New Jewelry Looking Eastward
Minimal enough to be worn everyday with no gender distinction, meticulously structured to be multi-functional. But, above all, ultramodern. The jewelry devised by several East European designers is guided by a common thought
Nomis
Versatile, innovative and no gender. These are the creations by Nomis, a brand that attracts attention with its anti-conventional and daring style interwoven with elegant nonchalance. «For me, it was important to create beautiful jewelry that can be worn by both men and women. This is the future in my opinion, no distinction between male and female. I also feel strongly that lab stones will be commonplace in the future and I would like to be a pioneer in this field. As a child, I was always playing with Lego and I loved connecting and combining different pieces - you can see how this has influenced my first Nomis collection in which earrings can become pendants on necklaces and rings can be worn as ear cuffs. It’s all about versatility and personal style,» says Alyona Kiperman, who founded Nomis in Kiew in June 2020. A lover of innovation and super-attentive to sustainability, the designer personally selects every stone in the city’s workshops: white diamonds, blue and yellow sapphires, green and red emeralds, to set in 18 carat gold. A preciousness that takes on twisting and towering, yet discreet and essential shapes, so much so that each jewel is perfect for creative, personal and daily use.
«For me, it was important to create beautiful jewelry that can be worn by both men & women. This is the future in my opinion, no definition between male and female. I also feel strongly that lab stones will be commonplace in the future and so want to be a pioneer in this field of using man-made stones. As a child, I was always playing with Lego and I loved connecting and combining different pieces - you can see how this has influenced my first collection with Nomis, whereby earrings can be attached to necklaces for extra impact and rings can be worn as earcuffs. It’s all about versatility and personal style»
Lithuanian by birth but based in New York, Ausra Bankauskaite founded the Aka Jewellery brand in 2017 to give her double-natured creations a home: suspended in a conceptual limbo where art encounters jewelry, her creations feature a methodical structure that blends in total harmony with the lines of the body but, once removed, they become a fascinating piece of contemporary art to be admired. Her S/S 21 collection takes a step towards a new direction, presenting a series of items subdivided into modular parts. «I have always played with multi-functionality in my work and, after having created items that can be worn in various ways, I realized that they can also be matched and worn all together, allowing the wearer to create their own personal version of Aka Jewellery.» Like the EG cuff, an earring made of circular gold and silver pieces and bars that can be adjusted and assembled in different ways. Moreover, every item can be purchased singularly. An offer that englobes a sensitive intention in terms of sustainability: «Somehow, letting a jewelry item be worn in different ways is an act of sustainability. The modular parts were designed to be combined with other items the owner already has. I want my customers to use their own personal creative streak.»
MARULA
Born in Serbia, Maja Brkovic grew up in South Africa before returning to her homeland to study, continuing in Los Angeles and finishing her studies in London at the GIA (Gemological Institute of America) in order to have a deep knowledge of the world of precious stones and metals. Lastly, in 2018, she launched her Marula brand in Milan. It is reasonably obvious that her style is a combination of different cultural and artistic influences. Starting from the name itself which refers to one of the most loved native African trees. Inspired by the works of CY Twombly, Mark Rothko and Brancusi, as well as the Dada, Bauhaus and New-Brutalism movements, Maya blends architectonic elements with traditional patterns from ancient civilizations to create contemporary jewelry with supple shapes that delicately trace the lines of the body. «When I started creating the first jewelry collection, my initial thought was that I would include all my impressions, passions and daily thoughts. Since I studied painting within applied arts, I usually start with an abstract drawing by putting down the ideas as if I were making a collage. In this way, I try to synthesize what I have learned from my studies, which range from Brutalist architecture to Ancient Egypt. Only later, I reduce the elements to a minimal.»
Light Line earcuff in yellow gold, Marula.
«When I started creating the first jewelry collection, my initial thought was that I will insert all my impressions, passions and daily thoughts into it. Since I studied painting within applied arts, I usually start with an abstract drawing by putting down the ideas as I was making a collage. This way, I try to synthesize my absorptions from Brutalist architecture to Ancient Egypt and theoretical physics about the curve of time and space. Only later, I reduce elements into a minimal»
