Anabela Chan is what happens when you combine a trained architect with a fascination for taxidermy, and then put dazzling gemstones at her disposal. The London- and Paris-based jewellery designer has made a name for herself creating miniature compositions out of precious stones and is now tackling a new medium.
Although originally trained as an architect, Chan has since shifted her focus to smaller scales, designing complex, finespun jewellery using a large variety of precious stones and metals. Her work has adorned the likes of Sophie Turner and Lady Gaga.
As part of a collaboration with Bernhardt Design, Chan is translating her intricate designs into a collection of textiles. The designs and patterns pull from Chan’s extensive universe of inspiration, looking toward flowers, insects, and other elements found in nature.
Making their debut via an exhibition hosted by Les Ateliers Courbet, the collection will be presented as a unique installation that plays with the patterns Chan has made for Bernhardt Design.
The collection will also be shown alongside a range of handcrafted sculptural works by the artist, including a selection of hand-painted glass with roots in fin de siècle menageries, as well as pieces where Chan has attached hundreds of butterfly wings to spokes of brass and gold, creating bouquets of colour. The show will also include the second iteration of Beasts, a series conceived in 2013.
