Geometric Jewels on Adorn London

I wrote this little post up a few week's back, with a keen eye on geometry in jewellery design, as part of Adorn London's geometric fortnight. It was a tough one scouring for my favourite geo jewels and I ended up with a selection of designs from across the board, whether Lua Lua's sterling silver and acrylic bangles or Hannah Martin's Pyramid ring from her new The Man Who Knows Everything collection. I also couldn't resist Faberge's gorgeous new Constructivist earrings and Jacqueline Rabun's amazing Grace ring. Stunning!

Apologies... but here's a Mawi video!

It has officially been MONTHS since I last wrote. Things have been crazy with house moving, BaselWorld, magazines to get done and dusted and press days. I've also been without internet at home, which as we all know can pretty much put an end to regular blogging. Nevertheless, I'll be back on track in the next few weeks, with lots of things to write about and some photos to get up there. In the meantime, here's a cheeky video of me interviewing the lovely Mawi - albeit more of a quick chat and an unsteady hand on a digital SLR - for Professional Jeweller. Enjoy! Kx

Poolside Palm Springs jewels on Adorn London

This fortnight's Adorn London feature is all about poolside jewels inspired by 1950s Palm Springs. I've got my own little write-up on there, focused on a contemporary Plam Springs look heralded by (you know I love her) Merle O'Grady, Lucy Hutchings and Alexis Bittar this spring/summer. Take a look here... wishing away these wintry months!

Adorn London does a vintage Christmas

Back in December, Adorn London editor Juliet Hutton-Squire treated us Adorn contributors to a Christmas party - a day of decadence which saw us devouring cakes and sandwiches at CocoMaya (honestly the best chicken sandwich I've ever had!) before heading to Atelier Mayer for an afternoon of vintage dressing-up.

 Top - Bottom: CocoMaya's vintage crockery and stunning chocolates

CocoMaya is like nowhere else. Aside from its stunning handmade chocolates in a million colours and flavours, they do a wonderful afternoon tea. Sitting down to a gorgeous gift of vintage clip-on earrings from Juliet, we indulged in several cups of jasmine tea served up in vintage floral crockery and so many cakes that even I - a self-confessed cake fiend - was stuck on which to choose first.

At the table, sticking out our little fingers while drinking from vintage teacups!

After making a good go of the delicacies (there were enough that we left with a box of cakes each) and feeling slightly less dainty than upon our arrival, we headed a few steps around the corner to Atelier Mayer for a surprise. Juliet had organised an afternoon of heavenly vintage dressing-up with Atelier Mayer's founder Carmen Haid. Drinking champagne from kitsch 70s glasses, we dressed up in vintage gowns and posed for a few fun photographs. And we're not just talking old sun dresses and jackets - this was designer vintage: Chanel, Dior, YSL, Caroline Herrera...

The jewellery was out of this world; stunning Chanel clip ons with the classic 'double C' logo, Kenneth Jay Lane pieces, glittering diamante collars, chunky monochrome neckpieces... A fabulous, fabulous day and one of the best Christmas parties I've ever had!

Long time no see!

Tut-tut, I have been a bad girl. I've not written for about 6 weeks... I must admit I  feel very bad about it, and things have been super busy with lots going on (not to mention the busy run up to Christmas, which completely took the wind out of me)... But I'm back!

Some of you may know I work for EC One, a fabulous independent jeweller in London run by husband and wife Jos and Alison Skeates. With Christmas being the busiest time of year, it was all hands on deck in both the office and the shops over Christmas: writing newsletters, sending SS11 pieces to press, helping chaps choose the right gift, gift-wrapping, last-minute engagement rings orders, posting about 30 web orders a day, setting up the sale... Phew!

 Top: EC One's store in Notting Hill

Above: Jos and Alison

And then I had some fabulous news - another reason why my mind has been elsewhere - with a new job role at Professional Jeweller magazine working with Rachael Taylor. Rachael is an inspiring, forward-thinking editor, who has spent the last year single-handedly making PJ the best business-to-retailer jewellery magazine there is. I'm now her 'assistant editor' (so says my email signature!) and will be splitting time between EC One and the Professional Jeweller office in Hatton Garden. I've already helped with a bridal photo shoot for next month's issue, as well as chasing several other leads for The Jewellery Show at Spring Fair and thoughts on this year's bridal trends. 

So yes, expect the posts to continue as normal from now. I've got lots stored up including the Adorn London Christmas party, my new Merle O'Grady necklace (love it!!) and a slightly late pick of the sales piece.

Kx

A little something: Adorn London goes Mad Men

Firstly, let me apologise for the delay in posting - have been at Bestival on the Isle of Wight for the past few days. I have a little write up about IJL that's now a week overdue (sorry all the lovely designers who I have written about, it's coming!!). In the meantime, head to Adorn London where this week's theme is dedicated to the fantastic 60s-based show Mad Men. Better dig out my tweed pencil skirt and pussy-bow blouse, yay!

A little something: Purple Jewels on Adorn London

This fortnight, Adorn is paying homage to John Galliano's catwalk for Dior Haute Couture AW 10/11. Each of us contributors were given a colour to work with - from cirtus yellows to scarlet red. My pick was purple and the gorgeous hues it includes, from pale lavender to deep indigo. Taking inspiration from the Scottish Highlands, the unusual shapes in Galliano's collection made me opt for quirky cuts of gemstone mixed with offbeat designs. Take a look at the full piece on Adorn London here, and the other colourways worked with here .

See more from Adorn London jewellery trends site here

A little something: My holiday jewels on Adorn London

As part of Adorn London's Holiday Jewels week, I was asked to contribute my key holiday pieces whether home or away. Thinking back to a fabulous barge weekend away I had earlier this summer (OK, it was a pirate-themed hen weekend, but hey it was a nice break from the pace of London!) it had to be simple and a little bit fun. So - anchors away - it could only have been my little EC One silver anchor  pendant - as seen in gold in Glamour last month - and Joanna Cave's fabulously simple tag and pearl necklace, a special graduation present from my lovely workmates. Perfect holiday jewels, whether playing sailor or sunbather.

Click here to read more of the post

EC One Silver Anchor necklace, and Joanna Cave tag and pearl necklace

A little something: My vintage jewels featured on Adorn London

Last week Juliet from Adorn London got in touch to ask whether I could send through some photos and a bit of history about my favourite pieces of vintage jewellery for Adorn's vintage fortnight. I had a few choices; the first - my Mum's amazing charm bracelet - was all the way back home in Bath... but then I remembered my lovely silver ingot 'handed-down' (sneakily lifted) from my Mum's jewels, but now a regular feature around my neck on its long heavy-weight chain.

My Mum's silver ingot from 1977

The other favourite of mine is my great-Grandmother's wedding ring, made in a beautifully warm 22ct gold. You can read the little histories about both pieces on the Adorn London site here. Some great pieces from the other contributors, too, especially Lucy's Christian Dior coin necklace and Suzi's engraved silver cuff.

My great-Grandmother's 22ct gold ring from 1948

Designer: Brokenfab

A few weeks back while doing some research for Adorn London, I came across Brokenfab jewellery (aka Fabienne Morel) a Swiss textiles designer now dipping her toe in the world of jewellery design. Drawn by the the mad, clashing colours I decided to have a closer look...

  Fabienne Morel, aka Brokenfab.

Image courtesy of myspace.com/fabiennemorel

Taking her inspiration from African tribal jewellery and the colours, shapes and styles seen across London clubs, Fabienne's jewellery exemplifies popular culture through the unusual use of colourful, striking beadwork.

 Pyramid Neckpiece, by Brokenfab

Unique Neckpiece, by Brokenfab

Pyramid Beaded Earrings, by Brokenfab

The jewellery is said to express influential musical genres in a visual, wearable form; dubstep, disco, electro, soul and detroit house. The shapes and geometry featured in the jewellery - triangles, zig-zags and criss crossing - allow Brokenfab's designs to clash and jarr, creating 'high-energy designs'. Pretty much in love with every piece she does; I'm especially drawn to the Rocket Necklace, below, something about the tassles and cute pastel colours... Aaah!

Rocket Neckpiece, by Brokenfab

Beaded Pyramid earrings, by Brokenfab

A little something: Guest blog post on Adorn London: Tribal Jewels

Another quick post as I've written a guest blog post on Adorn London this week. This time the focus is on summery, tribal jewellery. Seed beads are big news; the brighter and more colourful the better. Amen to that!

A little something: Grace Kelly's jewellery style on Adorn London

Another blog post written for Adorn London, this time to coincide with the V&A's brilliant new exhibit celebrating the life and style of the inimitable Grace Kelly. 

Grace wearing her 10.47ct Emerald-cut diamond engagement ring. Image courtesy of Watch Avenue

Jewellery was a large part of Grace Kelly's life, both in marriage and her film roles (consider To Catch a Thief), and the new exhibit gives a glimpse into the grandeur of Grace's style. Beautiful dresses, her own Kelly bag, and sunglasses in all shapes and sizes. Of course the jewellery was what interested me and what the Adorn blog post is all about. Read it in full here, or book tickets for the V&A exhibition here.
 

Grace Kelly, photographed by Virgil Apger. Image courtesy of AliceJapan

A little something: Adorn London Blog Post - Spring Pastels

Just a quick one today! I had the chance to write another guest blog post for Juliet Hutton-Squire's fabulous Adorn London jewellery trends and style site; so of course I leapt at the chance! This time its on the yummy spring theme of pastel jewellery - it's hit the shops in our clothes and accessories, so why not our jewels too? Take a peek here.

Designer: Lucy Hutchings

It's been pretty hard not to fall in love with Lucy Hutching's jewellery, popping up on pages of the weeklies and the glossies. This is no bad thing of course; her jewellery is a clever mix of geometry, colour, future and heritage. The key thing is, you quickly recognise it as hers.

Having graduated from the University of Brighton with a first in 3D Materials Practice, her jewellery is based around the juxtaposition of metals, stones and materials. Her pieces are an alluring mix of the bold and the refined. Large and small, metals and ribbon, smooth and sharp.

 Lucy Hutchings at LFW. Image courtesy of Adorn London

Describing her AW10 collection as 'mixing the iconic style of 50s B-movie heroines, with the era's polished sci-fi visions of the future', the result is a collection which shimmers and shines. Combining metal cages with the soft spheres of freshwater pearls, tiger's eye beads and the metallic colour of hematite, Lucy's jewellery makes an inimitable statement. One to watch this year, for sure!

Cuff from the AW10 collection, featuring jade and hematite stones. Image courtesy of Lucy Hutchings

Peacock Feather necklace from the AW10 collection, as worn by Lucy, above. Image courtesy of Lucy Hutchings

Oversized black, cream and pink Pearl Ring, in Lucy's signature 'cage'. Image courtesy of Lucy Hutchings

Peacock Feather and multi-link necklace, from the AW10 collection. Image courtesy of Lucy Hutchings

Pyramid Breastplate Necklace, exclusively at Start London, by Lucy Hutchings. Image courtesy of Start London

A little something: Jewellery Street Style at LFW - Adorn London

Just a quick one! Make sure you check out Juliet Hutton-Squire's fabulous street style snaps from LFW, over at Adorn London. On her never ending jewellery mission, Juliet's pieced together an eclectic mix of jewellery looks, as worn with a certain nous by those-in-the-know in and around Somerset House. From Rhiannon's Barbie doll earrings and oversized clock pendant (no Flavor Flav jokes, please) to Claire's ethically sourced looped necklace from Made, there's enough here for a month of blog posts. Gotta love that!

Michael wears a mix of vintage chains and pieces from Topman. Image courtesy of Adorn London

  

Rhiannon wearing her oversized clock pendant, and Barbie lapels. Image courtesy of Adorn London

 

Tara wears Laura Lee medallion necklace. Image courtesy of Adorn London

Alecia in chic triangle studs, from Rokit. Image courtesy of Adorn London