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

Jewellery at London Fashion Week - SS11

Finding myself back at Somerset House for London Fashion Week a few weeks back, I was excited to this time have a partner in crime - my workmate Rainy - to come and lust over next season's jewellery.

 

We stepped in from the rush of traffic along the Embankment, and straight into Nicholas King who whisked us along to his stand, excited to have us as his first familiar faces of the day. Neon seemed to dominate, as did pastel florals. With a nod to Christopher Kane's lacy neon numbers, orange and lime seemed to fizz in his bold resin cuffs and bangles, while a striking new range of necklaces and earrings got Rainy very excited indeed. Check out her modelling skills, below.

Next up we had a quick browse over Lola Rose. I was instantly drawn to the pale, pea green and rose combination of carved stone bangles and necklaces. Lola Rose always seem to come up with something a little bit bold but still really easy to wear - their pieces pretty much work with any style. Love the large stone Elsa collar, as below...

Moving onto the wonderful Fiona Paxton there was a gorgeous new collection for SS11 including coral cut-out leather bangles and earrings (super lightweight and wearable) alongside collars that Rainy absolutely fell for, with its nod to ancient Egyptian jewels. A new collection of longer pendants also stood out. Fiona modestly explained how she's been selling a number of pieces to Cheryl Cole (noted previously on X Factor auditions, check out the necklace). A great collection I know I'll continue to covet....

We stopped off for a quick coffee and some free ice cream, and attempted some celeb spotting (um, Jason Gardener anyone?). Lacking in success on that front, and eager to get back inside we headed back in to Zoe & Morgan,  a little favourite of mine. 

Ruth, the youngest sibling of Zoe and Morgan was busy displaying  their fine collection as we stopped by for a look. Loved the little silver necklace with the record on it, and the new collection of animal mask rings. Posed for their 'usual suspects' blog posts, tried to get my Zoe & Morgan skull ring in, but ended up just looking a bit special!! 

Akong London was at the special Kickstart stand at International Jewellery London in early September, and it was great to see her pieces again at LFW. Fur and feathers and chains and gemstones made Akong's works pretty stunning. Each piece in entirely handmade, making them rather unique and very covetable. The new season collection features lots of gemstones, while the feathered and fur-trimmed neckpieces definitely had a regal feel.

Joanna Cave was up in the Esthetica section, where ethical jewellery, fashion and accessories are on show - a growing section each year. Great to see Joanna. She had her wayfarers in hand, so we asked her to pose (such a shame it came out so blurry!) but also got some great snaps of her new collections, including her continued project with ethical fashion label Partimi, and a new focus on minimal vs detail. Loving the earrings this season (as ever!) and the gorgeous little heart necklaces. A great show!!

 

So much to do... So little time!

I know, that old adage. I've got a nice collection of things to write about but I swear the change in the seasons has left me feeling all a bit worn out recently... Nevertheless I'm feeling a new spring in my step, so good things will be coming Like Gold Dust's way very soon. Pop up shops? London Fashion Week jewellery? It'll all be here in the coming week! Kx

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

Jewellery at London Fashion Week AW10

Sunday just gone, with a pass flung around my neck, I braved LFW's Exhibition at Somerset House to check out what will be going on with who in jewellery this autumn/winter. I had an idea of who I wanted to see before getting there (Joanna Cave, especially, who I've been meaning to write about for ages!), and of course saw a few surprises along the way. Sadly I wasn't  able to take snaps of everything - fair enough, some collections won't be launched until September - so hopefully my words will justify the excitement and awe felt in the hour and ten minutes I had to do my rounds in! There's a lot of images... It's going to be a long one!

Click on the photos for much bigger versions!

 

London's Somerset House - photo from a tale of a few cities

Bjorg

I first saw Bjorg's jewellery in Bloomsbury, Bath, when I was home for the weekend about a year ago. An unusual silver hare ring caught my eye, with its brown diamond eyes and the way the ears ran the length of my finger. At LFW there were some pretty and - as Bjorg's style is - quirky treats on show; rough-cut stone necklaces that looked like lipsticks, long necklaces with wolves' and ravens' heads, and that hare ring. With designs which look to 'find beauty even in imperfections' Bjorg's jewellery is set to wow the UK in the coming year, and why not? 

 

Silver, Oxidised and Gold Plate rings by Bjorg

  

 Stone (possibly Tsavorite and Rose Quartz) 'Lipstick' Necklaces in Yellow and Rose Gold Plate, by Bjorg

 Wolf and Rabbit Head Necklaces in Gold Plate and Silver, by Bjorg

Joanna Cave

Serene and talented, Joanna Cave is a kindly soul whose jewellery I've coveted since first seeing it in EC One back in early 2008. Trained in the UK, and presently based in Athens, Joanna's Grecian roots are palpable in her quirky, somewhat ancient-feeling jewellery. Moving from the simple structural designs of last year, this year's collection has taken a step towards something else.  Now using only recycled metals, the new collection is romantic and Arabesque; detailed cut-out earrings, star shapes and the use of rose gold-plate. Each element has added another facet to Joanna's style. 'Pretty' doesn't quite do justice to her collection; offbeat and versatile it definitely is. The smooth matt finishes give Joanna's pieces a feel of their own - they sit close to the skin and do  just what jewellery should - make you feel beautiful and adorned without the ostentation.

 

Joanna Cave, with her jewellery

 Silver Star Necklace in Rose and Yellow Gold Plate

Oxidised Silver Star Hoops and Prudencia Gold Plated cut-out Earrings

Pilar Hook Earrings in Yellow and Gold Plate (top) and open Heart Hoops

 

Brioni Hoops in Silver, with white pearls

Fish Necklaces (with pearl 'bubbles') in Yellow Gold Plate, Silver and Rose Gold Plate

 

Pilar Silver Ring (love this!!)

Novia Bangles with Carol Necklace in Yellow Gold Plate and Silver (centre)

Zoe & Morgan

So, of course no trip to LFW would have been complete without a little 'hello' to Zoe & Morgan. It was also a good excuse to catch up with Hannah, my darling friend who works for Z&M as a personal shopper (get her!). Looking as fabulous as expected (Hannah included), the Z&M display was mirrors, antique glass and more mirrors - so it was pretty hard to snap the jewellery without ending up with me grinning in the background (as below..!). Nevertheless, it was great to see collections I've been viewing online up 'til now, in the flesh. And also good to try some bits and pieces on! The Rabbit in the Hat necklaces and Geometric collections (the latter inspired by Jem & the Holograms) were a highlight, as was trying on some of Z&M's more precious, stone-set rings. I'm sure you're starting to notice this little skull obsession too?

 

Geometric Earrings and Necklaces, in Gold Plate and Silver

 Hope & Anchor and Love Necklaces from the Who Loves Wins collection 

 

 Rabbit in a Hat Necklaces - just in time for the Alice in Wonderland film!

9ct Gold Skull Ring set with Sapphires (along with my Nana's ring and Labradorite Nugget ring by Monica Vinader)

 

Rings from the Fine Collection by Zoe & Morgan

 

Top and above: Chrysophrase-set rings in yellow gold

Hannah modelling the Princess Skull Ring, set with Amethyst and Diamonds

If you're still reading, good on you!! Other Exhibition highlights were the AW10 collection from Tatty Devine, which sadly I couldn't take photos of, but - be ready - will include pieces perfect for your inner line-dancer, firework-inspired beauties and rings, brooches and necklaces with a nod to a certain Magritte painting. 

Fiona Paxton also has some absolutely dazzling necklaces and collars lined up, with bronzes, steel blues, silvers and greys. Futuristic and historically-inspired all in one look!

Swedish designers Renaissance Life also had some fun, oversized silver pieces including a fabulous Russian Doll necklace which did as it should - revealed another - but also contained a gorgeous silver heart necklace in the middle. Definite ones to watch, too!