Studio Visits - Aisling Nelson from Rangoli

How did you come to design jewellery and hair accessories?

I began my career studying graphic design, specialising in illustration. A six month trip to India and Nepal in 1994 inspired a career change. I was completely fascinated by the ornamentation and use of colour in even the most everyday objects. I've always loved pattern and colour so India blew all of my senses.

When I got back to Ireland, I enrolled in college for a two year craft design and business studies course. I specialised in jewellery and my graduation collection featured silver box frame pendants and brooches, with  Perspex, Japanese silks and beading.

Photo by White Tea

Photo by Stephanie Fay

While at college, I also did some work experience with a textile artist where I learned the techniques of crochet and weaving. I began combining these traditional techniques with modern jewellery skills to produce a range of fine textile jewellery. On leaving college, I set up my business Rangoli in 1998.

 Headpiece made from fine crochet, incorporating citrine and pearl beading

What materials do you work with?

I work with two different methods of construction. My crochet designs are made by combining up to five strands of metallic threads and incredibly fine enamelled wires. This mix allows for subtle colour variations. For example rose gold can be created by adding a magenta coloured wire to the selection of gold and silver threads. My other collections are made from intricate beaded wire-work where I can replicate some of the delicacy and pattern formations of crochet but with a stronger structure. I incorporate a wide range of semi-precious stones, pearls and crystals into the designs.

Photo, (right) by Nicola Webster

Who do you design for and what process is involved in designing bespoke pieces?

I specialise in designing bridal jewellery and hair accessories. All of my designs are made to order so I get to meet my clients in person. This is one of my favourite aspects of my job, discussing ideas, styles and occasions!

 Photographs by Bernard Carolan at Mark Griffin Photo

The first meeting usually involves an informal chat - I get to find out about the person's style as well as the dress they have chosen. I look at many elements such as the lines and structure of the dress, the embellishment or surface decoration as well as the overall style. Hairstyles also come into the equation! Some clients come in with a clear idea of what they want while others want me to design a special piece for them. I offer advice on styling the bride's look. Listening is an important skill in what I do.

Photo by Brendan Lyon

Where is your work available?

I make bespoke pieces to order and do not supply any other retail outlets. Having previously supplied a number of outlets around the country, I found that I missed out on the connection and valuable feedback that I get from my own customers. Not everyone is able to visit my showroom, so pieces can also be ordered online and designs discussed by phone and email.

Have you worked on any unusual commissions recently?

The headpiece below was for someone who had a very definite idea on the shape, materials and overall feel of the piece that she wanted. The dress was lace, with a vintage feel. The client also sent me a picture of a comb whose shape she really liked. For this design, I printed the image of this comb and cut it out so we could place the shape on her head. This probably sounds odd but it gave us both an excellent idea of the scale and outline shape of the proposed design! Below left, you can see how I have pinned on some small beaded shapes on top of the paper.

Once we were both happy with the scale and shape of the piece, I began working on detailed sketches of the intricate lace form. I then created many individual beaded elements which were finely woven together as the piece was being constructed. This design took many hours to make and was a fascinating new direction for me in terms of assembling a piece from a number of smaller forms.

What inspires you to design?

Pattern and colour are key things. I love delicacy and transparency and yet I am equally drawn to structure and linear forms. Fashion is a constant inspiration too from eighteenth Century to modern innovative couture. Travel to weird and wonderful places is another passion. This year we're off to Uzbekistan for an adventure along the old silk route!

What do you enjoy most about your job?

I really enjoy the interaction with clients and involving them in the design process. I love working for myself with the balance between client interaction and my design and making time. Most of my work comes from word of mouth referrals which is also very satisfying. And I am proud that I am now in my fourteenth year of business!

Can you tell us about the necklace you designed for the Wunderkammer exhibition?

The Wonderkammer Exhibition was a group show from designers in The Design Tower, inspired by the Albert Bender collection at the National Museum of Ireland.

Inspiration came in two forms! I loved the colour palette found in the Thangka paintings as well as the stylised swirly clouds. In these Buddhist paintings, the blue sky depicts the Buddha mind while the clouds convey the random, transitory thoughts that pass through the mind during meditation.

I enjoyed experimenting with a new material - fine coloured enamelled crochet ribbons. I discovered that I could distort these ribbons into undulating cloud shapes by crocheting along the upper edge of each strand. It is still the only piece that I have ever made that doesn't incorporate a single bead!

Thanks for chatting with us Aisling! You can read more 'Studio Visits' interviews from the series.

For more information on Rangoli, visit the website or the Rangoli Jewellery blog which showcases some of Aisling's recent bespoke commissions.

Project 51

Diamond ring by Precious

Eoin McDonnell is launching a new Irish Designer Collective store which will be called Project 51. Eoin's business Precious is located in The Design Tower.  There are fifteen Irish designers involved in the new concept which is devoted to providing its customers the very best from high end luxury Irish goods. The new shop will open in September at 51 South William St Dublin 2. As Eoin says -

"By purchasing in an Irish owned boutique you are contributing significantly to the Irish economy!  For every hundred Euro spent in a multinational store only fourteen goes back into the local economy versus forty five through an Irish owned shop (figures courtesy DCBA.ie)"

Jennifer Rothwell Autumn/Winter 2011

According to Jennifer Rothwell one of Ireland’s top designers involved in the store, “South William Street was always filled with the business end of the Rag Trade and now it is being reclaimed. It’s time for the rebirth of South William St once again as the Fashion Center of Dublin!”

Housed in a 19th Century Georgian building Project 51 -  Irish Design Collective – is a High End NYC Soho style luxury boutique filled with the Best of Irish fashion, jewellery, millinery, accessories and furniture. Project 51 offers the ultimate shopping experience in a relaxed friendly atmosphere. Customers can choose from an amazing selection of luxury goods, from engagement rings to bridal wear, jewellery, evening wear, tailoring, millinery and luxury leather bags.

Colette Van Vaarsveld - Table and magazine rack

Project 51 is bringing an international concept to Ireland: establishing a creative-fashion-design hub to showcase Irish design and provide the designers with the opportunity to offer unique designs to the public.

Martha Lynn hat

The designers involved also intend to make an international impact, to increase the profile of Irish design internationally with an emphasis on high quality and innovative design. Their aim is to achieve the same level of international recognition as the “Antwerp Six”, a group of influential avant garde fashion designers who graduated from Antwerp’s Royal Academy of Fine Arts between 1980-1981. The fashion collective presented a distinct, radical vision for fashion during the 1980s that established Antwerp as a notable location for fashion design.  Walter Van Beirendonck,  Ann Demeulemeester, Dries Van Noten, Dirk Van Saene, Dirk Bikkembergs and Marina Yee travelled to London and Paris together in the Eighties. Together the Antwerp six have conquered the fashion world with their very distinct vision of fashion.

Designers involved in Project 51 are -
Ana Faye – www.anafaye.com (Leather Bags)
Caiomhe Keane – www.Que-Va.com (Fashion)
Colette Van Jaarsveld – www.Arcology.ie (Interior Architect – sustainable furniture & accessories)
Claire O’Connor – lilccouture.ie (Fashion)
Eily O Connell – eilyoconnell.com (Jewellery)
Emma Taylor – www.RubyJewels.ie (Jewellery)
Eoin McDonnell – www.Precious.ie (Jewellery)
Geraldine Murphy – www.Saba.ie (Jewellery)
Heather Finn – heatherfinn.com (Fashion)
Jennifer Rothwell – jrothwell.net (Fashion)
Martha Lynn – marthalynnmillinery.com (Millinery)
Sinead Doyle – sineaddoyle.com (Fashion)
Sinead Clarke – www.EssenC.ie (Fashion)
Vikki Shorten – www.VSLJewelry.com (Jewellery)
Yvonne Ryan – www.EveElla.com (Jewellery)

Article source - from Designer Dublin

Launch of Designer Dublin

Designer Dublin is being launched tomorrow 1st June at 5pm in the Kilkenny Shop, on Nassau Street, Dublin 2.

Senator David Norris and broadcaster and stylist Sonya Lennon will be launching Designer Dublin and there will be live craft demonstrations from a number of designer-makers.

For more information on this invite-only event, contact Eibhlin Curley at Dublin City Enterprise Board.

Adornment

Photographer Agata Stoinska and producer/art director Eddie Shanahan have collaborated on a project to celebrate and promote Irish jewellery design. The photographic collection is called Adornment and marks 2011 as being the Year of Craft. The exhibition and travelling exhibition will promote and raise awareness of Irish jewellery design.

Agata approached Eddie to come up with a new idea for an art photo collaboration. Originally it was intended to photograph the work of just six jewellery designers but the interest in the project was so immense that eventually three submissions days were held at D–Light Studios in Dublin with jewellers from all over Ireland submitting work for consideration.

Both Agata and Eddie were astonished at the treasure trove of innovation, imagination and design talent uncovered, so much so that the original single day’s shoot became three days – each with its own theme. Below is a quote from Eddie -

"I have worked with jewellery designers over the years and felt it was time to shine some light on them. When you see the ideas these artists have: the skills, the imagination. When you look at, say, Tuula harrington, who works with reindeer antlers embedded with diamonds. It has become a very exciting venture. I can now understand why people collect it; it can be an inspiration. It makes you so very proud to be Irish and I feel so grateful to all those who created"

Details of the two photographs shown -

Top image - Agate, onyx and mother-of-pearl necklaces by MoMuse. Model: Amber Jean Rowan from Morgan The Agency.
Bottom image - Silver necklace and bangle by Seamus Gill. Model: Jayne Wilde from Morgan The Agency.

The Adornment exhibition is open to the public from 1-14th June at the European Union House, 18 Dawson Street, Dublin 2. Time:  Weekdays 9am – 5pm. It will feature a selection of images from the Adornment project.

For more information, visit the Designer Dublin website.

Credits -
Photography by Agata Stoinska
Concept and art direction by Eddie Shanahan

Images and quote from Eddie Shanahan taken from the Sunday Independant Life magazine 15th May 2011.

Designer Dublin

As part of The Year of Craft 2011, Designer Dublin was set up to showcase the very best of design and craft made in Dublin. The project was initiated by Dublin City Enterprise Board. Several designers from the The Design Tower are represented in the collective - Da Capo, Seamus Gill, Elizabeth O'Kane, Alan Ardiff, Precious, Rangoli, Breda Haugh and Ayelet Lalor.

As part of this network, there will be a craft studio trail around Dublin city on Friday the 10th of June. This is an opportunity to see the masters at work and visit individual studios! Below are a few words from Eibhlin Curley from DCEB.

"Designer Dublin is a collaborative initiative to promote craft and design in Dublin during the month of June. Dublin City Enterprise Board a small business support agency developed the idea. We brainstormed with Dublin designers and state agencies and devised an exciting programme of activities including a craft trail, workshops, exhibitions, craft demonstrations, public talks and it will launch on 1st June 2011.  It is part of the Year of Craft 2011 celebration of craft.

 This initiative is to serve the Dublin craft sector in terms of:

• Exposing Dublin craft work to the consumer for potential sales.
•  Showcasing Dublin and it’s craftspersons as a centre for quality Irish crafts in the minds of domestic Irish consumer and international visitors.
• Branding and profile-raising the substantial craft sector in Dublin.
• Collective marketing for the sector by building cohesion between craftspersons
• Strengthening the Dublin Craft sector in terms of communications and marketing.

 Designer Dublin’s objective is to support and encourage the growth of the professional craft industry and to promote Dublin as a centre for exciting and innovative hand made craft.

As part of The Year of Craft 2011, Designer Dublin will showcase the very best of design and craft made in Dublin. We encourage you to experience craft and discover the talented designers of Dublin. Buy a craft and treasure it for life."

Check out the full listing of registered designers - There are also a number of interesting events and talks on design which you can read about on the Designer Dublin website.

We look forward to welcoming you to The Design Tower on 10th June!