Backstage at the David Jones Media Launch

Plaything Collection showcased at David Jones Media Announcement Launch at Highpoint

On Friday 29th July, the GPT Group officially announced the construction commencement of the David Jones store at Highpoint Shopping Centre. Highpoint showcased work from emerging RMIT fashion talent Georgia Havekotte and Elisa Ferro through a full-scale live fashion shoot that formed the backdrop to the launch. The shoot featured David Jones’ Youth Fashion Ambassador Samantha Harris. Stylist, Philip Boon invited me to discuss my collection from concept through to product execution.

Plaything Collection - Photoshoot

Silk heavy crepe de chine top

Silk Georgette / Silk heavy crepe de chine skort

Silk / Silver belt

Silk heavy crepe de chine dress

Silk / silver / resin / fabric necklace

Silk heavy crepe de chine / Silk organza dress

Silk / silver / resin / fabric belt

Designer of garments and jewellery- Georgia Havekotte

Photography- Andre Elhay

Model- Michaela Dietrich

Plaything Collection - Illustrations

WHY DO WE DECORATE THE BODY? JEWELLERY IS ONE OF THE OLDEST FORMS OF BODY ADORNMENT. THE WORD JEWELLERY IS DERIVED FROM THE WORD JEWEL, FURTHER TRACING LEADS BACK TO THE LATIN WORD "JOCALE", MEANING PLAYTHING. AN ALWAYS EVOLVING ART FORM, CONTEMPORARY JEWELLERY SERVES FOR MORE AN ARTISTIC EXPRESSION. IT IS IMPORTANT HOW THE JEWELLERY COMMUNICATES WITH THE BODY AS IT IS WAY TO CONVEY A WEARERS PERSONAL STATEMENT RATHER THAN THE FLAUNTING OF WEALTH. OFTEN CONTEMPORARY JEWELLERS USE UNCONVENTIONAL MATERIALS TO QUESTION THE MEANING OF ‘VALUE’ THROUGH HUMOUR AND SUBVERSION. PLAYTHING EXPLORES UNCONVENTIONAL WAYS TO ADORN THE BODY, TAKING INSPIRATION FROM TRADITIONAL AND CONTEMPORARY JEWELLERY. BY ANALYSING WHAT ELEMENTS CONTRIBUTES TO ITS BEAUTY WE CAN LEARN HOW TO DECORATE THE BODY IN NEW WAYS. PLAYTHING EXPERIMENTS WITH 3D FORMS AND AIMS TO RECREATE LIGHT REFRACTING PRISMS.

Plaything Collection - Inspiration

JEWELLERY IS ONE OF THE OLDEST FORMS OF BODY ADORNMENT. MANY FORMS OF JEWELLERY HAVE THEIR ROOTS IN FUNCTION, EVOLVING INTO DECORATIVE ITEMS AS THEIR FUNCTIONAL REQUIREMENT DIMINISHED AND ART BEGAN TO TAKE PRIMACY OVER FUNCTION AND WEALTH. IT HAS PLAYED MANY ROLES IN HUMAN SOCIETY; RELIGION, CURRENCY, SYMBOLISM, PROTECTION AND ADORNMENT.

THE WORD GEOMETRY IS DERIVED FROM THE WORDS GEO AND METRY MEANING EARTHS MEASURE. THE ANCIENT GREEKS STUDIED GEOMETRY IN RESPONSE TO NATURE FOLLOWING THE SIMPLEST AND MOST EFFICIENT PATH. BY EXPLORING THIS THEY DISCOVERED PROOF OF NATURE’S ELEGANCE AND FIND CLEAR CORRELATION. BETWEEN THESE NATURALLY EXISTING MATHEMATICAL FORMS AND PATTERNS. WE RESPOND TO AND RECREATE THESE GEOMETRIES IN EVERY ASPECT OF HUMAN EXPRESSION THROUGH THE DESIGN OF HOMES AND PATTERNS OF SOCIAL STRUCTURE.

CONTEMPORARY JEWELLERY IS THE MIX OF PRECIOUS AND NON-PRECIOUS MATERIALS TO CREATE FORMS THAT GO FAR BEYOND THE CONCEPT OF TRADITIONAL JEWELLERY. ITS A NEW WAY OF INTERPRETING JEWELLERY AND FOCUSES AS MUCH ON INTELLECTUAL CURIOUSITY AS IT DOES ON EXPERIMENTATING WITH NEW MATERIALS AND TECHNIQUES.

Plaything Collection- Jewellery coming together

Silver sheet taking shape

Devore silk/rayon velvet test

Devore silk/rayon velvet test

Resin discs ready to embed fabric

Necklace

Belt

Belt

Belt

Development Work for Plaything S/S 2012 Collection

Research into jewellery investigated the legitimacy and limits of the term ‘decorating the body’. The development of plaything focused on the exploration of the 3d form. Inspired by cut diamonds and gemstones, ways to recreate these shapes were explored. The way the garment interacted with the body together with the accompanying jewellery was critical in the development process. Ways to manipulate the fabric to form strong structure was also investigated. It was decided all fabrics used would be black to contrast with the underlining theme of cut gemstones that naturally refract the light through its prism.