....The Minotaur

A bit different from our usual entries but last week I attended the Minotaur pop-up exhibition in the old Victoria tunnels.  Artists from all over the world were commisioned by Steve Lazarides to create their interpretation of the classical greek legend said to have the head of a bull and the body of a man.

The old Victoria tunnels is a labyrinth structure which was perfect for such an exhibition.  The art reflected the struggle between men, technology and nature in an emerging world and featured installations, interactive exhibits and artists from very different backgrounds.  It was a cultural delicacy and there was in fact a restaurant inside - which you had to request an invitation for.  We didnt get round to that and we spent so much time staring at and digesting the work on display that there wasnt much time for anything else.  Particularly liked the taxidermy rats and the visual installation film! 

Let us know if you attended or indeed if there are any more unusual exhibitions that we should visit.

Following on from our new designer feature a few weeks ago we've put Johnny Mirpuri in this weeks designer hot seat. 

What’s your background and what inspired you to become a jewellery designer?

I’d already spent 20 years carving out a successful banking career when I discovered that my
childhood interest in things creative had been re-kindled whilst making several works of art for my
home. Choosing to tap into those innate artistic talents I turned my back on the City at the end of
2008 to dive into the fascinating world of jewellery design. I went on to complete a broad
programme of bench & design-based courses at the Holts Academy of Jewellery and Central Saint
Martins College of Art & Design, where I learnt both traditional and computer-aided design and
manufacturing techniques.

MIRPURI launched in early 2011 and very soon after I became one of ten emerging designers
selected, as part of the BJA-supported KickStart initiative, to exhibit my debut collections at
International Jewellery London 2011.

I was born of Indian parentage in West Africa and spent three years living in India before moving
with my family to settle in the UK at the age of nine. This culturally diverse upbringing ignited in
me a passion for travel from an early age, which has so far taken me to over 25 countries across the
world. I feel that each of these journeys, and the exposure that they provided to differing
landscapes, new customs, fresh architectural ideas and cosmopolitan lifestyles, have played a part
in shaping my own sense of personal, as well as design style.

How would you describe your customers?

MIRPURI’s customer’s are style-conscious individuals who place equal importance on quality and
value. When adding to their jewellery collections, they seek out classic pieces which are sleek and
elegant in their design and which offer versatility in wear because they strike that fine balance
between a.m. subtlety and p.m. glamour. I feel that they’re attracted to my jewellery because
MIRPURI’s collections tick all those boxes.

What is your favourite piece of jewellery?

A wheat-link 22k white-gold chain necklace, given to me by my mother. I wear it 24-7, and it’s a
constant reminder to me of her unconditional love.

Which celebrity would you love to wear your jewellery and why?

I’d choose Julia Roberts - hands down! The epitome of a natural beauty with an understated, classy
sense of style, she’d provide the perfect backdrop to show off MIRPURI jewellery .... well, provided
you‘d ever see past that infamously infectious smile of hers, that is!

If you hadn’t been successful as a designer, what would your plan B have been?

I feel that I gave my plan B a pretty good shot, having spent 20 years as a City banker. I may have
have done things back to front somewhat, but now that I’m finally on course living my plan A,
there’s no looking back.

What can we expect to see from you in the future?

With three silver collections already under my belt, I’m super excited at the prospect of broadening
the appeal of my jewellery with the introduction of a gold vermeil range, and the use more precious
coloured gemstones, in MIRPURI’s next collection. Look out for it in the new year.

The Ripple Collection is available in store and online now.

We have absolutely fallen in love with the new Stardust bracelets from Babette Wasserman.  Coming in 5 colours plus one silver and one gold, the coloured bracelets feature coloured silk which is intertwined with either silver or gold chain.  When the light hits the metal the bracelets have a subtle sparkle, perfect for people who don't want outright bling but just a hint of glamour. 

One is not enough, we are stacking them and mixing it up and they look great.  These are going to fly off the shelf......if we don't snap them up first!

We've got a few new designers coming on board over the next few months but we're really excited to have Johnny Mirpuri exhibiting in store. Having left his career in banking in 2008 to re-discover a passion for art and creativity, he studied at the Holts Academy of jewellery and at Central Saint Martins college of art and design. A British designer, he launched his first collection earlier this year with three unique collections; Paradiso, Ripples and Epicene. Having travelled round the world to over 25 countries, Johnny calls on a wealth of inspiration from what he has seen and experienced in these varied destinations.

Mirpuri works in silver and offers a range of pieces with stone set options. His work will appeal to a wide range of people with sophisticated sleek styles to more contemporary unisex pieces. His work crosses the border of daytime chic and evening glamour and each piece is hallmarked at the Goldsmiths Company Assay office.

Check out Mirpuri online and instore now and let us know what you think!

Touran Reddaway is the designer and creator of the Firouzeh collection; an enchanting body of work steeped in ancient tradition and history. All work is 18 carat gold and uses stones such as turqouise and red agate to help tell the story of each piece. Touran takes her inspiration from Iranian and Byzantine culture which has created an incredibly moving collection of beauty and aspiration. Here Touran tells us more about her work as a designer.....

What's your background and what inspired you to become a jewellery designer?

My father is a British diplomat and my mother is from Iran. I have moved around the world with my parents on their different posts my entire life, making languages and different cultures my key interests. From a very early age I have always wanted to be involved in jewellery, I made my first necklace when I was 8 for my mother while traveling in Brazil. When I saw all the beautiful stones there I apparently told my mother that I wanted to have my own jewellery shop when I grew up. A great family friend of my mother’s in Iran is an incredible goldsmith, and he encouraged me to design my own jewellery from very early on. I have been working with him for over 15 years; I work on the designs and he would then make them for me. I love history and the idea of pieces of jewellery having a story behind them, specially from the ancient world. Ancient Persia and Byzantium proved to be limitless in terms of inspiration and wonderful stories to base my pieces around. My goldsmith’s son (they run a family business) then moved to Turkey, making it much easier for me to work with him and set up Firouzeh as the political and economic links between Britain and Iran are so tense at the moment. I travel to Turkey regularly (my parents also live there) and work on my designs with my goldsmith.

How would you describe your customers?

My customers are people who like the idea of wearing something unique and timeless. Because of the 18 carat gold I use, generally they are more settled in life and are able to invest in these pieces (a great investment as the price of gold never seems to go down!). I have had customers of all ages, I do not want my pieces to be limited to any age group in terms of design.

What is your favourite piece of jewellery? (either made or purchased)

 My favourite piece of jewellery is a small ring I wear on my little finger. I am terrible at telling my left from my right, so my mother suggested I get a ring as a reminder. It has little granulated lotus flowers around the band, inspired from Persepolis.

Which celebrity would you love to wear your jewellery and why?

I would love for Rachel Weisz to wear my jewellery some day. I think she is one of the most beautiful women I have ever come across, a real English Rose.

 If you hadnt been successful as a designer what would your plan B have been?

If I could not have been a jewellery designer I think my plan B would have been to become a travel writer. Travel is something I want to incorporate in any career I might have, and the idea of discovering new places and sharing them with others is incredibly appealing.

What can we expect to see from you in the future?

In the near future I am finishing up work on my latest line, my Mediterranean Collection. On a recent trip to Olympos, on the mediterranean coast of Turkey, I was so completely awed by the beauty and unspoiled nature of the area that I have based a new collection of jewellery on its magic.  

The shimmering blues, turquoise and greens  of the sea; the abundance in the citrus orchards full of fruit and blossom; the thickly forested mountains rising huge from misted valleys and then plunging straight down into the sea, were a sight to behold. The ruins of ancient temples and palaces were testament to the fantastic culture that had once dominated the area. Column heads littered the beach and mountainsides, carved beautifully with leaves, flowers and animals. Myth and reality seemed to mix.

This inspired me to include in necklaces, earrings and charm bracelets the graceful laurel leaves that are symbols of the god Apollo; and the butterflies, fish and oak acorns of the great Olympian goddess Artemis, who was particularly venerated in western Anatolia.  Some of the stones I have chosen reflect the colours of the sea, while pearls represent its riches.  Other stones evoke the forests. And the rich sheen of the 18 carat gold intoxicates, carrying you between worlds ....

To view the Firouzeh collection click here