V and A 80's Exhibition

The V and A's Club to Catwalk - 80's Fashion Exhibition is running until Feburary 2014.

I started my jewellery career during the height of the New Romantic era, this exhibition is bringing all those heady memories back!
For me the 80's was a time for experimenting with boundaries - playing with scale and unusual materials such as leather and wood or 'lace bobbins' which appeared in the form of earrings on the cover of Elle Magazine on none other then Christie Turlington.

I created pieces for the catwalks shows in New York and London for the best designer of the time - Rifat Ozbek. Seeing my creations being worn by such beautiful people was so exciting for me at such an early stage in my jewellery career.

What the 80's meant to me.

  

What was your fashion highlight in the 80's? Hands down my favourite 80's Fashion moment was going to NYC to do the jewellery for the Isaac Mizarahi show and meeting Christie Turlington, Linda Evangelista and Cindy Crawford after the show! I was so lucky to be able to go to New York during such an exciting time in fashion history, but high up on my list must be wearing my very first Azzedine Alaia outfit.

 

What was the best catwalk show you designed for? For me the 80's are an extremely remembable time for my catwalk designs for Rifat Ozbek, I still adore all the jewellery that I designed for him, all of his shows were so distinct and strong. – all of them. He inspired me to come up with ideas which I would not have though of otherwise. One of the most striking are the huge brass cuffs which I now use as candle shades as they give off such pretty light.

 

 

Your favourite piece you designed? Well I absolutely loved creating wild and wonderful earrings, I suppose earrings are my favourite item to design!

 

What did the 80's mean to you? All about ideas, creativity, innovation, freedom to express and mixing with the most creative people I have ever known but in a world which was changing irreversibly towards a money driven, big brands.

 

Whats your most memorable time during the 80's? Probably hanging out with Sam Mac Knight and having my own studio in Soho in Beak St (which had once been Canalettos studio!) I had such fun but I was working head - I had my jewellery selling in Liberty and Harvey Nichols in London and in Barneys and Bergdorfs in New York.

 

 

What was your favourite trend? My favourite fashion look of the decade must be Azzedine Alaia bodycon dresses, panelled and cut to perfection.

 

 

 

My Jewellery is now stocked in the V and A shop in the Jewellery Department!