Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Though tempting, the offer of fresh, hot pão de queijo and a cup of jasmine tea on a grim English morning wasn't even necessary to lure me to view London-based Brazilian designer Marcelle Lawson-Smith's new jewelry collections. Having already seen her designs on the São Paulo catwalks, accessorizing much-loved designer Ronaldo Fraga's esoteric collections, I was curious enough already to get a first glimpse of her new fashion pieces and the designs for high-end Brazilian jeweler Vancox, all debuting in the UK.
The most covetable items in the Vancox collection are the golden Tree of Life brooches and necklaces, whose stylized branches are hung with fruity-colored, semi-precious stones and diamonds. For her other collection, Marcelle produced printed stainless steel collars, animal totems, printed flower chains, and swallow necklaces. Her approach is anything but predictable (she married her English husband at a self-designed warehouse party in her conservative hometown, wearing a transparent plastic bodice). And the accolades for her offbeat style are mounting—her printed stainless steel and porcelain pieces, inspired by a visit to China, have found a place at the Design Museum in London, at the current Designs of the Year exhibition.