Thursday 29 November 2012

Jo Hayes Ward for Hunger TV

Jo Hayes Ward's pale citrine ring 
I've been at it again - interviewing another inspiring up-and-coming jewellery designer for Hunger TV.  I've been interested in Jo's work since I first saw it (and very briefly met her) in the Rock Vault tent at LFW a couple of seasons ago.  Her pieces are immediately striking, but in a subtle, gentle, take a closer look as opposed to an in-your-face visual assault kind of way.  Jo uses rapid prototying (a kind of 3D printing) to create her jewellery - a process I've been wanting to know more about ever since she mentioned it to me a year ago.  Above is a pic of Jo's pale citrine ring - my absolute favourite piece of hers. This picture doesn't even begin to do the ring justice, it really is the most incredibly beautiful, intriguing piece of jewellery I've ever seen.  The citrine is a pale yellow colour and has been cut so it gently domes and when you look into it you see hundreds of tiny squares.  It works in perfect harmony with the pixilated body of the ring, and the combination is utterly mesmerising.   Sadly at £3,500 it's slightly out of my price range at the moment (although if anyone happens to have a spare £3,500 lying round, please feel free to buy it for me)!  

Anyway, here's the Hunger TV interview - I hope you enjoy it, and as ever, would love to know what you think!

Jo's signature structural rings
Stacking rings (I think they make fantastic wedding bands!)

Wednesday 21 November 2012

Kyle Hopkins for Hunger TV

Ring from SS13 Material Girls collection
Last week I interviewed one of my favourite young jewellery designers, Kyle Hopkins, for Hunger TV (Hunger Magazine's website).  Kyle's jewellery is really bold, exciting, and sometimes challenging (gold cast ear pendant anyone?), and is about as far away from the traditional idea of jewellery simply as adornment as you can get.  Although I'm not sure I'd personally wear some of his pieces, he's so passionate and honest and thoughtful it's impossible not to believe in his work and his creative vision, and I'm sure there are great things ahead for him.  Anyway, so here's the interview - would love to know what you think of Kyle's work, which pieces you love and why.



Finger print ring from AW12
Kyle's signature Citizen ring

Thursday 8 November 2012

Everyone needs a 1960s evening coat. Right?


Yes, I’ve been at it again, accidentally purchasing utterly impractical pieces of vintage clothing.  What can I say, I just can’t help myself. It’s an addiction…an illness…and I fear it’s terminal.  This time I found myself buying this rather fabulous 1960s pink and gold lame evening coat (I say coat, but really it’s more of a coatlet as it isn’t lined, only has ¾ length sleeves and the only fastening is a neck tie) in Portabello market.  I was only meant to be out for a stroll.  No, it’s not the most practical of pieces; however what it lacks in practicality it more than makes up for in flamboyance and style, and at £40 I just couldn’t say no.  So there