La Grande Noirceur - Ovate

I've blogged about Ovate before but I can't help but share some more from the amazing Audrey Cantwell! 

Ovate's latest collection "La Grande Noirceur" is absolutely drool worthy. I'm metaphorically foaming at the mouth over these beautiful pieces. And I'm happy to see the cloak making a come back! I adore my cloak she made me. 

Pamela Love, Love, Love!

New York native Pamela Love started her jewellery career in 2006 as a result of never being able to find jewellery to suit her style. She began making her own darkly wonderful creations, working primarily out of her Brooklyn apartment's basement. 

It wasn't long before her innovative, distinctive creations caught the eye of trendsetters worldwide and her newfound passion became a full-time business.

 Pamela Love draws inspiration from many of her favourite artists. Her creativity is further fuelled by her passion for nature and science, as well as astronomy, astrology, religion, magic and folk jewellery. 

Passionate about both her design and practice, she continues to experiment with unique and exotic materials, while exploring new techniques to make her challenging and extravagant designs a reality.

Love defies traditional categories of fine or costume jewellery through the use of materials ranging from brass and leather to 14-karat gold and precious stones. 

Her collections, like Pamela herself, blend mystery with romance, reminiscent of stories both whimsical and dark. 

Two of my favourite pieces of jewellery I own are by Pamela Love. Once you buy one of her pieces you want another and another! I would kill for a talon cuff! But I decided against murder and settled with a talon ring!

If you live in Brisbane and would like to touch, hold, buy a Pamela Love piece you can find a few of her key pieces at Fallow in Fortitude Valley. Alternatively you can buy one off Fallow's new and improved online store here.

The second and last photos are by Matt Bradshaw. 

Gareth Pugh and Nick Knight

I absolutely love, love, love Gareth Pugh and Nick Knight. And this collaboration between the two talented gentlemen is to die for. 

The October issue of DAZED & CONFUSED presented Gareth Pugh's AW 08/09 collection in a most elaborate, dark and mystical vision by Nick Knight. The material was then used to create a short film with Ruth Hogben, accompanied by collective artist Matthew Stone's sound. The hypnotising creation is entitled INSENSATE. 

Featuring Abbey Lee, styling from Katie Shillingford, hair by Martin Cullen and make up by Alex Box. 

Anndra Neen

Anndra Neen is the collaboration of two amazingly talented sister, Phoebe and Annette Stephens. 

Growing up in Mexico City the girls were surrounded by artists. They gained much inspiration from their Grandmother, Annette Nancarrow who married Conlon Nancarrow, an avant-garde composer. She herself was a painter, sculptor and jewellery designer who collaborated with the Muralist Movement in Mexico. Her pieces were collected by Anais Nin among others. 

While attracted to their Grandmother's eclecticism, the sisters have drawn on their own interpretations of antique European jewellery, ancient Egyptian motifs, Japanese design elements and Bauhaus graphics to create a vision all their own. 

Each piece is unique and hand crafted of both mixed metals and silver by artisans in their workshop in Mexico City.

Anndra Neen continuously pushes boundaries with their beautiful designs. 

I've been in love with Anndra Neen since seeing their amazing cage clutch at Fallow. 

Photography by Richard Burbridge.

Fire Walk with Me - Rick Owens AW12

With a backdrop of a blaze of fire, the models stalked down the catwalk masked by slashed balaclavas, partially obscuring their faces and seemingly looking like they were going to cut some bitches up!

Rick Owens spoke of brutalism and savage impulse when asked what the starting point to the collection was.  In true Owens' style we saw beautifully bias-cut skirts and dresses that fell to the floor, gently draped front coats all in shades of grey but unexpectedly soft shades of apricot appeared. Not everything was leather and shearling, we were given sumptuous mink and blanket wool. 

I have to say I love the masks and even more so, Rick Owens' explanation of how they came to be..

"The funny thing was that the hat were supposed to be more of a veil. It wasn't supposed to be this Hannibal Lecter thing that some people might see. There's something about marking a woman's face that can be very violent that I don't approve of. I don't like the idea of putting woman in uncomfortable situations. They were meant to be coquettish in a very contemporary way." 

I love Rick Owens!