GLAMOUR PHOTOGRAFY

. . . with thoughts still lingering on the sandy shores of bora bora, it is no surprise that, on this late-winter day, drawn to the sea-inspired creations of jeweller, sarah brown, whose irregular and beautiful compositions, woven together of island legends and tales of creatures beneath the sea, come together in collections of enchanting, evocative pieces drenched in a sense of curiosity and the unknown . . .

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. . . fair-trade, eco-chic and utterly gorgeous, the kora jewelry range was created by amy walker & maxandra short three years ago, after working for a non-profit group in rwanda; made of recycled materials such as discarded cow bones and horns, brass and aluminum from old pots and automobiles, the range is made by local artisans from nairobi, kenya -- there are necklaces and charm bracelets as well, but have quite fallen for the cuffs and bangles . . .

. . . and while on the topic of perfect juxtapositions, these briar root bracelets lined in silver, by chicago-based metalsmith, gillion carrara, combine natural and industrial elements, and are so stunning, they are works of art . . .

Often, accessories are added afterward, to accentuate outfits, adding glimmering touches here and there. In the case of LA-based CC Skye, however, the accessories she designs do not merely accent outfits, but rather, create them.



Unlike most fashion lines that are influenced by big cities like New York or Paris, CC Skye was born out of a six-month study abroad program that the designer did in Nepal. Traveling only with a backpack containing the bare essentials, CC, a true LA Girl at heart, missed the fashions she would find in the pages of Vogue while living in Kathmandu.



After some time, she decided to trade in her hiking boots and ended up in the silk stalls of Kathmandu, buying silk used for Tibetan Temples to make dresses with the help of local seamstresses, and started to work with gems and metals . . .



According to the designer, "...living in Nepal made me stop and learn how to to create my vision with my hands and use my resources rather than just go out and buy something, which is what we are all so used to doing in a consumer-based culture. It [Nepal] was a self-sustained culture in which you grew your own food, made your own utensils out of bamboo or wood, and ultimately, you made your own spring wardrobe".



CC Skye, who has been called "consistently ahead of the trends" by Women's Wear Daily, merges uptown sophistication with downtown glamour in her jewelry and handbag collection. A favourite of the most fashionable celebrities, including Eva Mendes and Nicole Richie, CC Skye's line was nominated for Best New Accessory Designer by GEN ART.



This week, we ask the designer:

In ancient history, glittering gemstones were thought to have enchanting powers to heal. Although gems were rare, they were precious because of the powers they were believed to have imparted to those who wore them, and kings and queens had gems set into their crowns in order to obtain their potency.



The mystifying qualities of gemstones do not only lie in their healing powers, but also in the ravishing beauty they exhibit. Opening a gift box to find glimmering jewels can sweep one away into a dream world befitting a monarch and make one feel like royalty in just an instant.



Suzanna Dai, the jewelry line of Suzie Gallehugh, takes the elegant and timeless jewels once reserved for queens and princesses and transforms them by adding a modern flair. With intricate embellishments and regal antique touches, Suzanna Dai jewelry takes a ride through history -- the glittering emeralds in the Jaipur Collar necklace may evoke an empress looking out her window at the Taj Mahal in the 1600s; the smoky topaz and shining black diamonds in the Windsor collection may sweep one away to a state dinner at Buckingham Palace; and the bold and breathtaking marriage of turquoise blues and greens in the Amalfi cuff draws from mosaics in ancient ruins in its namesake coast off Italy. It is clear, Suzie Gallehugh’s greatest influence in creating her pieces comes from the magnificent beauty of the world and its cultures.



Her sparkling collections, that have adorned the likes of model Elizabeth Hurley and is a favourite in the wardrobe department on the set of Gossip Girl {above}, can be found in luxury department stores like Henri Bendel on Fifth Avenue in New York City.

As Suzie continues to jet-set the world over searching for the most exquisite gems, we were delighted to catch up with her and find out:

Jewelry is made by creating bonds: melding precious metal and stringing luxurious pearls, jewels and gems, melting pieces of glittering gold; but the most important bonds are not made with jewelry, but through it -- the bonds between people that a piece of jewelry can create are eternal.



M.Flynn creates the kind of jewelry that memories are made of, whether the bracelet that glistens in the summer moonlight on a stroll after a first date, the sparkling crystal earrings that glitter in photographs from a best friend’s wedding, the necklace that marks a first anniversary, or the the ring that is passed down to a granddaughter.

Elizabeth Taylor, who owned one of the most admired jewelry collections in history, once said, “My pieces of jewelry are my most cherished stories about a lifetime of fun and love and laughter.” Memories can be made of the details--after all, it is all in the details . . .



The savvy duo that makes up M.Flynn is comprised of Megan and Moira Flynn, two sisters with a passion for jewelry who got their starts studying business and marketing. Turning their passion into a business, Megan and Moira recently opened a boutique {second from top} in Boston's South End neighborhood to showcase their enchanting designs.

From their chandelier tiered drop necklaces to their antique Swarovski flower earrings, each charming and elegant piece is made with the utmost attention to detail. Their special occasion accessories line, faire la fête, (French for "to party") features the perfect accessories for weddings, galas, balls and soirées.

Along with their own designs, Megan and Moria re-create timeless pieces from their grandmother's expansive costume collection and also re-work antique heirloom jewelry.



This week, in a special two-part Favourite Five feature, Moria and Megan each share with us:

. . . always adore a perfect juxtaposition -- vintage & modern, old & new, simple & ornate -- and what could be better than rough-hewn, natural elements paired with delicate chains and glamorous gold?

nallik, a word borrowed from the inuit language, cannot be translated directly, but means protection and nurturing in a loving way; according to designer jean balke, the "Inuit people appreciate that we are all connected to each other and our surroundings. They respect the environment and know it contains everything we need to live."

balke, who grew up in germany, lived in helsinki, london and san diego, currently resides in nyc; before she began designing jewelry, she worked as a photographer and art director, and has travelled to over 45 countries, drawing inspiration from the people and landscapes she has experienced along the way; the result is this utterly perfect mix of rock & refined . . .





















{p.s.} previous at the shops:
* florence & florence, uk
* lady grey, new york
* ralph lauren, paris
* neology by mina, brooklyn
* mrs. press, australia


{all images from nallik}

. . . an utter and hopeless romantic, there is, naturally, much breathless anticipation for the royal wedding -- after all -- what could possibly be more romantic than sweeping trains, yards and yards of silk taffeta, balcony kisses, true love and tiaras?



. . . to mark this historical occasion, kate middleton will be presented with her very own tiara, from the royal collection, as was the case with diana, or purchased from garrard, the royal jewellers, as was the case for the duchess of york . . . and so, a fascinating glimpse . . .



the beautiful swirls & scrolls of the spencer tiara



the spencer tiara
although she received the cambridge lovers knot tiara {see below} for her wedding, princess diana famously wore the spencer tiara as her something borrowed on her wedding day in 1981; made of gold in a repeating scroll design the family tiara is entirely set with diamonds; thought to be a family heirloom from the eighteenth century, the tiara is actually a composite of several elements: the central element was a gift from lady sarah spencer to cynthia, viscountess althorpe as a wedding present in 1919

it was later remounted and four other elements were made to match it in 1937; only the two elements at the end are old and said to have come from a tiara owned by francis, viscountess montagu and left to lady sarah spencer in 1875


after it was worn by lady diana spencer when she married the prince of wales in 1981, the spencer tiara was subsequently worn by victoria lockwood when she married the 9th earl in 1989 (the earl spencer); the tiara currently remains with the spencer family


princess diana attends a state reception in australia, wearing a suite of sapphire and diamond jewels presented by the crown prince of saudi arabia, and the spencer family tiara; (photography by tim graham)

queen mother's scroll tiara, it was one of a handful of tiaras that the queen mother wore after she was married but before she ascended the throne in 1937; she then passed the scroll diamond tiara to the queen, who has never worn it publicly, but over the years, has lent to both princess margaret and princess anne

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girls of great britain and ireland tiara
a wedding present for princess may of teck (the future queen mary) from the ‘girls of great britain and ireland’, the diamond tiara was purchased from garrard with money raised by a committee chaired by lady eve greville; in 1947, mary gave the diamond and silver tiara to her granddaughter, the future queen elizabeth II, as a wedding present