Here is an intro :

The additions to the collection for Summer 2012 are inspired by the exotic Indonesian island of Bali. Being the place that first triggered my love for jewelry as a child, the island of artists and surfers is filled with strong cultural beliefs in dragons, spirits and a love for the natural resources that surround the inhabitants. A strong sense of beauty and detail go into everything the Balinese do. This collection of treasures attempts to channel that energy…

Enjoy!

The collection will soon be available for purchase here  http://www.etsy.com/shop/thisilk as well as in stores…

PS If you are interested in sharing these images it would be my pleasure! Just don’t forget to include the credits. Thanks!

Inspired by the handmade techniques of lace confection, this thread and nail weave was a creative outlet I much appreciated (but may never do again due to pain in the fingers and time consumption) during jewelry production…

You like?

NOTEZ au calendrier! This Ilk Participera à quelques salons pré-Noël!! Parfait pour des cadeaux ou un look du temps des Fêtes….

Click on the posters for more info…

Clickez sur les affiches pour plus d’infos…

Bold and daring

Girly and glamorous

Long and dangling

Woven and fringy

Society vs tribeHonor vs bravery Lines vs triangles

Ancient Egypt vs Ancient Mesoamerica

]]> http://www.thisilk.com/spring-summer-2011/feed/ 3 http://www.thisilk.com/spring-summer-inspiration/ http://www.thisilk.com/spring-summer-inspiration/#comments Tue, 25 Jan 2011 05:59:22 +0000 admin http://www.thisilk.com/?p=744 Continue reading →]]> Finally getting into the Spring-Summer subject… Well overdue but nevertheless it needs to be done before people start hyping about the next Fall-Winter runways. So in order to introduce it, I figured what is better than a moodboard to put you in the mood? Although I am inspired by much more than fashion, I decided to share that particular side of my creative brain storage. Unfortunately, I am presenting it horribly by excluding all credits to the images but it was that or nothing so I figured I would be a rebel this time around.

I would describe the collection as a healthy balance between super girly fantasies and exotic warrior amazons. With, of course, a touch of retro 60s-70s futuristic flare.

Now I hope I don’t disappoint…

Just before Christmas I finished up a bunch of body harness-jewelry for Fall/Winter 2011-12 (I know I still haven’t showed you Spring/Summer 2011, coming super soon I promise!). And I asked some of the most talented people I know to collaborate on a photoshoot. The results of which is extremely satisfying as if they all read my mind and desires! (Trust me you want to work with people like this!) So since I can’t really show you the entire collection just yet, we did photograph a couple of currently available pieces which I will show you as a teaser for the rest of the shoot.

These are the talented people I’m talking about :

Photographer : Sébastien “Lephotographiste” Roy  see http://lephotographiste.blogspot.com/ creative, talented, efficient and a really nice guy!

Stylist : Mélanie Brisson see http://melaniebrisson.blogspot.com/ a sweet heart who is as passionate and as talented as they get!

Model and Make-up artist : Robyn Chalmers who happens to have one of the best local blogs in town, see http://fashionista514.com/ and has amazing flawless make-up skills (never-mind her being just gorgeous) !

All jewelry is currently available at Unicorn Boutique on St-Laurent.  Or will be online in my Etsy shop. (until stock runs out, which will happen pretty fast with Tipi aka 3rd and last image considering I only have one available). The two others will continue to be available through Fall/Winter 2011-12.

P.S. Leggings in photos 2 and 4 are by Norwegianwood and sheer tops are from Trendi store.

First of all, I really need to thank everyone who ever supported This Ilk in any little way. I truly love what I do and (I know this is such a huge cliché but there is just no better way to say it) I wouldn’t be doing it without you so thank you!

Next, I really hope to be able to continue doing what I do which will be getting harder as the world (think large companies I cannot compete with) dig into my oh so comfortable and dramatically beautiful idea that is jewelry of lace (unfortunately, this process is already underway…) so keep up the encouragement, I’ll need it!

Finally, I will share with you some fellow creatives who were inspired to apply lace to unusual objects or art somewhat in a similar way I was… Please click on the images to explore their sources.

Alors pour ceux qui ne sont pas au courant, ça fait plusieurs fois que je participe à Puces Pop organisé dans le cadre de Pop Montreal. Il y en a 3 par année alors soyez à l’afut! Cette dernière édition est parfaite pour le magasinage des cadeaux de Noël dernière minute! C’est aussi ce que j’appelle un événement “under-ground” principalement parce que ça se passe dans un sous-sol d’église… pas l’emplacement la plus glamour mais je vous avoue que ça fait en sorte que l’événement a un certain charme et les vendeurs créateurs de Montréal sont très approchables pour jaser de leur passion. À chaque fois que je participe, je reviens de l’événement avec pleins de nouveaux trucs tels des savons naturels qui sentent le spa, une collection de cupcakes délicieux, des peluches irrésistiblement adorables, un vêtement et possiblement un bijoux…

Cliquez sur les images pour le lien vers les sites respectifs des créateurs…

Alors passez faire un tour entre 11h et 18h samedi et dimanche prochains à l’Église Saint Enfant Jésus sur le coin de St-Dominique et St-Joseph.

Setting up a stand for my jewelry is not an easy task… First of all, I have many different designs I like to show. Second, they are big so it is pretty hard to have them properly spaced out. And third, all kinds of colors mean one colored background just won’t do. Finally, because my jewelry is quite ornamental, I need a background that is void of  busyness so one can appreciate its true beauty…

Plus, I like to give the retro sixties feel to my designs. So this is what I came up with :

You like?  It all started with this… the process that turned out to be a creative project in itself.

A precise gradient of grays painted onto canvas which served as the background for the jewelry (which doubles as Op art decoration while not in use).

I do believe that in order to be good design, everything has to be optimized and well thought out. If I can get many uses out of one creative solution, I am generally satisfied.

And here is one of the stands I thought deserved a mention by my friend and fellow jewelry designer Tamé (can’t believe I forgot to mention her in one of my earlier posts):

Gotta love the balloon cluster/lamp/cloud above her stand and the dalmatian!

http://www.greendiary.com/

http://design-fetish.blogspot.com/

http://www.arcademi.com/

http://www.gulfofmexico2010.com/

(Don’t think it looks gross? click on the link to find out what it’s made of…)

And then there is when what is normally considered as something to be hidden turns into an embellishment…

http://www.triptyque.com/

http://www.maisiebroadhead.com/cable-drawings

If you ask me, true artistic talent can be found when one brings out the beautiful in the ugly… of course I tend to think both are subjective.