By definition, the word ‘panache’ means ‘ornamental plumage on a helmet’ and harks back to the Middle Ages. Seoul-based designer Cha Sunyoung felt it was a fitting moniker for her fine jewellery label, P by Panache, which she launched after graduating from London’s Central Saint Martins in 2008. She felt that the duality between the sturdy, masculine surface of the helmet and the delicate romance of decorative feathers exemplified her aesthetic. ‘My jewellery might be crafted from metal, but it possesses a beautiful softness. I love that combination of contrasting elements,’ she says.
For her autumn/winter 2017 collection, Cha drew inspiration from the curvature of the human body. ‘I found it fascinating to draw lines in the negative spaces of the body, such as the inner ear,’ she reveals. ‘Those lines then naturally became three dimensional and structural,’ she adds. Cha riffs on the theme throughout, offering undulating double and triple hoop earrings, barely-there chokers and exquisite ear cuffs that resemble gilded doodles. Elsewhere, she employs a playful spectrum of coloured gemstones and diamonds to enliven sculptural rings and extended studs that bridge the ear lobe in a dazzling linear formation.
Her personal highlight, however, is a relatively subtle pair of interlinking silver hoops. ‘The ear is located in between the two circles, but they still communicate with each other,’ she notes. ‘They create a beautiful shadow on the neckline when worn.’ She also considers her sleek ‘Curve Bracelets’, crafted in rose and yellow gold to be a key style. ‘They sit perfectly – ever so slightly raised – on the back of the hand, even when you move,’ she adds. Despite her modern outlook and technical ingenuity, each piece retains a timeless quality, which she deems highly important. ‘Jewellery is an emotional expression, passed down through generations,’ she explains. ‘I’ve realised that we never actually posses it, we just participate in its time – and that’s a wonderful thing.’
‘Curve’ bangles in rose gold and rhodium plated brass, with Swarovski crystals
‘Orbit’ earrings in rose gold plated brass, with silver post and Swarovski crystals
‘Curve’ bangles in rose gold and rhodium plated brass, with Swarovski crystals
‘Cupid’s Arrow’ long double earring in rose gold plated brass with sterling silver post and Swarovski crystals
INFORMATION
For more information, visit the P by Panache website
-
Watch dance, music and film collide at a unique event at Abbey Road StudiosIn this exclusive film, watch Abbey Road’s first Artist in Residence, Jordan Rakei, collaborate with industry-leading creatives to produce a dance performance in the hallowed Studio One
-
Frances Elkins gets her dues at Christie's this JuneYou can soon take home a piece of the legendary American designer’s legacy…including a $3 million Alberto Giacometti sculpture.
-
The new Phone 2 Pro from CMF combines generous scale with true affordabilityWe explore the ins and outs of the CMF Phone 2 Pro, the newest device from the Nothing sub-brand that focuses on bold design and carefully honed value engineering
-
Art takes London: Tiffany & Co, Damien Hirst and artists take over Selfridges' windowsFour British contemporary artists celebrate Tiffany & Co's pioneering history with a series of storied window displays
-
Late summer jewels: what to wear at Golden HourLate summer signals a jewellery style-shift. These independent designers have got it covered
-
All smiles: How a grillz jewellery making class in London became an international hitWhat started as a passion project quickly exploded in popularity. We get the story behind the grillz-making workshop at Cockpit London
-
Emerging jewellery designers to get to knowThese independent, new and emerging jewellery designers and brands from New York to Paris are firmly on our radar
-
Jewellery designers share their most precious personal piecesA host of jewellers give us a peek at the jewellery which brings them joy and solace
-
Playing it cool: pearls are having a momentWe'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
-
Eternity rings for the modern coupleEternity rings, whether sleekly minimalist or sprinkled in diamonds, can be a chic and contemporary love token
-
Hair jewellery to covet and collectToday’s hair jewellery is both practical and pretty. We're pinning our hopes on these simple and elegant accessories
