The boho revival - a fashion fave transformed
To me the very best of fashion is defined by the unexpected. The combinations that shouldn't work, but do. The weird that becomes the wonderful. The opposites that attract, fitting together as intimately as pieces of a puzzle. Think of the 'aha' moment of discovering a jewellery piece that expresses your individuality and yet captures the contemporary vibe of the latest fashion trend. Imagine boho organic bones teamed with Swarovski crystal. Aged leather against exquisite fine silver. Or exquisitely carved ox bone crescents suspended from arches of elegant gold. Express your inner bohemian and team it with city slick.That's the essence of metro boho jewellery.
As a jewellery designer with very eclectic taste, I've found myself alternating between bohemian lushness and a strictly black-only minimalism in my artisan jewellery designs. I was Zig and Zag. A duality that yearned for unity.
It's crazy how things begin. I think it might have started with Swarovski crystal skulls and some gorgeous organic buffalo teeth corded with natural twine. Greedy me wanted them both. The Swarovski crystal was so perfectly urban - the buffalo teeth the epitome of boho. Glittering metro skylines and outback deserts. Cocktails in the city and dusty desert wind blowing through your hair. Total opposites. Two extremes epitomising the style dictum "and never the twain shall meet."
Who says they can't meet? I mean, is there a style bible I don't know about that contains a list of fashion no-nos. Would I go to fashion purgatory if I broke these unspoken rules? Did everyone really want exactly the same jewellery, or were there adventurers out there like me, seeking unique, artisan, one-off jewellery. Jewellery that provokes second glances and astonishment at how unique jewellery can completely transform not only an outfit, but also a person. Want to be the sort of woman who warrants a double-take? Go for unique jewellery and stand out from the crowd. Was I right? Well, I was certainly going to give it a try...
Swarovski crystal meets rustic bone - hello metro boho jewellery!
The next step was inevitable. I hate being told something can't be done "just because". I took two gleaming faceted skulls - Swarovski brilliant volcanic red magma, surgical in its precision - and I very irreverently hung the raw, twined buffalo teeth from them.
Viola! Suddenly I had earrings in my hands the likes of which I had never seen before. Yes, the Swarovski skulls gave them a distinctly city edge. The bones softened the look, introducing nature into the city. Cowboy boots or white Victorian shirts - edgy black jeans or flowing boho maxis. The earrings complemented both styles beautifully. Of course one thing led to another. Bone jewellery is a mainstay of boho, but is rarely used in minimalist jewellery. So I imagined bones suspended from azure spheres of turquoise, or dangling from beautifully carved tribal silver. Simple, minimal, but earthy. Unique earrings - merging the essence of minimalist and boho jewellery. The image of what would become metro boho jewellery began to solidify in my mind. The marriage of opposites worked beautifully.
So the new Bohemian - Metro Boho - was born. Wearing my latest gypsy inspired creation I scuttled over to visit my most critical fashionista friend and blurted nervously: "Do I look like a hippy who's trying to get a job as an account, or a corporate femme trying to desperately to fit in at a ByronBay Festival?" She narrowed her eyes, saying not a word, and slowly nodded her head. It was Meryl Streep in 'The Devil Wears Prada' all over again. That nod was the sign of highest approval.
The metro boho creators come from all over the world
Of course the range has grown from those original earrings. Apart from the three mainstays of Her Lovely Bones, Alex, Jules and Bone Mama (that's me), we are so fortunate to have access to silver and metal smith artisans from around the world, not to mention a very astute turquoise expert in Arizona who sources the very best glorious blue turquoise, much of it very rare from mines which no longer produce. Our bones come from a responsibly sourced company in the US and a Balinese bone carver known to us personally. The environment and sustainability are a cornerstone of this small company - our mascot, Loki the Maine Coon cat, wouldn't have it any other way.
Her Lovely Bones celebrates nature and seeks to make it relevant to city life. We want to bring a slice of oasis into arid urban streets, and a touch of slick edginess to boho. We hope you think we've succeeded. And bought a new kind of beauty into the world. Check out our jewellery and see if you agree...
Back to Life, Love and Jewellery – Thoughts From The Boneyard