A little something: Rosita Bonita leather necklaces

So it's Monday again! But at least (after the weekend's gorgeous weather) it can still be a sunny one, thanks in part to these multicoloured leather neckpieces by Rosita Bonita. They're new arrivals at EC One, where I have been helping out for the past few weeks, and also happen to be a new entry on my jewellery wishlist.

Rowena Harrison (aka Rosita Bonita) founded her jewellery brand in 2009, a few years after graduating from an illustration degree at Camberwell College of Art. Roses, hummingbirds, fruit, winged hearts, horseshoes and evil eyes feature throughout her work among a range that also includes earrings and brooches. For the more daring she also designs nipple tassles, but here's me and Rosy keeping things a little more covered up with some neckpieces (for the time being, least..!)

Designer: Sophie Bille Brahe

I have to thank a friend of mine (she knows who she is!) for introducing me to Sophie Bille Brahe's work, and getting me down to London Fashion Week - more of that to follow - in time to get around the Exhibition and the British Fashion Council's Rock Vault space earlier this week. It was there that I managed to catch a glimpse of Sophie's work before the doors closed at 7pm and I wasn't disappointed, not even with just a momentary chance to view her work.

It's designers like Sophie, a graduate of London’s Royal College of Art, that bridge the gap between fine jewellery and avant-garde design. She's one of a handful of talents pushing their way into the UK jewellery scene and someone I'll be keeping an eye on this year. 

Her designs have won her accolades from fashion magazines worldwide and, in her own words, adorn inspiring women. It is her Scandinavian background that also paves the way for her sharp design set - a cross-over of clean lines and architectural shapes with more natural forms such as birds or those with celestial connotations. Beautiful. 

Top-Bottom

Palais des Escaliers ring in 18ct gold with diamonds

Palais d’Émeraude ring in 18ct gold with emerald and diamonds

Pavillon Fenetres ring in silver with a single diamond

Lyra ring in 18ct gold with diamonds

Petit Hibou and Petit Hibou Pirate necklaces (cute!) in 18ct gold with a diamond

Rideaux Simples and Rideaux Louise ear cuffs in 18ct gold and diamonds

The Pear Pearl (and others!) by Lindsay Pearson

So OK, OK, I know I get into a habit of writing about the designers I love, but hey, if they keep making gorgeous jewels I will keep writing! Once more it's the turn of Lindsay Pearson, the designer of my much-adored YES necklace, a silver ode to all things positive. I wear it a lot but it's also my talisman for days when I know things might be a little tough.

Step up her Pear Pearl. This pretty 9ct gold chain falls to a Tahitian pearl drop, styled to look like a little pear, complete with leaf and stalk. I think Lindsay might have even worn a Pear Pearl on her wedding day... Pictured here also are some of her most recent designs, the Hope & Anchor necklace and her little initial coin necklace (worn here with the Pear Pearl and Hope & Anchor necklace), both in 9ct gold. Beautiful, accessible, something to personalise and treasure. She runs with the tagline 'jewellery forever' and I certainly believe her.

Designer: Rachel Entwistle

Spooky, kooky but also elegant, Rachel Entwistle's jewellery caught my eye last September at IJL. I wandered past her stand and did a double take - something she says is a classic reaction to her arachnid and entymology-inspired jewels. At first glance they appear to be sweeping silver, oxidised and vintage chains with an air of Deco but a closer look reveals little spiders, ants, bats and beetles crawling their way up the chains.

Though Entwistle's style was led by themes of flora and fauna in past collections, her newest ranges (Arachne, Formica and Chiroptera - of course) take the darker side of what's to be found in your garden and injects them with some beauty. It's a bit like shaking up the pretty-pretty side of what Alex Monroe has become known for. But the differences exist; Entwistle uses vintage chains from old pieces of jewellery and has also spent a great deal of time working overseas in Mexico and Nicaragua, teaching jewellery making to orphans. What a nice touch.

Top-bottom:

Formica ant bracelet

Arachne long black spider earrings

Arachne black spider multichain necklace

VIDEO: Ab Fab x Alexis Bittar

Patsy. Edina. Alexis. Wait.. Alexis? Yes, that's right. Two of my favourite things have joined as one. It's no secret how much I love Alexis Bittar, and it's also part of his typical ad campaigns to feature the glamorous, great and sartorial. They're women who are OTT but fabulous. Joan Collins? Check. Lauren Hutton? Check. And now Patsy and Edina. OK, OK, so they're fictional but they're also the original fashionistas and certainly know how to rock Alexis's jewels. Check out the behind the scenes video, a little sneak peak into this summer's campaign. Wardrobe by Betty Jackson, of course.

A little something: Pebble London's Pom Pom necklace

Well, let's start the week with something bright and fluffy. I saw this and smiled. Pom pom. Even the name is fun to say. OK, so you might risk looking a bit like you've escaped from a travelling circus but, admit it, this is one seriously fun necklace. Made using bunched cotton pom poms strung onto a black glass bead necklace, this piece of loveliness comes straight from the treasure trove that is Pebble London (check out the vid, here) having been snapped up somewhere among the colour and bustle of Thailand.



Designer: Alice Cicolini

Ms. Cicolini's name has been buzzing around in my head for a while. Her jewels keep popping up here and there so I thought it was about time that I featured her work on Like Gold Dust. She takes inspiration from the architecture, patterns, colours and textures of the Silk Route between Europe, Africa, India, Arabia and China. 

Alice Cicolini's work is handmade using detailed and beautiful Persian enamelling techniques, as well as atypical materials such as ebony, chrysophrase and carved gemstones designed to look like lotus flowers. While Cicolini has become recognised in recent years as a jeweller (she graduated from Central Saint Martins in 2009) she is also a highly regarded author and has curated a number of international exhibitions. Just looking at her jewellery conjures up an images of faraway lands and with inspiration including Uzbekistan's richly tiled temple roofs, the wallpaper patterns seen along the Silk Route and the motifs of Turkey and China.

Top-Bottom

Memphis Ring from the Designers' Guild collection in silver with pink tourmaline.

 Necklace from the Jodhpur collection made with Brazilian crystal and rose quartz, pearls and chrysophrase beads.

Tile Ring from the Silk Route collection made using gold, lemon topaz and peridot stones.

Ebony ring, necklace and earrings from the Temple collection made 18ct gold, ebony, diamonds and rubies.

• 
  

•