Sneak Peek: 2014 Collections

One aspect we make sure our newest collections include is that they are on trend with some of the latest developments in fashion.

From our London based offices our team attends and monitors the latest fashion releases, creating briefs for our talented designers that encompass influences from all areas of inspiration and the most recent trends. We then begin meticulously crafting our jewellery so that, whilst being timeless, it is also fashionable.

We wanted to pre-show of some of our early concept sketches and mood boards- these early designs will eventually transform into beautiful silver and gold jewellery that will compliment 2014’s catwalk. 

 

2014 looks forward to a fantastic range of looks, drawing inspiration from many different historical periods and a beautiful variety of colour schemes. We’re working on our Art Deco collection and ‘Dark Rococo’- a fabulous, gothic twist to traditional Rococo style. The bold designs and shapes we want to include in these collections allow for spectacular gold and silver jewellery pieces that can be worn as the statement piece to an outfit or to complement an already bold look.

Our collections are all due for release early 2014. Whilst we ensure part of the inspiration for our designs comes direct from the catwalk, we always make sure to create a piece that challenges the concept, breaking into new design styles. This is what makes all our designer jewellery stand the test of time.

Interview with Muse Art - What makes a Master Piece?

We all know the World-famous paintings and art work, but have you ever wondered why some pieces are considered ‘masterpieces’ when there are plenty of seemingly similar works out there? What differentiates some pieces apart from others? And who exactly decides this? In our quest to deeper understand the qualities behind design, Lolo and Galago set to find out the answers. 

Jess Cummings, the manager of Muse Art- a private art company which sources artwork for private collections and manages placements for international properties talks to us about ‘What Makes a piece of Art a Master Piece’. Below, she answers our questions and brings to life all the different levels of art.

What do you think of as a Masterpiece?

When one hears  ‘Masterpiece’ one may think of the Mona Lisa by Da Vinci,  Starry Night by Van Gogh, Sistine Chapel frescos by Michelangelo, the Birth of Venus by Botticelli, Water lilies by Monet, the Venus de Milo  C. 100 B.C, Les Demoiselles d’Avignon by Picasso or  possibly Duchamp’s ‘Fountain’.  These are widely acclaimed as ‘Masterpieces’ but the saying ‘One man’s trash is another man’s treasure’ comes to mind because like all art, a masterpiece is very much a subjective term.

They may all be all different but what do you think makes each one a masterpiece?

The general understanding of what makes a masterpiece is usually a work of art that for that era has technically or conceptually challenged everything that has preceded it.  i.e. The Impressionist movement moved away from depicting a setting in the real, ‘as is situation’ and chose to use visible thick brush strokes or dots, a radical idea at the time violating the rules of academic painting. 

What do scholars/professors of art tend to look for in a 'masterpiece'?

I believe that they tend to look for something that technically or conceptually unique for the era- a piece of work that challenges the norm.  However, a masterpiece may not be considered a masterpiece at the time it is made but in later years. An example of this is Duchamp’s scandalous work which was a porcelain urinal on the wall, signed "R.Mutt" and titled ‘ Fountain’.  It was a piece of art that at the time caused massive controversy, but it was an idea that changed art history forever. It is now seen as the 20^th century’s most influential modern art work of all time.  Moving art history to the conceptual nature is more in tune with why he is known to be the father of conceptualism. 

Do you believe that there are any specific qualities/styles that are exhibited in all famous pieces of art?

Sometimes what makes a piece of art famous is the story behind the artwork, or even the artist themselves. For example, Da Vinci – is a symbol of the Renaissance for his many talents in Art and Science, but due to his mysterious character at that time many people did not understand him or his works, so they were not interesting. His paintings are technically exceptional and exhibit complex symbolism i.e. Madonna on the rocks. This over the eras, always caused controversy and there was a lot of speculation of what they meant.  Another example is the Mona Lisa. Not only did it revolutionize painting, the sitter pose broke tradition as the portrait was painted from the waist up with extraordinary  vividness  and the lady in the painting was an unknown sitter. The Mystique of Leonardo, the early mystery, publicity and artistic revolution all contribute to the Mona Lisa’s fame.

Is there ever disagreement in the art community about what makes a Masterpiece?

Of course- all the time and like the Louvre director Henri Loyrette says ‘It is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to articulate a definition of masterpiece that could be accepted universally’. Art Historians, critics, scholars, curators and collectors don’t always agree.

What makes some artists like Picasso stand out when there are many similar styled artists?

Picasso, like all master’s, was the first to do something great in art history. He was a genius at using mass media to further his name making him very famous during his lifetime. He had exceptional business skills, like the Damien Hirst of our time, but most importantly, as an artist, he was responsible for influencing and inventing some of the greatest art movements of the 20^th century; namely fragmenting the Renaissance painters space/perspective, innovating and rendering of collage & assemblage, found-object art, had a constructionist approach to sculpture and his impact upon the developments of modernism and eventually abstraction are of major importance.  Most expert’s opinion of Picasso's work is highly regarded and many agree that after Picasso through the 1950s, many artists were aware of Picasso's work and a good many were challenged by it in one way or another. Some were clearly inspired by it and others rebelled against it... but in either way, he was not to be ignored.

What features are present in a 'masterpiece'?

A masterpiece is highly subjective in art so there really there isn’t one recipe. When I studied Art History, I remember the finishing day of my classes after 4 years of studying art history which included many topics- the canons, styles, movements, artists, controversies and conceptual debates. My professor turned to our class and boldly said ‘Ok, so, WHAT IS ART?’.  It could literally be anything to one person from the next and the more information you have the more you can argue what makes Art, Art. The same goes for a Masterpiece I think really. If I had to choose, I think some of the greatest masterpieces are either from our ancient civilisations, such as ancient Roman sculpture of the Hellenistic period where the bodies became almost life like. The artist’s rendering veins and musculature of the human body to an extraordinary level when they didn’t have the technology we do today. Or early medieval 13^th century paintings by Giott. This is when artists are just figuring out how to render space and light for the first time. These fascinate me.

Is there a shift in what is considered masterpiece art over time?

I stick to what I said above… but I do think things have changed. I think Renaissance masters would look at Damien Hirst’s formaldehyde animals and certainly wouldn’t call them a master piece, but art is more conceptual and about challenging an audience.  Technical ability is still important of course, but just in a different way, maybe not in paintings but how a large scale installation is designed and project managed.

Any particular artistic medium that is favoured? For example, why are there more world renowned paintings than pencil sketches?

This is not necessarily true, but painting is probably the most renowned because of some of the famous artists the general public know about i.e. Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Picasso, Pollock etc.  Painting is the finished product for a lot of exquisite sketches that aren’t necessarily known about. The National Gallery exhibited many of Da Vinci’s unfinished sketches for studies he did on the human form and these are considered great works because of the artist and the extraordinary technique and understanding of not only the human form but pen to paper. 

What do we think at Lolo and Galago?

We would agree that producing a truly beautiful and great piece of art is as much about the concept, meaning and design behind it as the technical achievement of the piece.
As Jess mentions, there are many talented artists that are able to reproduce techniques, styles and forms, but a piece really stands out when it is at the forefront of design and challenges traditional norms. It takes true vision to be able to step outside the design box and consider every element of the work, from its structure, composition, meaning and then create this flawlessly.  At Lolo and Galago, we consider this approach crucial to the design process of all our luxury jewellery and it is for this reason we remain constantly inspired by every aspect of art, fashion, nature and architecture around us. It results in every piece we produce having a meaning behind it, so that you know your jewellery is not just a beautifully crafted piece, but also a work of art.   

Written by Rosie May Reddington

London Fashion Week – Fashion Trends for 2014

Just when you thought it couldn’t get any better... London Fashion week has arrived. And the key word this week: PAPPS– isn’t the paparazzi, it’s the key themes for next year. Preppy. Acid. Pastel. Patterns. Sparkle. 

Next season is feminine with lots of pastels, floral, sparkles and girly pleats with designers adding a bit of kilt style into the mix. Pretty pastels in conjunction with brighter acid colours were everywhere and that sparkle we were all waiting for was very much on trend. Lolo and Galago has created collections that specifically work with these designs, due to be launched in 2014- statement pieces that work with the trends.

One of the interesting themes we noted was the ‘mullet’ skirt- a style that has long been a favourite with Hollywood starlets looking to create drama on the red carpet. This was seen in Antonio Berardi's runway show. Whilst perhaps tricky to wear whilst running in the rain, we’re confident if you get a taxi to a restaurant you could certainly make an impact!

Our personal favourite and yes- it had to British- was Burberry. They stole the show at the London Fashion Week. The best of British, it was alight with petals falling over a pleathora of pastels and acid pink colours accesoried by sparkly belts and jewellery sewn into dresses. How to compliment these sorts of styles with accessories? Think glam, large, statement jewellery. Oh how will Milan and Paris top this?

Written by Rosie May Reddington

What makes our jewellery special?

 We believe the quality of our silver and gold jewellery is amongst the top brands in the world. It’s a big statement, but one we are happy to back up.

It is, sadly, all too easy to look at a piece and its beauty distract from the craftsmanship that has gone into it and the details that make it a superior, luxury product.

So we’ve teamed up with the technical team at Lolo and Galago (who have wowed us with their expertise!) to explain to you why our silver and gold pieces are not just designer jewellery, but of luxury quality.

Stones: Lolo and Galago has decades of experience in sourcing and acquiring some of the most beautiful stones in the marketplace. Thanks to our networks, we are able to get early opportunities to pick up the best stones in terms of cut, clarity and colour. Lolo and Galago has access to all the biggest international markets, giving us the best opportunity to source the stones we want. This means our final pieces are adorned with some of the highest quality jewels.

Plating: When we plate our silver jewellery, we always plate it in gold, but take an extra step and add a very thin layer of transparent protective resin on top of this, adding to its wearability. We plate to a total of 3 microns thickness- substantially more than most jewellery- to ensure a lasting piece with a beautiful, even and thick finish. Perfect to create a dazzling look wherever you wear your jewellery to!

 

 

 

We use multiple moulds: Typically, a mould can be made from a wax carving, and this mould can then be used to cast pieces. But we take an extra step and cast a ‘master’ piece from the first mould, producing a second, more accurate mould from the master piece which is the one we will then use for our jewellery. This is because a mould made from a solid silver master piece will be more accurate with edges and complex parts formed in a finer manner-producing noticeably higher quality finish shapes.

Our Goldsmiths: At Lolo and Galago, we employ some of the most talented goldsmiths in the world- we are fortunate enough to have years of experience in the jewellery industry and as such have been able to selectively choose the goldsmiths we know can produce perfect pieces of jewellery. We combine traditional knowledge with modern software so every piece is comfortable and beautiful.

Our Quality Control: We monitor every stage of production from initial sketch designs right through to final inspection before our customer purchases to ensure there are no flaws in any of our work. It’s a painstaking process but something we continually enforce. And this ensures you get the highest quality jewellery that is as carefully constructed as it is designed.

New York Fashion Week – NYC Fashion Trends

New York fashion week has arrived and there is a real buzz in New York. In the first week, it was clear that monochrome was not only this year’s trend but will continue to be hot next year. One of our favourite styles was Jessica Alba in Narciso Rodriguez which she paired the dress with white cuff bracelets and a clutch bag.

So I know what you want to know..what are the key trends? Well believe it or not, lounge, simple layers and street fashion were definitely up in the top 5. One of our favourites at Lolo & Galago was Mr. Panichgul’s collection, he used lace in a soft black jumpsuit with a camisole-style top and paired it with semi-constructed tops in cotton with low V-backs.

Hats have made a come back so go and brush down your old ones or get shopping for a new one, we are talking wide brim toppers, creative leather versions as seen at Donna Karan’s show and  Timo Weiland's top hats. Spring is about looking chic – just simply chic. Another big trend is fringe, fringe on skirts, shoes, handbags and jewellery. In addition, after months of minimalist, apparently the sparkle is back, however we didn’t see much of it on the runway shows…I have a feeling we will see more of the sparkle and glitz on the runways in London Fashion week.

The Prep Squad is also in – big style. Anything from flirty schoolgirl skirts at Alexander Wang and Victoria Beckham shows to Rag & Bone's oversized black and white varsity sweater, it appears Spring is all about college style, plaids and navy in favour of black, white and grey, welcome the preppie Spring.

Pastels and Purple

Pastels and sugar tones are shaping up to be a 2014 trend, the fashion world is fixated on purple. Violet, lavender, lilac, this sweet shade is making waves ranging from gem tones to pastels. So get your gemstone jewellery out, amethyst, aqua, candy pinks are all hot.

 

Written By Rosie May Reddington

London’s Lost Jewels – Autumn Season

We at Lolo & Galago are excited to announce the unveiling of London’s most famed, mysterious and the world’s largest cache of Elizabethan and early Stuart jewellery. It was discovered in 1912 buried in a cellar in London’s Cheapside district - named the  ‘Cheapside Hoard’.

The Museum Of London will be displaying the whole collection which has never been shown to the public before. They will also be investigating with new research & state of the art technology, stories related to the hoard. Little is known of why it was lost or more likely hidden. It will also explore the mysteries that remain, who owned the Hoard, why was it hidden and why was it never reclaimed?

The Cheapside Hoard: London’s Lost Jewels,

Displaying: Museum of London, 11 October 2013 – 27 April 2014.

Sponsored by: Fabergé, Gemfields and Coutts

Contact: http://www.museumoflondon.org.uk

Written by Rosie May Reddington

Design and Creation at Lolo and Galago

When our founder created Lolo and Galago, his goal was to provide our customers with jewellery finished to a premium level that can be worn with pride. But he also wanted every piece to be beautiful in its design as well as its quality-and as such we make sure we go through a rigorous process so that each piece we produce can be worn as a work of art.

To get both beautiful design and construction is a challenge, requiring a lot of time and effort, involving people from all over the World- but it is time and effort we will always put in- and in this blog, we wanted to show you how. After all, there’s nothing better than being able to appreciate both craftsmanship and artistic talent in a single piece.

 

The first stage with all jewellery is for a designer to sketch up their original ideas for a collection. Our team in London starts with some brief guidelines for our designers. Our team will talk about upcoming trends, styles and inspirations and develop a mood board of images and ideas, like above, for our designers.

 

Our designer will then get to work sketching a variety of concept ideas based on our early art work, similar to the sketchbook page above. Our creative team then works with our designers, iterating through several designs, constantly re-working ideas until the perfect piece is finalised.

 

 

For a final jewellery design to be agreed, the piece must reflect the themes and inspirations that the collection needs to represent, and be versatile in design so our customer can wear it in a variety of ways. We never accept a final design until we are confident it is exclusive, beautiful and can be worn as designer art. Once everyone in the process is agreed, a finalised drawing is produced like above.

So, now we have a beautifully designed piece incorporating its own style and message- but we still need to produce it! Whilst our designers begin working on our next exciting collection, our goldsmiths start the technical work.
One of the beautiful things about jewellery manufacturing is it hasn’t changed much in hundreds of years- and at Lolo and Galago to make our exclusive jewellery we still use a lot of traditional methods.
Whilst for some pieces we use 3D design, in others our goldsmiths still carve the piece by hand.

 

 

Once we have our carving- which takes several days- we use it to create a rubber and resin mould which will be used to cast our first ‘master’ silver piece.

Our craftsmen then improve the master piece by polishing and filing small details before creating a second, perfectly formed mould. It is from this final mould that we then produce our final pieces. We have several stages and moulds as this helps create a much better finish- more on that next week!

 

Now it’s time to add some stones! We have an expert team who travel the globe to source the highest quality stones and cuts, attending the world’s largest stone markets. We then use our team of goldsmiths to set our stones, polish the raw piece, plate it, and then polish it... again!

It’s then time to Assay our piece before packaging it beautifully ready for a customer. It’s hard to believe just how many people have worked on creating a single piece and how many painstaking hours have gone into its design and production. But once you wear it, its beauty, depth of design and wearability make all that effort worthwhile.

And that is something both Lolo and Galago and our customer can be proud of.