A/W 2011. Photography by Amelia GregoryZiad Ghanem A/W 2011. Photography by Amelia GregoryZiad Ghanem A/W 2011. Photography by Amelia GregoryZiad Ghanem A/W 2011. Photography by Amelia GregoryZiad Ghanem A/W 2011. Photography by Amelia GregoryZiad Ghanem A/W 2011. Photography by Amelia GregoryZiad Ghanem A/W 2011. Photography by Amelia GregoryZiad Ghanem A/W 2011. Photography by Amelia GregoryZiad Ghanem A/W 2011. Photography by Amelia GregoryZiad Ghanem A/W 2011. Photography by Amelia GregoryZiad Ghanem A/W 2011. Photography by Amelia GregoryZiad Ghanem A/W 2011 by The Lovely Wars
Ziad Ghanem A/W 2011 by The Lovely Wars.

Taking the art of the catwalk to fantastical heights, Ziad Ghanem proved that his shows really are worth the hype, with or without the added bonus of an 80s pop idol in a fabulous yellow fedora. You can read more about his unique selection of models here.

Ziad Ghanem A/W 2011. Photography by Amelia GregoryZiad Ghanem A/W 2011. Photography by Amelia GregoryZiad Ghanem A/W 2011. Photography by Amelia GregoryZiad Ghanem A/W 2011. Photography by Amelia GregoryZiad Ghanem A/W 2011. Photography by Amelia Gregory
Ziad Ghanem A/W 2011. Photography by Amelia Gregory.

You can also read Florence Massey’s review of the Ziad Ghanem show here.

Alice Palmer A/W 2011 by Maria Papadimitriou
Alice Palmer A/W 2011 by Maria Papadimitriou.

Glaswegian Alice Palmer makes extravagantly shaped knitwear. Now based in London, medical she demonstrated her ‘polyhedra knitting’ skills to the max with her Into the Void collection. The press release cites the minimalism of Anish Kapoor, side effects the eccentric dreams of flying machine enthusiast Gustav Mesmer, who invented an Umbrella Helicopter, and Black Sabbath as diverse influences, but you’d be hard pushed to identify them in anything more than the loosest of contexts.

Alice Palmer A/W 2011 Into the Void. Photography by Amelia GregoryAlice Palmer A/W 2011 Into the Void. Photography by Amelia GregoryAlice Palmer A/W 2011 Into the Void. Photography by Amelia GregoryAlice Palmer A/W 2011 Into the Void. Photography by Amelia GregoryAlice Palmer A/W 2011 Into the Void. Photography by Amelia GregoryAlice Palmer A/W 2011 by Gilly RochesterAlice Palmer A/W 2011 by Gilly Rochester
Alice Palmer A/W 2011 by Gilly Rochester.

Abstracted shapes in monochrome and muted gold were the basis of Into the Void, extended and furled from the body in stunning 3D folds like the skin of an exotic ridged lizard. Large dangling flaps resembled the armoured scales of a dinosaur as they capsized down low cut backs, or heaved forwards like ruptured innards. Hair was layered high on top of the head, and eyes pronounced with winged eyebrows in severest black. Tight fitting dresses with a geometric pattern like rippling water were amongst the most desirable in terms of wearability.

Alice Palmer A/W 2011 Into the Void. Photography by Amelia GregoryAlice Palmer A/W 2011 Into the Void. Photography by Amelia GregoryAlice Palmer A/W 2011 Into the Void. Photography by Amelia GregoryAlice Palmer A/W 2011 Into the Void. Photography by Amelia GregoryAlice Palmer A/W 2011 Into the Void. Photography by Amelia GregoryAlice Palmer A/W 2011 Into the Void All photography by Amelia Gregory.Alice Palmer A/W 2011 Into the Void Daniel Lismore photography by Amelia Gregory.Alice Palmer A/W 2011 by Emmi OjalaAlice Palmer A/W 2011 by Emmi Ojala
Alice Palmer A/W 2011 by Emmi Ojala.

I was particularly captivated by the amazing spike jewellery which came bobbing seductively past me at eye level on wrists, and around necks, and dangling in great stacked globes off fingers. It was created by Karen-Ann Dicken of Oread Jewellery, a fellow Glaswegian who trained at the Royal College of Art. For this catwalk show she lent her Geo designs, made from steel, silver, semi-precious stones and cubic zirconia.

Alice Palmer A/W 2011 Into the Void. Photography by Amelia GregoryAlice Palmer A/W 2011 Into the Void. Photography by Amelia GregoryKaren-Ann Dicken geo necklaceKaren-Ann Dicken geo necklace in steel
Geo necklace images courtesy of Karen-Ann Dicken.

Alice Palmer A/W 2011 Into the Void. Rebekah Roy. Photography by Amelia Gregory
Alice Palmer A/W 2011 Into the Void stylist, the lovely Rebekah Roy. All photography by Amelia Gregory.

You can view more work by Emmi Ojala in my first book, Amelia’s Anthology of Illustration, available here.

Categories ,Alice Palmer, ,Amelia’s Anthology of Illustration, ,Anish Kapoor, ,architectural, ,Black Sabbath, ,Cubic Zirconia, ,Daniel Lismore, ,Emmi Ojala, ,Fashion Scout, ,Geo Designs, ,Geo Necklace, ,geometric, ,Gilly Rochester, ,glasgow, ,Gustav Mesmer, ,Into the Void, ,Karen-Ann Dicken, ,knitwear, ,lfw, ,Maria Papadimitriou, ,minimalism, ,monochrome, ,Oread Jewellery, ,Polyhedra Knitting, ,Rebekah Roy, ,Royal College of Art, ,Silver, ,Slowly the Eggs, ,Steel, ,Umbrella Helicopter

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Amelia’s Magazine | Lako Bukia: London Fashion Week A/W 2012 Catwalk Review

Lako Bukia AW 2012 by Love Amelia
Lako Bukia A/W 2012 by Love Amelia.

This season Lako Bukia went all futuristic for Broken Mirrors in shades of silver and black, a collection that was inspired by her Georgian heritage once again, and a traditional fear of looking into shattered glass. In contrast to last season’s floaty print focused offering, this saw a return to more structured tailoring and a harder line – enhanced by the styling of Claudia Behnke, which featured severe metal top knots and an extremely strong flattened black brow. This is something we’ve seen a lot of on the catwalks this season: Desperate Scousewives, you have a lot to answer to.

Lako Bukia AW 2012 - photo by Amelia Gregory
Lako Bukia AW 2012 - photo by Amelia Gregory
Lako Bukia AW 2012 - photo by Amelia Gregory
Lako Bukia A/W 2012 by Gemma Cotterell
Lako Bukia A/W 2012 by Gemma Cotterell.

Fabrics were predominantly silverised, in silk, leather or lame – the last being notoriously hard to cut well. I’m afraid that lame reminds me of my pre-pubescent attempts to create party wear, circa 1985, and it’s very hard to make it look like a luxury fabric.

Lako Bukia AW 2012 - photo by Amelia Gregory
Lako Bukia AW 2012 - photo by Amelia Gregory
Lako Bukia AW 2012 - photo by Amelia Gregory
Lako Bukia AW 2012 - photo by Amelia Gregory
Lako Bukia A/W 2012 by Gaarte
Lako Bukia A/W 2012 by Gaarte.

There was an element of the 70s evident in the collection – wide legged glittery pants wouldn’t look out of place in the disco – whilst skater skirts teamed with sheer panelled blouses would look more at home on the deck of the Starship Enterprise. The shoes were possibly from another world entirely – unwearable in everyday life but simply stunning: slightly winged and with heels constructed out of towering pillars of jagged edged glass.

Lako Bukia AW 2012 - photo by Amelia Gregory
Lako Bukia AW 2012 - photo by Amelia Gregory
Lako Bukia AW 2012 - photo by Amelia Gregory
Lako Bukia AW 2012 - photo by Amelia Gregory
Lako Bukia A/W 2012 by Claire Jones
Lako Bukia A/W 2012 by Claire Jones.

There were some beautiful and intriguing elements to the collection, in particular some tight silver trousers and a stunning knee length dress which both featured a shattering glass emblem – the textured shards had the effect of toning down some of the overt glitz, creating a silvery sense of style. Whilst hardly practical I adored the last evening dress, which featured a stunning bodice made out of actual shattered mirror.

Lako Bukia AW 2012 - photo by Amelia Gregory
Lako Bukia AW 2012 - photo by Amelia Gregory
Lako Bukia AW 2012 - photo by Amelia Gregory
Lako Bukia AW 2012 - photo by Amelia Gregory
For the finale the catwalk head was showered with confetti (in silver, yup you’ve guessed it) – which went off with a loud bang. Down at the catwalk entrance we didn’t know what had happened and it certainly caused a skipping of the heart beat and a few nervous giggles around me. There’s nothing like an unexpected fright at LFW to lighten the mood.

Lako Bukia AW 2012 - photo by Amelia Gregory
Lako Bukia AW 2012 - photo by Amelia Gregory
Lako Bukia AW 2012 - photo by Amelia Gregory
Lako Bukia AW 2012 - photo by Amelia Gregory
All photography by Amelia Gregory.

Categories ,70s, ,A/W 2012, ,Broken Mirrors, ,Claire Jones, ,Claudia Behnke, ,Desperate Scousewives, ,disco, ,Fashion Scout, ,Freemasons’ Hall, ,Futuristic, ,Gaarte, ,Gemma Cotterell, ,Georgian, ,Glitter, ,lako bukia, ,Lame, ,Love Amelia, ,review, ,Silver, ,Starship Enterprise, ,Superstition

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Amelia’s Magazine | Joanna Cave: London Fashion Week A/W 2012 Collection Preview Interview

Joanna-Cave-by-Gemma-Cotterell-AW12-Collection

Joanna Cave A/W 2012 by Gemma Cotterell

Joanna Cave has become synonymous with both ethical consciousness and beautiful design. Her mother is Greek and her father is English, so after attending an international school in Greece she went onto study jewellery design at Central Saint Martins. Whilst there she interned with designer Scott Wilson. After graduating, she returned to Greece, where she now works from her studio in Athens.

Joanna-Cave-AW12-Atma-Earring

Joanna Cave A/W 2012 Atma Earring

Joanna Cave‘s designs are modern yet classic – created from simple patterns, delicate motifs and refined metals, all created using ethically sourced and recycled materials. She buys her metal from dealers who specialise in recycled silver, and the stones and gems from ethical sellers in Greece.

Joanna-Cave-Jewellery-by-Dana-Bocai

Joanna Cave by Dana Bocai

Joanna Cave AW 2012
Joanna-Cave-AW12-Zeenat-Necklaces

Joanna Cave A/W 2012 Zeenat Necklaces

Joanna-Cave-SS12-by-Elizabeth-Hudson

Joanna Cave by Elizabeth Hudson

She has always been very vocal about her environmental inclinations, and has received a lot of recognition for her hand-made and sensitive work. She is a regular name on the British Fashion Council’s ethical initiative ‘Estethica‘ at London Fashion Week, and was the only jewellery designer to be featured on the A/W 2012 stands. She is of course also profiled in Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration, as one of the best eco designers working today.

I spoke to Joanna Cave about her passion for jewellery design and the influences behind her new collection.

Joanna-Cave-AW12-Velvet-Hairband

Joanna Cave A/W 2012 Velvet and Metal Hairband

What can we expect from the new A/W 2012 collection?
There are lots of bright coloured tassels combined with gold plating, rose plating and charcoal black. I’ve also used Indian motifs such as paisley patterns, elephants and peacocks.

Joanna-Cave-by-Nicola-Ellen-AW12-Collection

Joanna Cave A/W 2012 by Nicola Ellen

What were the inspirations behind it?
My new collection is inspired by and dedicated to the working women of India. The beautiful and traditional women who labour in the fields, on the roads and building sites doing back-breaking work. They perform these humble tasks with such dignity, and their appearance can take your breath away. Their everyday working clothes are a riot of extravagant colours – pinks, greens, purples and blues. Their bold jewellery is intricate, and worn with pride. For me, these women embody India, they have a powerful and enduring femininity.

Joanna Cave AW 2012
Joanna-Cave-by-Jo-Ley-AW12-Collection

Joanna Cave A/W 2012 by Jo Ley

Can you explain a little about your passion for design, and explain how you moved into jewellery design?
I’m not sure how to explain this too well. I grew up in Greece on a small island in the Aegean where my father (who is English and who moved there when he met and fell in love with my mother) owned a jewellery shop. I grew up among the jewellery. From a young age I watched people trying jewellery on, falling in love with it, purchasing it… I met jewellery makers and designers. Some quite well known in Greece at the time.

When I was 19 (and studying jewellery making) I even opened my own small shop to sell my beaded creations. It was great fun and it funded my summer holidays. Designing jewellery is all I’ve ever wanted to do: I think I inherited my fathers passion for it. It’s always been a big part of my life and I always discuss everything with him.

Joanna-Cave-AW12-Bindu-And-Indra-Necklaces

Joanna Cave A/W 2012 Bindu and Indru Necklaces

Can you tell me a little about the process of your work?
I work in 2D, in flat silver cut out designs. Everything is initially cut out by hand where most people would use a laser cutter or router machine. I think that the hand made prototype is evident in the organic feel of the designs. You can see it’s not perfect. I use recycled silver and ethically sourced pearls at times. And lately I’ve been using artificial silk thread which I’m very into.

Joanna-Cave-by-Nicola-Ellen-AW12

Joanna Cave A/W 2012 by Nicola Ellen

Why is it important for there to be an environmental conscience to your work?
It’s about how I feel; I think it’s important to know how things are made and where they come from… to do as little damage as possible where we can.

You can check out more of Joanna Cave‘s wonderful work in Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration.

Categories ,A/W 2012, ,ACOFI, ,Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration, ,Central Saint Martins, ,conscious, ,Eco fashion, ,estethica, ,esthetica, ,ethical, ,ethically sourced, ,Gold, ,India, ,indian women, ,jewellery, ,jewellery design, ,Joanna Cave, ,London Fashion Week, ,metal, ,motifs, ,recycled, ,Scott Wilson, ,Silver

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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 | An interview with jewellery designer Daisy Knights


Illustration by Emma Block

From student life to Vogue fame in one action packed year, page cure Daisy Knights’ creations have already been snapped up by our most loved style icons and proved that ethically responsible jewellery can still be achingly cool.  

Splitting her time between the simple life in the countryside and the rush of her production process, buy Daisy tells us a little bit more about the passion and inspiration behind her jewellery collections and what the future holds for this wonderfully British label. 

Your collection has taken off at incredible speed, viagra dosage how does that feel?
It’s great, I’m so happy that people want to buy and wear my designs! I saw my bracelets in Vogue this month and had a moment of “wow, this time last year, I was at university and now my jewellery is in Vogue!” 


Illustration by Holly Trill

Two of your pieces, the Oxidised Feather ring and the 22 Karat Skull ring have recently been worn by Daisy Lowe and Alexa Chung, two of the UK’s biggest style icons. Did they approach you personally or was it just a wonderful surprise?
Well, we share the same publicist who made them aware of my pieces and happily, they seemed to love them! 

Which inspirations lie behind your jewellery designs?
Every collection is named after a friend and I use them as a muse for that collection. I aim to embody that person in the collection, My new one is Talullah, after my friend Tallulah Harlech. 

You pride yourself on having an ethically responsible ethos throughout your collection, is this something you have always had a strong belief in?
My workshop is in Britain and even my pouches are made here. I really try to be responsible but it’s not possible yet to get everything transparent sourced, which is what I hope for one day! There are so many grey areas within the industry in regards to where things come from. Keeping things in Britain means I know every person working for me, I know exactly how things are made and every person in my workshop is a highly skilled craftsman/woman. It means that my prices are higher than if I used a factory in India or China but I think the kind of people who buy my jewellery respect that it is very high quality and British made. 


Illustration by Matilde Sazio

Each one of your pieces is hand made from recycled materials, which is becoming increasingly popular in a society where everything seems so disposable. Is this something you aim to maintain and something you think your buyers appreciate above anything else?
I don’t want the main aspect of my jewellery to be that it is recycled. For my brand, it’s about the design and the recycled silver is just a plus! Not every piece is recycled silver but the majority is. For example, the chain is not recycled because it’s not possible to obtain. I would love my jewellery to be made from ethically mined silver rather than recycled but right now, not enough is produced and I’m not even sure it is possible yet, so right now recycled is better than nothing. I do hope, however, for it to be ethically mined silver one day in the future. My fine jewellery and bespoke engagement rings are ethically mined gold and diamonds. 

You personally make one of your designs, the Studded Wrap Around ring, at your home workshop away from production, is there any particular reason as to why you chose this one to work on alone?
I don’t ever want to be separated from the making process and this is a very popular piece so it’s nice to feel involved. I also make the Michelle stacking rings and a few others. It keeps my skills up for when I make engagement rings and bespoke pieces! I hate being away from the bench and I’m constantly making new samples for collections or adding pieces to existing ones. 


Illustration by Cat Palairet

Are there any designers out there that you would compare yourself and your work to?
At this early stage in my career, (I only graduated from Central Saint Martins last year) I’m not sure I could compare myself to anyone yet! However, my favourite designer is Matthew Williamson and I like to think my jewellery matches his clothing quite well! 

 Which of your pieces are you the most fond of?
My favourite piece has to be the new skull ring that I’ve done in an exclusive collection for Urban Outfitters… it’s not out yet though so you will have to wait and see! 

What do you get up to in the spare time that you have away from designing?
I live in the Cotswolds and I love going for country walks with my boyfriend and our dog, Ace Ventura Pet Detective (Ace for short). There’s a great pub in my village called the Falcon Inn which serves amazing locally sourced food and I love sitting by the fire there. I also love to sail and surf and when my boyfriend is back from work (he’s a pilot in the RAF) we go on surf trips together. I also love going to the British Museum and the V&A

What does the future hold for Daisy Knights?
Well hopefully it holds a long and happy career. But for the immediate future keep your eyes peeled for my new Spring/Summer collection…

Categories ,Ace Venturer Pet Detective, ,Alexa Chung, ,Britain, ,British Museum, ,Central Saint Martins, ,Cotswolds, ,Daisy Knights, ,daisy lowe, ,Diamonds, ,Emma Block, ,ethical, ,Falcon Inn, ,Feathers, ,Gold, ,jewellery, ,Matilde Sazio, ,Matthew Williamson, ,Silver, ,skulls, ,Talullah Harlech, ,Urban Outfitters, ,va, ,vogue

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Amelia’s Magazine | Review: Silver Metal Clay Jewellery Class with Sima Vaziry at the London Jewellery School

Silver Metal Clay necklace small
Silver metal clay has intrigued me since I did silversmithing classes a few years ago, simply because it promises so much: all the gleam and precious feel of silver and… well… about a quarter of the work to achieve it. What’s not to intrigue? But my then teacher scared me off with stories of how difficult it is to work with, and its purported inferior quality.

Well, now I’ve worked with the stuff and I’m a convert. It’s a very different material to manipulate than sterling silver, which requires large amounts of heating and hammering. Working with silver metal clay is more like working with ceramic clay, in that you have to work fast or it dries out. It is also a lot like working with a polymer clay such as Fimo – you push it around with your fingers to achieve the effects you want.

Sima Vaziry London Jewellery School
At my London Jewellery School class we were taught by silver clay enthusiast and expert Sima Vaziry, whose upbringing has clearly influenced her love of all things Persian and Afghan. A trained graphic designer, she’s been silver smithing for years, etching her own calligraphy onto jewellery and increasingly struggling to achieve her desired finish. That is until she discovered silver metal clay – and this beguiling material is now used to create her bestselling collection, which is available to buy at the British Museum. Describing why she decided to make the move from graphic design to jewellery design she made the very good point that in the former you rarely get pure praise: no one ever says ‘wow, that’s beautiful’ which they do when they fall in love with a stunning piece of jewellery. The perfect advocate for the London Jewellery School, Sima turned her love of jewellery into a serious career by taking a number of short courses over two years. And there’s me dreaming of another career…

Our class was small, which was perfect since it turned out to be quite intensive – there’s a lot to fit in if you want to create a fully formed piece of jewellery in just two and a half hours. But it turns out that it is possible! And whilst I had some moments of frustration (damn, that stuff dries fast, you need to have your design ready planned and all the materials close at hand) by the end I was happy as a pig in muck. There’s nothing like holding that weighty bit of silver in your hand, and thinking – blimey, just a few moments ago that was no more than a slab of white clay. Whilst I might not have achieved a final design that was fully to my liking, for a quick process with eminently satisfying results you really can’t beat this medium – and I’d love to give it another go, only next time with better design preparation and planning.

Sima Vaziry Bloom gold necklace silver clay metal
Sima Vaziry‘s Bloom necklace made out of silver metal clay. She was wearing one at the class and I can testify that it was beautiful. I’d like to have these kind of skills, but I guess they take time (you can see my first efforts at the top of the blog)!

The London Jewellery School offers all sorts of interesting courses so their website is well worth checking out: how about a taster class for just £35 as a unique and thoughtful present? If you fancy learning more about how to work with silver metal clay then you can still join the second pre-christmas offering next week, listed here. You can find jewellery by Sima Vaziry at the Grenville Shop in the British Museum or online. She will be giving a talk about her designs to friends of the British Museum on March 19th, at 18.30 & 20.00 in the Lecture Theatre, titled ‘A journey into jewellery – Hajj range designer Sima Vaziry talks about her life and her story-telling pieces‘.

Categories ,Afghan, ,British Museum, ,Class, ,Fimo, ,Graphic Design, ,jewellery, ,London Jewellery School, ,Persian, ,Polymer Clay, ,Precious Metal Clay, ,review, ,Silver, ,Silver Metal Clay, ,Silversmithing, ,Sima Vaziry, ,Taster Classes

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