I feel terrible... I was meant to write about
New Designers pretty much straight after the show but it's been a good 2 weeks now. So better late than never I guess! New Designers is an annual show for design graduates (jewellery, textiles, graphic, ceramics, furniture and so on), where
design colleges and universities from around the UK come together to show off emerging talent and new ideas - so definitely an interesting one when it comes to jewellery!
The entrance to London's Design Business Centre, home to New Designers.
Images courtesy of newdesigners.com
To keep things short and sweet, here's a little selection of those jewellery designers who - for me - really stood out at this year's show. There was almost too much to look at, and with only an hour to make it round while the boyf waited patiently outside, I'm hoping this selection will justify just how much brilliant, high quality jewellery is being designed in the UK right now...
Nicola Grant
Resin and silicone neckpieces which shimmered like little ice sculptures. Really loved her use of colour and light through the texture of the resin and its slinky movement.
Images courtesy of Nicola Grant
These unusual bangles and rings were pretty unmissable, taking their influence from the shapes and forms of octopus tentacles. The jewellery is designed to be playful, creating different shapes as it moves.
Formed using
Rapid Prototyping techniques, Lisa'a jewellery takes freehand designs and turns them into structured, graceful necklaces and rings. Loved the industrial-meets-deco feel of her jewellery designs.
Taking inspiration from everyday objects, Alice's present collection focuses on dressmaking, and the little bits and pieces found in a 1950s sewing box. Strands of lace, empty cotton reels and fastenings all feature in her pretty yet quirky jewellery.
The soft colours of the perspex which Francesca uses in her designs really caught my eye. Along with the shapes and solid feel of her jewellery, the need to touch and pick up her work was irresistible. A great graduate from London Met's Sir John Cass jewellery school.
Based on seed pods and the natural shapes and forms found in flora and fauna, Holly's jewellery features granulation, a mix of metals and textures for jewellery which - like Francesca's - you want to hold in your hand and feel it as you wear it.
Myia's taking of the simple, ubiquitous diamond shape and turning it into over-sized jewellery was clever and also pretty. Mixing colourful perspex designs with silver and brass pieces, Myia's work explored material and shape for a bold outcome
Inspired by Paris and a love of vintage 'ephemera', Maria's jewellery designs were super detailed transformations of match boxes. Mixing oxidised silver, pearls, ribbon and paper, love letters were a theme through Maria's jewellery, as was the chance to hide little trinkets inside her work.
For the full list of exhibiting colleges and universities, take a look at the New Designers site, here.
