On Thursday, I had the utter pleasure of attending an evening with Shaun Leane at ROX in Glasgow. There was champagne, diamonds & schmooze and it was brilliant! The evening has truly set the tone for christmas coming...
If you are unfamiliar with Shaun Leane, you might want to check out his website where I am sure you will recognise a few iconic items, such as the bespoke brooch he created for Sarah-Jessica Parker .
Or the Diamond Glove created for Daphne Guinness; heavily influenced by his long friendship with Alexander McQueen, whose untimely passing meant he never saw the finished piece. As a bit of an exclusive, Leane did let it slip that there will be work on additional pieces to the collection, so keep your eyes peeled!!
In fact, McQueen had been right by Leane's side for much of his career, meeting in a pub when McQueen was studying for his MA. From the get go, the pair clicked and Leane cites McQueen as having a massive influence throughout his career. One of Leane's most recent collection 'Bound' has been influenced by the coiled corset he created for a McQueen show, taking the african elements from the coils and building them into a gorgeous, wearable pieces. Leane talked very tenderly of his relationship with McQueen and it's clear that he will continue to draw on the friendship for years to come.
I think one of the things about Leane that particularly appeals to me is his appreciation and understanding of the feminine form & attention to detail. Instant nostalgia & romance are qualities I love in my jewellery. I look for a story and I think with Shaun Leane, you get one. Check out the Sam Taylor Wood 'Tear Catcher' ring. It makes my heart melt!
Pressed on who he would like to collaborate with in the future, Leane earmarked Viktor & Rolf and Cartier. Cartier would be amazing! On stating he'd like to revisit their archive of 20's pieces & rework them, there were a few weak knees in the room (and I'm sure my husband's heart stopped momentarily even though he was 150 miles away!).
On predictions for the future, Leane reckons the trends will be leaving the intricate, twisted details of previous collections behind and make a move towards minimalist, clean and bold lines. I absolutely can't wait to see what his future collections will bring. What I do know is I need to snag a pair of these before that collection disappears!
Thanks goes to ROX & Toni for inviting me a long. It was something so different & the train journey was definitely worth it!
