Talented Friends: Rachel Boston

Im a sucker for accessories especially when it comes to jewellery so when I saw photos of my friends new collection, I knew I had to blog about it.

The whole collection is based on the Victorian dandy and their interest in insect collecting as this was a popular hobby with the Victorians due to the publication of 'Origin of the Species' by Charles Darwin and a fascination with natural history.

Rachel describes her jewellery pieces as "collectable hunting trophies" and has incorporated "real beetle wing cases into the jewellery to produce a medley of man-made and natural pieces where they blend seamlessly into one".

The collection is unisex as it contains aspects of masculine and feminine aesthetics. Due to the pieces not conforming to traditionally upheld standards, the jewellery is able to explore elements of the unexpected. When the pieces are worn on either sex the effect is dissimilar – a woman wearing the black pearl stag beetle necklace for instance, could surprise an observer with the ferocity of the piece. However, when the necklace is worn by a man, it appears to be much softer.

You can check out Rachel Boston's collection along with other Central Saint Martins BA Jewellery graduates from this Saturday until Thursday.

BA Jewellery 2011 degree show

Central St Martins

University of the Arts London

Southampton Row WC1B 4AP

Room 109, 1st floor

Saturday 18 June 12.00 – 18.00

Sunday 19 June - closed

Monday 20 – Wednesday 22 June 12.00 – 20.00

Thursday 23 June 12.00 – 18.00

Prices range from £200 to £800 for the biggest pieces. For more info and to contact Rachel visit her site.

New Designer Crush: Gabriella Marina Gonzalez

I knew I'd be a fan of GMG's work as soon as I laid eyes on these beauties during London Fashion Week a few years back.

Four seasons later and I've developed a bit of major fashion crush. Gozalez's A/W 11 ‘Sinister Sights in Synthetic Moonlight‘ collection has stayed true to her signature style of beautifully crafted leather accessories and delicate crochet dresses and tops. What really caught my eye was her ability to do mens and womenswear as well as accessories and still keep it coherent right from the start.

Gabriella's inspiration:

“Pressure on the brain. Distant vibrations evoke visions filled with shapeless

shame. Hallucinations take a toll when we believe all that we imagine.

In delirium we sink, into a pool of fevered drips, accumulating were it counts,

in the oceans of our desires to be sound of mind but the only sound we can

hear is of our reality getting future away from us until we are merely

caricature’s of our former selves, washed up on a distant shore,

mourning the loss of how promising everything was in our former

dimension. Dreams don’t exist they are merely reality skewed in our

subconscious. We shouldn’t have to escape our lives just to enjoy them.

What would the world think if we were ourselves and set an example if

nothing else, that freedom is not on a shelf in as store. Glow bright and

be pure, this is what your souls for.”