Jewellery

These rising jewellery stars are a cut above the rest.

Fashion: Jason Hughes. Photography: Sophie Tajan. Writer: Caragh McKay

There’s a refreshing confidence to Kurginyan’s work. The Moscow-based designer has explored notions that ‘jewellery can be sculptural and interactive at the same time’, in order to produce elegant solutions. ‘I want to make something very aesthetic and tactile, but at the same time playful,’ she says. Her honed graphic metal curves demand to be worn differently. behance.net/elena_kurginya

Above, Dress, £79, by COS

A sharp instinct for texture and materials informs the narrative drive of Cheng’s ideas. ‘Contemporary jewellery design allows a lot  of possibility in materials. PVC, for instance, can express meaning metal cannot,’ she says. Cheng is driven by the connective quality  of jewellery and forging relationships between designer and wearer. chen2gjewellery.com

Above, Body, £119, by Wolford

Räthel’s belief that ‘jewellery doesn’t always have to fit into the traditional categories of earrings, bracelet and necklaces’ is a starting point for her designs. Thinking beyond form allows her to ‘explore space and movement, and the hard, cold nature of metal and stone on a soft, living surface’. Co-founder of label Räthel & Wolf, she is currently working for fashion designer Paula Knorr. rathelwolf.com