Neurotica

Amelia’s Magazine | Fashion Interview: Gemma Marissa Designs

by


Illustration by Jenny Robins

This could become confusing as I’m interviewing the fabulous Gemma Marissa, recipe more about designer of the most beautiful crocheted jewellery and accessories I have ever seen. Gemma (the designer) and Jemma (the interviewer), both from Yorkshire and both in love with all things crafty. I think I could have a newfound friend.

It seems Gemma has always been the creative type “making things with whatever she found in her mother’s sewing box” and was soon whisked off to the big city to attend the Chelsea College of Art & Design. Having worked her way from student to designer (in every position along the way), she started her own accessories label in the summer of 2008 and has been working on the line ever since. 

But lets rewind a little bit, how did she manage to get this rising empire up and running? 

As soon as I walked in to the knit room at Chelsea College, filled with different coloured yarns and knitting machines, I knew that was where I belong. After university, I worked all over, from the Channel Four Costume Department to designing for Luella Bartley. After leaving there in 2008, I decided I wanted to focus on my own designs and began selling pieces at Spitalfields and Portobello Road Markets. I was luckily spotted and commissioned by the London fashion label Neurotica, to produce their accessories for SS10 (sold at Beyond The Valley and shown at London Fashion Week), which was fantastic!

The nature inspired collection with Neurotica’s fabulous prints was so successful that I was asked to follow on with a  range of very different but playful pieces for AW10. I have also just finished my collection of accessories collaborating with designer Michelle Lowe Holder which is a great range that consists of delicate crocheted necklaces and bracelets made with Michelle’s wonderful ribbon weave work that will be available for AW10.” 

A busy bee and very clearly someone who is dedicated to her talent, I wondered what inspired Gemma to create these beautiful pieces instead of ‘normal’ jewellery? 

As a child, I was brought up in a very inspired environment and my mother and grandmother are both very ‘crafty’. My sister and I were always in clothes made by them from pieces in the sewing box (an odd assortment of everything from fabric and ribbon to wool and buttons.) My life in Yorkshire is another important inspiration; being surrounded by the countryside, with its flowers and wildlife, allowed me to wander off on adventures. I would sketch everything that I saw and most of these things can be seen in my work now which focuses on my love of insects such as bees, butterflies and ladybirds.” 

Is it just nature that has been her inspiration then or is there something else behind the Gemma Marissa magic? 

“As with any designer I’m constantly looking back at vintage fashions, as these were times of great femininity and the clothing and accessories were elegant and beautiful, particularly in the 1940s and early 1950s. I also take a lot of inspiration from my love of childhood stories (mainly fairytales and poetry) and one of my first collections was greatly inspired by The Secret Garden and filled with crocheted flowers, poppies and daisies; it’s something I hope I can go back to in the future.

I do take other inspirations from my favourite artists for their colour and texture (Gustav Klimt, Monet, Cezanne); illustrators for their simplicity and delicate antique feel (Kate Greenway, Beatrix Potter, Edmund Dulac); photographers for their joy and playfulness (Robert Doisneau, Tim Walker) and movies for the fun and fashion (Funny Face, Amelie) but I can equally find insights from objects seen whilst scouring charity shops, car boot sales and antique markets. I’m always on the look out whether I see embroidery on an old table cloth, a vintage toy or the pattern on a piece of crockery.” 

It seems then that there isn’t just one source of inspiration for Gemma’s designs but that ideas can come from anywhere. And it must be a glamorous life, one filled with lavish parties and free bars. Right? 

It can be glamorous yeah and I do get invited to shows and parties, which are wonderful and exciting; however it really does mean more to me that I get to live my life each day researching, experimenting and designing as art and creativity have always been part of my life. I don’t know who or where I’d be without it. I love to surround myself with beautiful, inspirational things and being able to design and create my accessories everyday really is a dream come true and I wouldn’t want to do anything else!


Illustration by Jenny Robins

I’m sure we’re not at all jealous (me? Turning green?) but when she’s not designing, does she look to for everyday inspiration in the clothes she wears? 

“I like to have simplicity and playfulness in my style so I admire a lot of French designers such as Chanel, Chloe and Sonia Rykiel (three ticks there from me) but I also like smaller designers like Creatures of the Wind (a new one to me but some stunning pieces online) and Erdem (the golden boy at Fashion Week).

There are also many celebrities who have styles that I greatly admire, especially Audrey Hepburn, Maggie Gyllenhal, Kirsten Dunst and Audrey Tatou.

So the girl has impeccable taste as well as a winning jewellery line, but I wonder what her best moment has been so far? 

Hmm if I had to choose one I would say that my work for Neurotica has been the most important and significant thing in my career; collaborating on design ethics really makes for exciting projects. It means your work evolves in to something different and brings new ideas and inspirations in your work. It also meant I got to show at London Fashion Week in the Neurotica showroom and was asked back to design a second collection for aw10.” 

I think it’s safe to say that the girl from Yorkshire has done more than good in the furious world that we call fashion, whilst managing to keep her feet firmly on the ground. Find out more on her website and if you’ve been inspired to invest then you can find her pieces here. This is definitely a designer to be watched.

Written by Jemma Crow on Monday March 15th, 2010 6:46 pm

Categories ,accessories, ,Crafty, ,Creatures of the Wind, ,crochet, ,Erdem, ,Gemma Marissa, ,Jenny Robins, ,jewellery, ,London Fashion Week, ,Neurotica, ,The Secret Garden, ,vintage, ,Yorkshire

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Amelia’s Magazine | Fashion Interview: Gemma Marissa Designs

by


Illustration by Jenny Robins

This could become confusing as I’m interviewing the fabulous Gemma Marissa, recipe more about designer of the most beautiful crocheted jewellery and accessories I have ever seen. Gemma (the designer) and Jemma (the interviewer), both from Yorkshire and both in love with all things crafty. I think I could have a newfound friend.

It seems Gemma has always been the creative type “making things with whatever she found in her mother’s sewing box” and was soon whisked off to the big city to attend the Chelsea College of Art & Design. Having worked her way from student to designer (in every position along the way), she started her own accessories label in the summer of 2008 and has been working on the line ever since. 

But lets rewind a little bit, how did she manage to get this rising empire up and running? 

As soon as I walked in to the knit room at Chelsea College, filled with different coloured yarns and knitting machines, I knew that was where I belong. After university, I worked all over, from the Channel Four Costume Department to designing for Luella Bartley. After leaving there in 2008, I decided I wanted to focus on my own designs and began selling pieces at Spitalfields and Portobello Road Markets. I was luckily spotted and commissioned by the London fashion label Neurotica, to produce their accessories for SS10 (sold at Beyond The Valley and shown at London Fashion Week), which was fantastic!

The nature inspired collection with Neurotica’s fabulous prints was so successful that I was asked to follow on with a  range of very different but playful pieces for AW10. I have also just finished my collection of accessories collaborating with designer Michelle Lowe Holder which is a great range that consists of delicate crocheted necklaces and bracelets made with Michelle’s wonderful ribbon weave work that will be available for AW10.” 

A busy bee and very clearly someone who is dedicated to her talent, I wondered what inspired Gemma to create these beautiful pieces instead of ‘normal’ jewellery? 

As a child, I was brought up in a very inspired environment and my mother and grandmother are both very ‘crafty’. My sister and I were always in clothes made by them from pieces in the sewing box (an odd assortment of everything from fabric and ribbon to wool and buttons.) My life in Yorkshire is another important inspiration; being surrounded by the countryside, with its flowers and wildlife, allowed me to wander off on adventures. I would sketch everything that I saw and most of these things can be seen in my work now which focuses on my love of insects such as bees, butterflies and ladybirds.” 

Is it just nature that has been her inspiration then or is there something else behind the Gemma Marissa magic? 

“As with any designer I’m constantly looking back at vintage fashions, as these were times of great femininity and the clothing and accessories were elegant and beautiful, particularly in the 1940s and early 1950s. I also take a lot of inspiration from my love of childhood stories (mainly fairytales and poetry) and one of my first collections was greatly inspired by The Secret Garden and filled with crocheted flowers, poppies and daisies; it’s something I hope I can go back to in the future.

I do take other inspirations from my favourite artists for their colour and texture (Gustav Klimt, Monet, Cezanne); illustrators for their simplicity and delicate antique feel (Kate Greenway, Beatrix Potter, Edmund Dulac); photographers for their joy and playfulness (Robert Doisneau, Tim Walker) and movies for the fun and fashion (Funny Face, Amelie) but I can equally find insights from objects seen whilst scouring charity shops, car boot sales and antique markets. I’m always on the look out whether I see embroidery on an old table cloth, a vintage toy or the pattern on a piece of crockery.” 

It seems then that there isn’t just one source of inspiration for Gemma’s designs but that ideas can come from anywhere. And it must be a glamorous life, one filled with lavish parties and free bars. Right? 

It can be glamorous yeah and I do get invited to shows and parties, which are wonderful and exciting; however it really does mean more to me that I get to live my life each day researching, experimenting and designing as art and creativity have always been part of my life. I don’t know who or where I’d be without it. I love to surround myself with beautiful, inspirational things and being able to design and create my accessories everyday really is a dream come true and I wouldn’t want to do anything else!


Illustration by Jenny Robins

I’m sure we’re not at all jealous (me? Turning green?) but when she’s not designing, does she look to for everyday inspiration in the clothes she wears? 

“I like to have simplicity and playfulness in my style so I admire a lot of French designers such as Chanel, Chloe and Sonia Rykiel (three ticks there from me) but I also like smaller designers like Creatures of the Wind (a new one to me but some stunning pieces online) and Erdem (the golden boy at Fashion Week).

There are also many celebrities who have styles that I greatly admire, especially Audrey Hepburn, Maggie Gyllenhal, Kirsten Dunst and Audrey Tatou.

So the girl has impeccable taste as well as a winning jewellery line, but I wonder what her best moment has been so far? 

Hmm if I had to choose one I would say that my work for Neurotica has been the most important and significant thing in my career; collaborating on design ethics really makes for exciting projects. It means your work evolves in to something different and brings new ideas and inspirations in your work. It also meant I got to show at London Fashion Week in the Neurotica showroom and was asked back to design a second collection for aw10.” 

I think it’s safe to say that the girl from Yorkshire has done more than good in the furious world that we call fashion, whilst managing to keep her feet firmly on the ground. Find out more on her website and if you’ve been inspired to invest then you can find her pieces here. This is definitely a designer to be watched.

Written by Jemma Crow on Monday March 15th, 2010 6:46 pm

Categories ,accessories, ,Crafty, ,Creatures of the Wind, ,crochet, ,Erdem, ,Gemma Marissa, ,Jenny Robins, ,jewellery, ,London Fashion Week, ,Neurotica, ,The Secret Garden, ,vintage, ,Yorkshire

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Amelia’s Magazine | An interview with jewellery designer Gemma Marissa Murray

by


Illustration by Gemma Smith

Last year I had the privilege of interviewing the amazing Gemma Marissa. Gemma, erectile a jewellery designer and pioneer of individual hand made crochet pieces, website has shown at Estethica for London Fashion Week, sold her designs on Neurotica and has been designing professionally for almost three years.

This coming autumn, she has chosen to launch her home collection and if its anything like her beautiful necklaces and brooches, it will be something for you to covet at home whilst still in-keeping with the vintage hand made aesthetic of her jewellery. So I interviewed Gemma to find out what was in store for the season.

So what was your inspiration for creating a home collection and how do you think your hand made pieces will translate into the look? 
The inspiration for making a homeware collection actually came from me moving house. I started to look for cushions, throws and other pieces to make the place my own that had a unique, hand crafted quality to them, but nothing I saw interested me, and so I started making things for myself! Because I was working on the A/W 2011 accessories collection at the same time, I was very much influenced by this and so its very much inspired by the accessories that I was producing at the time. I suppose I translated them to feel more at home within a comfy old fashioned setting.
 
I’m sure it’s not going to be just your standard cushions though, are you going to venture into some more creative ideas? 
Most pieces are at sample stage right now so it’s all subject to changing as I work through it, but I am working on cushions, throws, decorative wall hangings and lots more. If things go well I really would love to produce crocheted lamp shades, and possibly curtains… I think there are endless possibilities with crochet and I am constantly having new ideas, which I hope I can bring into future homeware collections.


Illustration by Gemma Smith

I actually can’t wait! So what have you learnt since doing your last jewellery collection that has inspired you to create the beautiful new pieces you have now? 
I had a lot of fun with the last collection, filled with brilliant pom pom necklaces, headpieces and much more. But for S/S 2011 I wanted the collection to come back to what the Gemma Marissa brand is all about and what I love to make. This means that I’ve used a lot of natural, floral inspirations; the bluebells and ivy give a very English feel to the collection and the cherry blossoms were inspired by my trip to Japan early last year, the perfect time to see the blossoms in bloom, it was magical!

I can imagine the beauty must have been stunning to see and great inspiration. And talking about the inspiration for the collection, it’s all very mythical with references to natural beauties such as Guinevere and Aphrodite… 
Yes the collection is based on the Pre Raphaelites, whose works always have a mythical, magical feel to them; I just love the colours that are used in the works of artists such as Rosetti and Mucha that are also muted and understated and very beautiful. All of the pieces are named after goddesses or mythical women, such as the afore mentioned Aphrodite, or Pandora. I have always been intrigued by the stories surrounding these women so I thought I could bring this intrigue into my pieces, giving them a very ethereal feel!


 
Well it’s clear that it’s something you’ve always been interested in but S/S 2011 is visibly a move away from the almost fairy like creature designs of previous years. Is this just a new direction or a conscious inspired decision? 
This is definitely something I have always been interested in, I ‘m very much inspired by literature and stories, and this collection is another extension of this. I still, and always will, want my work to have an air of intrigue and other worldliness about it. I think fashion should be fun, and a way to express our personalities, thoughts and feelings, and it is brilliant I get to do this with each new collection as I am always inspired by different things. I am working on my A/W 2011 collection at present, and am busy looking into the Victorian era, an amazing and intriguing time for innovation in design and literature!

Are earrings a new foray for you? I don’t remember seeing them before… 
I hadn’t made earrings before no, but because the work for the S/S 2011 collection was so small and delicate I thought it would be lovely to make crocheted earrings made from a single bluebell or sycamore seed! They are a favourite part of my collection actually, and I wear mine a lot!

So would I – they’re stunning. Which of the key S/S 2011 trends do you think that your pieces fit best with and why?
I love the trend for ‘lady-like’ fashions, which hark back to the 1940′s for that ultra feminine look! Therefore I like the SS 2011 trends such as pastel colours, along with soft, light fabrics such as silk and lace that will work wonderfully alongside my pieces.

And where are you expecting to go from here? Obviously the home line is next but is this testing the water before you plan to release a home collection every season? 
Yes I will still produce a fashion & accessories collection each season, but along side this I hope that the homeware line will continue to expand…

It’s a very exciting prospect if you do. Who are your favourite designers this S/S 2011 and what trends will you mostly be wearing? 
My favourite, as always, is Erdem for his innovative S/S 2011 collection. He is able to make beautiful, feminine clothes that have a very modern feel to them and I especially love this season’s lace work! Also I saw the Kenzo show and just fell in love with the beautiful silks and knits which had a big Japanese influence and was so inspiring for my work. Another absolute favourite is Rodarte and their latest collection is stunning but of course these pieces will all be mixed with looks from the great British high street stores; some I’ve been loving recently are Gap and Anthropologie for their creative knits and beautiful use of fabrics. 

Well I am most definitetly excited to see the finished products. We’ll let Gemma get back to showing her S/S 2011 collection and the new home line but it’s lovely to know that the designer is still sticking to her roots. I can’t wait to see what the future brings for this innovative creative force. Bring on the crochet lampshades I say!

Read our original interview with Gemma here.

Written by Jemma Crow on Wednesday April 20th, 2011 5:07 pm

Categories ,Aphrodite, ,crochet, ,Erdem, ,estethica, ,Gemma Marissa, ,Gemma Smith, ,Homeware, ,Jemma Crow, ,jewellery, ,London Fashion Week, ,Neurotica, ,Pre-Raphaelites, ,Rodarte

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Amelia’s Magazine | An interview with jewellery designer Gemma Marissa Murray

by


Illustration by Gemma Smith

Last year I had the privilege of interviewing the amazing Gemma Marissa. Gemma, erectile a jewellery designer and pioneer of individual hand made crochet pieces, website has shown at Estethica for London Fashion Week, sold her designs on Neurotica and has been designing professionally for almost three years.

This coming autumn, she has chosen to launch her home collection and if its anything like her beautiful necklaces and brooches, it will be something for you to covet at home whilst still in-keeping with the vintage hand made aesthetic of her jewellery. So I interviewed Gemma to find out what was in store for the season.

So what was your inspiration for creating a home collection and how do you think your hand made pieces will translate into the look? 
The inspiration for making a homeware collection actually came from me moving house. I started to look for cushions, throws and other pieces to make the place my own that had a unique, hand crafted quality to them, but nothing I saw interested me, and so I started making things for myself! Because I was working on the A/W 2011 accessories collection at the same time, I was very much influenced by this and so its very much inspired by the accessories that I was producing at the time. I suppose I translated them to feel more at home within a comfy old fashioned setting.
 
I’m sure it’s not going to be just your standard cushions though, are you going to venture into some more creative ideas? 
Most pieces are at sample stage right now so it’s all subject to changing as I work through it, but I am working on cushions, throws, decorative wall hangings and lots more. If things go well I really would love to produce crocheted lamp shades, and possibly curtains… I think there are endless possibilities with crochet and I am constantly having new ideas, which I hope I can bring into future homeware collections.


Illustration by Gemma Smith

I actually can’t wait! So what have you learnt since doing your last jewellery collection that has inspired you to create the beautiful new pieces you have now? 
I had a lot of fun with the last collection, filled with brilliant pom pom necklaces, headpieces and much more. But for S/S 2011 I wanted the collection to come back to what the Gemma Marissa brand is all about and what I love to make. This means that I’ve used a lot of natural, floral inspirations; the bluebells and ivy give a very English feel to the collection and the cherry blossoms were inspired by my trip to Japan early last year, the perfect time to see the blossoms in bloom, it was magical!

I can imagine the beauty must have been stunning to see and great inspiration. And talking about the inspiration for the collection, it’s all very mythical with references to natural beauties such as Guinevere and Aphrodite… 
Yes the collection is based on the Pre Raphaelites, whose works always have a mythical, magical feel to them; I just love the colours that are used in the works of artists such as Rosetti and Mucha that are also muted and understated and very beautiful. All of the pieces are named after goddesses or mythical women, such as the afore mentioned Aphrodite, or Pandora. I have always been intrigued by the stories surrounding these women so I thought I could bring this intrigue into my pieces, giving them a very ethereal feel!


 
Well it’s clear that it’s something you’ve always been interested in but S/S 2011 is visibly a move away from the almost fairy like creature designs of previous years. Is this just a new direction or a conscious inspired decision? 
This is definitely something I have always been interested in, I ‘m very much inspired by literature and stories, and this collection is another extension of this. I still, and always will, want my work to have an air of intrigue and other worldliness about it. I think fashion should be fun, and a way to express our personalities, thoughts and feelings, and it is brilliant I get to do this with each new collection as I am always inspired by different things. I am working on my A/W 2011 collection at present, and am busy looking into the Victorian era, an amazing and intriguing time for innovation in design and literature!

Are earrings a new foray for you? I don’t remember seeing them before… 
I hadn’t made earrings before no, but because the work for the S/S 2011 collection was so small and delicate I thought it would be lovely to make crocheted earrings made from a single bluebell or sycamore seed! They are a favourite part of my collection actually, and I wear mine a lot!

So would I – they’re stunning. Which of the key S/S 2011 trends do you think that your pieces fit best with and why?
I love the trend for ‘lady-like’ fashions, which hark back to the 1940′s for that ultra feminine look! Therefore I like the SS 2011 trends such as pastel colours, along with soft, light fabrics such as silk and lace that will work wonderfully alongside my pieces.

And where are you expecting to go from here? Obviously the home line is next but is this testing the water before you plan to release a home collection every season? 
Yes I will still produce a fashion & accessories collection each season, but along side this I hope that the homeware line will continue to expand…

It’s a very exciting prospect if you do. Who are your favourite designers this S/S 2011 and what trends will you mostly be wearing? 
My favourite, as always, is Erdem for his innovative S/S 2011 collection. He is able to make beautiful, feminine clothes that have a very modern feel to them and I especially love this season’s lace work! Also I saw the Kenzo show and just fell in love with the beautiful silks and knits which had a big Japanese influence and was so inspiring for my work. Another absolute favourite is Rodarte and their latest collection is stunning but of course these pieces will all be mixed with looks from the great British high street stores; some I’ve been loving recently are Gap and Anthropologie for their creative knits and beautiful use of fabrics. 

Well I am most definitetly excited to see the finished products. We’ll let Gemma get back to showing her S/S 2011 collection and the new home line but it’s lovely to know that the designer is still sticking to her roots. I can’t wait to see what the future brings for this innovative creative force. Bring on the crochet lampshades I say!

Read our original interview with Gemma here.

Written by Jemma Crow on Wednesday April 20th, 2011 5:07 pm

Categories ,Aphrodite, ,crochet, ,Erdem, ,estethica, ,Gemma Marissa, ,Gemma Smith, ,Homeware, ,Jemma Crow, ,jewellery, ,London Fashion Week, ,Neurotica, ,Pre-Raphaelites, ,Rodarte

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