Filed under: Consume This, Designer Spotlight | Tags: fashon blog, bijules, renata mann, mori funaki, cool jewelry, gallery funaki
I always say “when all else fails, slap on a cool piece of jewelry and it will make everything better”. Luckily we are surrounded by an abundance of amazing jewelry designers these days. There are so many I can barely keep from overdrawing my bank account. Following is the “COOL JEWELRY REPORT”… Hey, I couldn’t think of any other name.
MARI FUNAKI
Numero uno on my list is Mari Funaki, Sydney-based jewelry designer by way of Japan. It’s actually an insult to include Ms. Funaki on this list since she’s been, like, an Australian Jewelry legend and mentor for over 30 years now! But I had to include her incase you’ve never heard of her.
Never have I seen someone so masterfully interpret architecture into jewelry. This is because Funaki is not only a designer, she’s an artist and gallery director of the Gallery Funaki in Melbourne. She used mild steel to create sculptural bracelets, rings, and even containers. She lets basic shapes distort themselves to create magical pieces and her industrial-inspired work simply speaks for itself.
BIJULES
Who needs acrylic nails when you can wear gold serpants instead?! Bijules, an NY-based jewelry designer, gives us these little gems as part of the Serpensive collection. It doesn’t stop here, though. The current collections also include “hairrings”, part of the Hairem collection and my personal favorite the Bar rings, part of the signature collection.
RENATA MANN
For your more bohemian side, check out jewelry designer, RENATA MANN. I appreciate this designers use of kind of otherwise boring materials like abalone shells that she turns into fun crafty yet very high-end necklaces. Not to mention the knit-covered abalone necklace comes with any color thread over them! Another favorite of mine is the knitted bauble necklace which comes in a multitude of colors. Stones are in-cased in colorful knitted material. It’s almost like the artist’s way of protecting each stone in its own little pouch!
-Camille L.
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i can’t agree more!! i’ve been designing jewelry for a number of years, now. i make one-of-a-kind jewelry using semi-precious stones, fresh water pearls and metals. check it out!!
thanks!
Comment by steph kexel Tuesday, September 23, 2008 @ 04:00 k