Architect’s eye: Marion Vidal draws up blueprints for her mixed material jewellery
Montpellier-born designer Marion Vidal trained as an architect for six years, before swapping blueprints for jewellery. For the last 12 years, she has been merging the two creative disciplines, creating her own unique brand of 'architecture for the body' in graphic statement necklaces and structural brooches. Inspired by the work of her design heroes – many of them brutalist architects like Carlo Scarpa, Louis Kahn and Aldo van Eyck – Vidal uses materials in contrasting ways: marble with fabric ribbons and enamel with gold.
But by far her most favoured option is ceramic. She is fascinated by the integral juxtaposition in its make-up. ’It is raw and precious at the same time.’
In expressive pieces like her Gela necklace, ceramic is finely sculpted into globes and hung dramatically in clusters. Elswehere, Vidal’s pendant emblems are carved into rigid, geometric shapes, lightened by delicate fabric chains, in a range of bold colours, from hot pink and lime green, to peach and grey.
As well as an artist’s preoccupation with materials, Vidal has an architect’s eye for the bigger picture. 'I am very much interested in structural plans, in details and materials, in articulations and transition between spaces,' she explains. Each piece is designed to complement the next, so the wearer can build upon each design, like interconnecting rooms in a house.
This collection is Vidal's most refined expression of 'wearable architecture' yet.
INFORMATION
For more information, visit the Marion Vidal website
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
Elly Parsons is the Digital Editor of Wallpaper*, where she oversees Wallpaper.com and its social platforms. She has been with the brand since 2015 in various roles, spending time as digital writer – specialising in art, technology and contemporary culture – and as deputy digital editor. She was shortlisted for a PPA Award in 2017, has written extensively for many publications, and has contributed to three books. She is a guest lecturer in digital journalism at Goldsmiths University, London, where she also holds a masters degree in creative writing. Now, her main areas of expertise include content strategy, audience engagement, and social media.
-
Maude’s Brâncuși-inspired sex toys go on display in a new Paris exhibition
Maude’s design-led vibrators are now on display at Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, as part of ‘Private Lives: From the Bedroom to Social Media’. Brand founder Éva Goicochea talks to Wallpaper* about partnering with the museum and opening up cultural conversations around sex
By India Birgitta Jarvis Published
-
‘I was captivated by the idea of merging two iconic brands’: Nigo on his 1990s-inspired collaboration with Moncler and Mercedes-Benz
Unveiled at Moncler’s ‘The City of Genius’ event in Shanghai this past weekend, Japanese fashion designer Nigo unpacks his three-way collaboration with Moncler and Mercedes-Benz, which includes a play on the G-Class alongside a fashion collection in his eclectic style
By Jack Moss Published
-
Cathay Pacific’s new business class Aria Suites take flight
Cathay Pacific raises the bar for business-class travel with the launch of the much-anticipated Aria Suites
By Lauren Ho Published
-
Art takes London: Tiffany & Co, Damien Hirst and artists take over Selfridges' windows
Four British contemporary artists celebrate Tiffany & Co's pioneering history with a series of storied window displays
By Anne Soward Published
-
Late summer jewels: what to wear at Golden Hour
Late summer signals a jewellery style-shift. These independent designers have got it covered
By Caragh McKay Published
-
All smiles: How a grillz jewellery making class in London became an international hit
What started as a passion project quickly exploded in popularity. We get the story behind the grillz-making workshop at Cockpit London
By Elisa Anniss Published
-
Emerging jewellery designers to get to know
These independent, new and emerging jewellery designers and brands from New York to Paris are firmly on our radar
By Hannah Silver Published
-
Jewellery designers share their most precious personal pieces
A host of jewellers give us a peek at the jewellery which brings them joy and solace
By Hannah Silver Published
-
Playing it cool: pearls are having a moment
We've been deep-diving into boutiques around the world to find the very best calcium carbonate in minute crystalline form. It seems jewellers have been busy rethinking pearls, with contemporary (and often affordable) results
By Hannah Silver Published
-
Eternity rings for the modern couple
Eternity rings, whether sleekly minimalist or sprinkled in diamonds, can be a chic and contemporary love token
By Hannah Silver Published
-
Alternative engagement rings with an edge
As the sales of engagement rings sky-rocket during lockdown, enjoy our off-kilter curation of edgy and unconventional engagement rings
By Hannah Silver Last updated