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!!

 

Zoe & Morgan One-Day Sale

Last Wednesday the lovely girls at Zoe & Morgan organised a one-day pop up super sale, a chance to snap up present and past collections at fabulous prices, to meet the faces behind the designs and of course see the various collections side-by-side, from early designs featuring Bamboo canes to the sell-out Love Lasso ring...

 A quirky shopfront, featuring cut-out cardboard girls draped in Z&M

 Brazilian charm necklaces, far and second right, with some of the gent's designs

A selection of earrings

Ruth, the younger sister of Zoe & Morgan, who works for the brand in London

Held a stones throw from Euston station, my lovely friend Hannah who works for Z&M sent me  a text halfway through the day, saying she hoped there would be pieces left for me to see - and photograph - knowing that I was hot-footing it from work to Euston before the sale ended at 7pm. Luckily for me, there were some goodies left (not so lucky for my bank account), despite Hannah telling me of the queue outside the door before they'd even opened at 10am! Just goes to show how unusual - and coveted - Zoe & Morgan designs are!

Hannah selling, selling, selling!

My cheeky buy of the day - the silver Sugar Skull ring. Actually from the gent's collection,
I've had it made several sizes smaller to fit! Love him; reminds of like the Misfits skull!

The band is a rose stem, complete with little thorns and rose detail on the sides

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!

A little something: Most Coveted Right Now

Eugh. I hate it when I find something I really love. A very negative statement I know, but the thing is I just spend ages - hours even - thinking about it. On the tube, during my lunchbreak, while my boyfriend is talking to me so then I have no idea what he's said and he huffs a bit when I look 'round all innocent and go 'Hmmmm?'. Oh Zoe & Morgan you've done it again. Gotta love them for it, though...!

Images courtesy of my-wardrobe.com

A little something: Zoe and Morgan's New Website!

At last...! The much anticipated Zoe and Morgan website has - as of this morning, I believe - gone live! My dear friend Hannah, who has been helping coordinate the new site (and filling me in on all the details, keeping me sated!) will no doubt be relieved. If her stories about their classic Love Lasso Ring selling out time and again are anything to go by, their online shop is going to be a big success. Well done Zoe, Morgan and Ruth and all who've been involved!

 

Gold Plate Love Lasso Ring, from the Who Loves Wins collection

Oxidised Silver Eternity Snake Bangle  

 

Gold Plate My Darling Earrings, with ZM initials engraved on the back