Killed By Kisses? Why not...

There is something of a zeitgeist happening in New Zealand jewellery at the moment. Perhaps New Zelaanders have a latent sparkle that is only now starting to twinkle. Liking this range by Naveya and Sloane. Working with diamonds, fresh water pearls, amethyst, sterling silver and white gold in her August 2011 collection, designer Rachel Sloane is Lost In Love and Killed By Kisses. Her creations clearly reflect that state of mind...

Deadly Ponies Shine Online

New Zealand-based accessories label Deadly Ponies have been building a solid reputation for some time as a world class designer and producer of accessories and jewellery. For their many fans in Australia and further abroad, good news then that they have launched an online store meaning you can now buy Deadly Ponies wherever you live in the world.  Says DP's Liam Bowden: “After years of shying away from direct sales to customers, over the last year we have been bombarded with on-to-it customers phoning us directly and begging us to make them a sold-out bag. I decided that the time had come to give loyal DP followers more direct access to our products.” The new website pays homage to Liam's artisan roots with a mood board style layout and descriptors for each DP offering. To celebrate the launch of the online store we have two Deadly Ponies silver bow rings (above) to give away on our Facebook page.  The offer is open to Black online followers anywhere in the world.

Nick Von K's black pearl snake head pieces

Photo: Daniel Max

Auckland jeweller Nick Von K has created something special with these black pearl, 18 carat white gold snakehead pieces. The bespoke, one-offs feature very rare, perfectly round black pearls sourced from a friend of photographer Daniel Max. "Willy" is the son of a Tahitian pearl farmer and had the pearls in his possession for many years before allowing Nick to use them for these unique, gorgeous pieces. For the larger piece, Nick came up with the idea of the snake swallowing the pearl, Willy loved it and Von K took the pearl to Bali where his best carver spent three days carving the snake head to fit perfectly whilst Von K sat with him to discuss the design. Von K has a valuation certificate valuing the piece at NZ $11,000. Anyone genuinely interested in the pieces can contact Nick directly: nick@nickvonk.com

Karen Walker Jewellery at Harrods!

Is there a more prestigious retail destination in the world than Harrods? Probably not, so congratulations must go out to Karen Walker Jewellery. The legendary Knightsbridge, London luxury shopping institution has purchased a significant amount of Karen's 'Superfine' collection, including the top-selling heart and star pendants and earrings. The jewellery will be on sale in store but will also feature in the Harrods magazine which goes out to over 70,000 super top end customers, literally the creme de la creme of fashion customers. Bam!

BLACKLOG EDITORIAL #8: Wunderkammer Jewellery by Greg Novak

Simon wears: Bassike singlet, Ngahuia wears: Top by Ellery
Jewellery by Wunderkammer worn throughout

It's no secret that we love Zora Boyd's amazing creations for Wunderkammer Jewellery. The Muriwai native is a genius with rocks, gems, stones and metals and wraps up that knowledge in her own unique concepts and creativity. We asked photographer Greg Novak to shoot a few key pieces from the brand new Wunderkammer range (in-store and online soon) with models Ngahuia Williams @ 62 Models and Simon Abela @ Nova. Fashion editor: Rachael Churchward, hair and make-up by Michelle Brindle using M.A.C Cosmetics.

Ngahuia wears: Maurie & Eve shorts, Simon wears: Claude Maus jeans (worn throughout)

Ngahuia wears; Top by Fistful of Bird, bodysuit by Lonely Hearts

Simon wears: Stolen Girlfriends Club leather singlet,
Ngahuia wears: Maurie & Eve singlet

Ngahuia wears: Top by Ellery, Simon wears hat made by his nana.

Ngahuia wears; Top by Fistful of Bird, bodysuit by Lonely Hearts,
Simon wears: Fistful of Bird leather vest

Ngahuia wears: Lonely Hearts body suit, Simon wears: Fistful of Bird singlet

Eating Sundaes on the Underground

Firstly, our thoughts and wishes go out to any Blacklog readers in the Christchurch area affected by the devastating quake. Kia kaha! Christchurch is a great city, it will rebuild...

This post is about a new jewellery label from a bit further down the line in Dunedin. Underground Sundae was founded by artist Anne-Mieke Ytsma in 2010. Ytsma comes form a fine art background but has been making jewellery since graduating from art school in 2006. More recently she has collaborated with Sara Aspinall's Company of Strangers label on a jewellery line but is launching Underground Sundae to realise the crossover between her art jewellery and the fashion based concepts she forged for COS.

Underground Sundae is available from Black Box and Children of Vision.

NoLa Bel: Taking your hands on a trip

Last week we noticed a striking sculptural ring on the hand of our friend Briar. It turns out the ring was in fact five rings sitting together and was designed by fledgling Auckland label NoLa Bel. Briar passed on the lookbook and the fabulous skull packaging for the range entitled "I saw this while I was away." The label describes the rings as "architectural postcards for the hands of the adventurous and brave! We simply had to know more and tracked down Karamia Müller and Nicole Allan, the creative design team behind NoLa Bel:

We like the way the rings are named after cities or places like Alexandra, Vancouver, Jordan, Agadir. Have you been to these places? Nicole has been to Vancouver and I (Karamia) have been to Agadir - we are both keen to go to Alexandra and Jordan...Have you actually shaped the rings off the skylines of these places? We designed the rings and then named them after places that reminded us of them...

Briar mentioned you have a background in architecture. Did you use any architectural techniques in the making of the rings? Yes! Nicole and I are both doing our Masters at the School of Architecture, so instinctively we use architectural techniques. In designing them we use the architectural conventions of elevation/section/plan/axonometric, so we are constantly working between 2D thinking/drawing and 3D - the actual object. We usually draw the design in drafting software as that is what we are both trained in and because it is compatible with laser cutting machine. Once we cut the design, we examine it critically as a three dimensional object - this iterative process draws parallels with model making which is intrinsic to an architectural practice.

Similarly with the packaging, it is an intricate piece of paper sculpting. How did you go about creating the skull box?A LOT of coffee, prototyping, double sided tape, fluoro card & trial and error. There are 8 pieces to each skull, these are cut on a laser machine and then we hand assemble. We have a high regard craftwomanship. Do you make other pieces i.e necklaces, pendants, earrings?We would like to, watch this space! Tell us about the name, Nola Bel... It is just a play on the two words no label, sort of a little poke at branding and it's importance in the consumption of fashion. Where can we currently purchase Nola Bel from? This is easy - Children of Vision (we love James!) and Black Box.

Dem Bones, Dem Bones...

Let's face it, in the stony little town of Bedrock there is really only one key accessory for any self-respecting hipster girl like Pebbles that wants to look the part alongside Bam Bam in his matching Tigersaurus cap and shorts - a Bedrock Bone in the hair. So entrenched is the symbolism of the iconic cartoon series that Monique Saville's real life Bedrock Bones seem eerily familiar, although Saville's cute-as-a-button range encapsulates necklaces, pendants, bracelets and other bright bone accessories not seen on TV but that would spice up any trip to the bowling alley or Diner-saurus nonetheless.  Bedrock Bones are available now at all Ruby Boutiques, Ruby online store, M.A.D.E in the Britomart, Guilty As Sin (Palmerston North & Napier) and Belle Bird in Dunedin....Yabba dabba doooo...

Naveya & Sloane's romantic jewellery

Photo by Daniel Max

It's no secret that we are big fans of jewellery here at Black Mag and there are an increasing number of local jewellers to be excited about. Rachel Sloane's Naveya & Sloane is one of these. Sloane was womenswear designer at Huffer for three years before working as a patternmaker for NZ's longest running and most loved TV show, Shortland Street. Whilst creating one-off pieces for "The Street" Sloane started to sketch jewellery designs on her pattern paper and her first range is now realised a little over one year later. Sloane describes herself as "a hopeless romantic," and her sentimentalism is inherent throughout, including in the genesis of her thinking; "a notion of a parachute falling from the sky and into my hands." The parachute motif appears on most of her pieces, usually within the clasp, and she pulls no punches on the fab packaging - large, magnetised glass boxes that give many a luxury brand a run for sheer desirability and usefulness - ours now houses a special piece of crystal - but of course, is just as useful as a safe place for the jewellery. Naveya is a fictitious character created by Sloane as a muse for her design and branding, we love the stories and thinking behind the collection which is broken down into four parts; Tulipa, Stain Glass Secrets, Miss Me and Killed By Kisses. Naveya Sloane is stocked at Platina and Steve Haywood.

Wunderkammer Jewellery launches online - Win these rings!

 Ring 1

 Ring 2

 Ring 3

Ring 4

To celebrate the online launch of the brilliant Wunderkammer Jewellery range the talented jeweller Zora Boyd has kindly given us four rings to give away to Blacklog and Black Magazine Facebook readers. This competition is open to our Blacklog or FB readers anywhere in the world - all you have to do to be in to win is go to our Facebook page and post below the Wunderkammer story on the page why you deserve to win one of these rings. We've kept it simple by naming each ring, Ring 1, Ring 2, Ring 3, Ring 4 so don't forget to tell us which ring you desire. Have fun, be witty and be in to win...oh and you'll have to 'like' us on our Facebook page to enter, if you haven't already!

Wundering

Our lovely friend Zora Boyd, the genius behind Wunderkammer Jewellery dropped by last night. She left a beautiful present, a silver Wunderkammer skull ring with tattooed face and flowers for eyes. It's so beautiful we had to shoot it.

Photography: Grant Fell. Lighting: Rachael Churchward

From Paris With Love

AGATHA Paris, Vulcan Lane, Auckland

I popped into the new AGATHA Paris boutique in Vulcan Lane today - across the way from the iconic Zambesi store - and was immediately struck by the smart, clean, Parisian presentation - the boutique was created in Paris and then shipped to Aotearoa, and it shows. The walls are painted an opulent blue, the display cases are all superbly lit and the jewellery and accessories on display are just what New Zealand needs, French flair that is accessible and affordable with a broad range of styles and concepts on offer. We particularly like the way necklaces and pendants are hung on the wall in such an easy-to-see way. AGATHA Paris's six annual collections all reflect the trends from the world's big fashion houses, and with 260 boutiques around the world and over 1,000 AGATHA Paris designs sold every hour, they are clearly onto a good thing.

We like what Asia-Pacific director Renaud Litre has to say about the new Auckland store: "It is wonderful to be bringing a slice of Parisian style - along with a large helping of AGATHA Paris's chic and sassy spirit - to Auckland with this new, Australasian-first boutique. I know New Zealand women will find AGATHA Paris as much of a delightful discovery as their peers around the world have, and I look forward to seeing how New Zealand's style and fashion leaders influence AGATHA Paris in years to come." That's not just refreshing, it's encompassing. Congratulations Mitchell, and welcome AGATHA Paris...

AGATHA Paris

35b Vulcan Lane,

Auckland Central

Ph: 302 1100

Here's the local Facebook page

The Lotus, The Snowbird and the Beauty Cake

Collaboration is nothing new to Boh Runga. After all, she spent many years in a band and few careers are more collaborative than that. Thus, when her eponymous jewellery collection was released last year in partnership with NZ Mint, it seemed like a good fit and a nice direction for the songbird - and that collection has been very successful. Runga and NZ Mint have wasted no time on a follow up, this time with a third collaborative partner on board, the Japanese cosmetics giant Shiseido.

The Lotus and the Snowbird, a collection of signature Runga jewellery and a limited edition Beauty Cake by Boh Runga for Moisture Mist started with a lovely fable concocted by Boh, possibly in the garden of her LA home. The fairy tale tells of a mysterious travelling snowbird that happens upon a lotus flower in a garden and invites said flower to leave the comforts of home and see The World beyond. The fable and attendant imaging is delivered superbly across all three brands and there's something nice about having a story at the centre of it all.

The Moisture Mist compact (above) and it's signature red case is quite iconic in New Zealand so this limited edition version should fly off the shelves when it goes on sale, along with the jewellery, in October this year. This looks like a winning combination to us and another step forward into the talented, yet somewhat shy singer's multi-faceted future.