The thing that made the JeDeCo High Street Gems showcase stand out the most, was the relaxing, ambient feel, engineered to encourage each buyer's 1:1 personal shopping experience.
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| JeDeCo Boutique at OXO Tower Wharf, on London's Southbank |
30 designers make up JeDeCo - the Jewellery Designers Collective. Luckily for me, the viewing also offered the opportunity to size up a contender for the High Street Gems Competition firsthand. The latest instalment of the 'Challenge Erica Chronicles' - in which I spent over 35 minutes in search of the place, due to inadequate (non-existent) signage and directions, either at the Oxo Tower Wharf location, or on the Jewellery Week website - actually ended up working in my favour. The end of day lull, meant that I had the place to myself and as such; could quietly take in everything on show, and consider the creative inspiration of each artist - my favourite topic once released from the familiar involuntary hypnosis caused by all the sparkly, pretty things on display...
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| JeDeCo's High Street Gems entry: 'Putting OXO on the Map' |
Offering a fresh variety I had yet to see in each of the events up to that point, The print designs from Debbie Carlton Jewellery's brought a unique, colourful, 'carnival', sometimes gritty vibe to the competition centrepiece; entitled 'Putting Oxo on the Map'.
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| Annika Burman's 'Kaliedo' collection was pure attention-grabbing beauty |
Annika Burman led the display case pack, with showpieces from her 'Rain', and 'Kaliedo' collections, making you question how these artists leave vision behind, and turn their imaginations into reality.
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| Anna Loucah's Fine Jewellery display was a visual tease... |
Anna Loucah Fine Jewellery added some serious fire to the bunch, with regal designs that lived up to the name. I fell prey to the pretty as soon as my eyes landed on a bewitching pair of long, gold drop earrings with matching necklace set, that you could imagine being equally at home in Carey Mulligan's Gatsby wardrobe, as well as Patricia Velasquez' saucy get up for any one of The Mummy trilogy. Come to think of it, the gorgeous pair wouldn't look too bad in my own little trinket collection...
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| Siân Bostwick's 'Springtime' collection |
Sian Bostwick's blue butterflies were made purely to tempt me. Shining brightly under those display case lights; the simple pieces were the perfect mix of vibrance through colour, while elegantly understated in design.
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| All Quarter Angel pieces are inspired by the London outdoors |
Quarter Angel's tribute to the London skyline was another fascinating favourite. Like Annette Allen's watch strap at The Watch Salon only a few days prior, there is something unquestionably cool about recreating such intricate detail in a small, confined space.
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| Mangan is also one half of high-end wedding jewellers, Dennis & Lavery |
Art is all about personal interpretation from a piece, and for me personally, I saw something medieval, even a smidgeon Celtic, in Cindy Dennis Mangan's collections. Actually inspired by female mythology. The Princess and the Python and Cleopatra's Curtain have, according to the JeDeCo Chairperson and Founder's website, 'taken the world by storm'. It's wasn't at all hard to see why.
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| Doreth Jones' variety covers teen style through to 'Mature Couture' |
The Shining Star chain rings, and One Love earrings and bracelets by Doreth Jones Jewellery were another understated favourite. Full of youthful vitality, the designs would add that versatile final touch to the wardrobe of a mature teen, or even a stylish twenty-something. Don't think her variety stops there though; the more imaginative Shark Tooth rings, or adaptable silver, gold and green jade petal earrings, mean the teenyboppers aren't the only ones who are covered.
For more works from the JeDeCo boutique, including pieces from Catherine Marche, Dennis & Lavery Platinum, Kareece Peters, Katerina Damilos, Rosemary Lucas, and more; as well as extras from the designers featured above, visit the JeDeCo High Street Gems photo album on the ESP Ltd. Facebook page, and exercise your opinions in the form of that 'Like' button; or even the Comment Boxes on your favourite images.
Until the next folks!
ES ;)
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