Winter 2012 Jewellery trends

The Bitch is back

When we started Marzipan many years ago, one of our early creations was a massive choker style necklace that got the name of Superbitch. She was labelled thus because she was a bitch to make and when complete and draped around the decolletage of some skinny model or fashionista, she commanded the same title.

Its been a long while since we made anything like, her but she has decided to be reborn after many years of beauty sleep. Enter the Superbitch......

Superbitch Pearl Choker

And indeed it is true, pearls are back. Personally I am inspired by Chanel's  latest pre fall collection where the inimitible Karl Lagerfeld combines classic French style with Bombay glamour. There really is nothing more exciting than the blending of opposing and contrasting styles.

Chanel Pre Fall 2012

Spring Collection at Egality

Check out our new Nautical Spring collection that we designed exclusively for the very exciting new pop-up shop in Parkhurst called Egality. Felicity Spies, founder and owner of Egality is  very focused and passionate about what she does and it is a pleasure to work with someone that values local design as much as she does. Herewith more info on the store:

25, 4^th Avenue, Parkhurst, Johannesburg 2193 (cnr with 11^th Street)

www.egality.co.za

EGALITY page on facebook

071 452 2503

The Nautical  Collection features this very unusual piece which is made up from pieces of Porcelain and rare Chinaware.  Sourced on an old site up the West coast of South Africa where an old hotel burnt down many many years ago. The pieces have been polished and sanded down. Its a one-of-a-kind piece with a lot of history woven into it, or as Shelley would say, ' they probably just had a fight in the kitchen!' (LOL)

Black and Silver Bling

We are loving Black Silver and a hint of soft pink fleshy tones for winter. Shiny combines with flat textures and as always prints; floral, stripe and natural (as in the dalmation jasper) are a favourite signature in Marzipan necklaces.

No words, just flowers.............

We still love the recycled flowers from  http://www.forgetmeknot.co.za/. We have created an entire handmade collection around the recycled flower concept, we are just missing the birds and the bees.

Marzipan at Ambiente 2011 cont....

Majda and Jurgen in Mainz. Majda and I are sightseeing all the sales and Jurgen was trying to give us some history and proper sightseeing appreciation, we were tough customers..I think..

A street in the main centre of Mainz

 

Mainz is only 30 mins outside Frankfurt, it is  very charming and has more of the old world Europe feel with its cobbled streets and traditional buildings.

 Finally we round off the short sightseeing of Mainz at The Capehouse  www.the-capehouse.com/

Here are Christian and Jurgen outside their gorgeous store in the centre of Mainz. They specialize in South African wine and also ceramics, art, leather handbags and jewellery all from SA.

 

I was really proud as there is a window devoted to Marzipan jewellery too..

Inside The Capehouse store..

Marzipan at Ambiente 2011

Its a little more than a week since we got back from Frankfurt where Marzipan exhibited for the first time at Ambiente, an international trade fair showcasing products and trends for living, giving and dining. I think there were just over 42 companies from South Africa that went and represented South African Handmade at the fair. So I was very excited to be part of this event and also to be getting out of Simons Town and off to Europe! Yippee!!...(there would also be shopping!!) 

We had to organise our own accommodation and I found a little room to rent (you can imagine how expensive hotels in the city are) in an old part of the city where the streets are still cobbled and single lane.  My room looked onto Leipziger street, well known for its little shops restaurants and foodie stores. Opposite the entrance to the apartment was a little Illy coffee shop and bakery..heaven.

 

It was still a twenty minute walk to the fair from Leipziger street and I would enter the back of the exhibition grounds from a little bridge that took me straight over a busy main road and into hall 9 where the jewellery people were. I might add that there were 11 halls altogether, some of which had 3 floors and it took about half an hour at a fast pace to walk the length of the grounds. I only know this because on the first day I got lost in the grounds and ended up walking from one end to the other. Not fun!

Marzipan stand

 

 

 Once our stands were set up we had some time to go to the main shopping street in Frankfurt which was called the Zeil. Very cool name. I was amazed by the oak trees which were a distinct feature all over Frankfurt. They are oak trees but have had all their smaller branches trimmed off so they look strange but surreal.

The trimmed bare oaks in the Zeil

Happy shopper!!