All art and design is a product of society and culture, which in turn are communicated through objects – from furniture to artwork. For contemporary jewellery designer and former geologist, Ari Athans, it is her Greek heritage that informs many of her designs and continually feeds her creativity.

“As children, my mother always made us little amulets for safe travels and these little jewels were always meant to be worn inside your clothing. I love the way jewellery is a part of the rituals and traditions in Greece,” Athans says.

For many of her designs she adopts a minimalist aesthetic frequently combining unexpected materials such as basalt and black diamond or reworking a traditional jewellery item to create a contemporary piece.

“I take a minimalist approach as it allows me to pause and appreciate the earth’s minerals.  They are precious, rare and each piece is unique and I like my jewellery to reflect this,” she says.

“Diamonds aren’t the only gems.  There are many, many different and  unusual gemstones in the world and I like the idea of showing people what is possible.”
 
After 12 years of exhibiting and selling her jewellery nationally and internationally, 43 year-old Athans opened her gallery workshop Ari Jewellery in Brisbane’s New Farm five years ago.

“All of my work is completed at the gallery as it doubles as a workshop (and) I think having your trade open for all to see inspires people and makes purchase more meaningful,” she says.

The juxtaposing of mining to jewellery design and the transition from one to the other is not something Athans see’s as a glaring contrast.

“When the time came to take a few years out of the mining industry I wanted to fulfill my dream of studying art and so, completed a jewellery and object design course at Randwick TAFE,” she says.

“It was a very natural progression and today my geology background has informed my work on many levels.”

Athans work is currently being showcased in Freestyle, an exhibition of 40 designers across fashion, furniture and craft at Milan’s Triennale Museum.


Ari Jewellery
arijewellery.com.au

 

 

 

  

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It’s no longer about a quick fix, rather a fulfilling experience, when it comes to buying a car, and Rolls Royce has taken this shift in consumer thinking to new levels with its Bespoke Program.

The Bespoke Program enables customers to treat their Rolls Royce like a blank canvas. Rolls Royce owners can order specialised features that go far beyond the options list, allowing them to create a unique car tailored to suit their personal needs and desires.

Bespoke Design Manager for Rolls Royce, Gavin Hartley, spends his days customising cars down to the finest detail and understands this mindset on a very intricate level.

“The things people find value in these days is shifting – from things that are expensive to things that give them a unique experience, with a story behind them,” Hartley says.

It could be anything from custom-designed wine glasses seamlessly installed into a picnic set which packs perfectly into the car boot, to a personal nameplate discreetly embossed into the leather inside the glove box.

“Sometime personalisation is overt, and sometimes it’s discreet,” says Hartley. “Most people don’t go for things that are too wild, they prefer to enjoy the knowledge that it’s bespoke.”

The more ‘overt’ requests however have taken Hartley and his team into unchartered territories, challenging their knowledge and know-how to create white leather flooring, custom-fitted flasks, and walking sticks which are stored in the tailgate.

“It’s a bit like visiting a tailor,” explains Hartley. “Instead of buying a suit off the internet or the rack, you talk to your tailor and he gets to understand your preferences. There’s no right or wrong, it’s how you fee comfortable.”

“It’s harkening back to a more personal time, giving people the involvement and the feeling that they are part of Rolls Royce.” And that Rolls Royce is very much a part of them…

Rolls Royce
rolls-roycemotorcars.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Aesop places huge emphasis on the importance of design and expressing oneself aesthetically. Ultimately, it is this belief which is inherent in the company’s entire range of work, and spills into its retail spaces with uncomplicated beauty.

Proudly maintaining a strong commitment to artistic expression, the very layout of Aesop stores, down to details like the specific patterns of containers, labels and bags, communicate a yearning to contribute to the greater design landscape.

Touring the brand’s many stores is like watching the Aesop name transform, as each space is designed individually to identify with the characteristics of the neighbourhood and bring the culture of the area to life.

Take for example the St Kilda store in Melbourne where a car park driveway was remodeled into a long space whose high ceilings and clean lines are designed to evoke the tones of a medical laboratory.

Aesop’s Fitzroy store, whilst only situated a mere few suburbs away from St Kilda, presents a stark shift in mood. This space, with its cubist-like lines and clever use of timber, is inspired by artist co-ops, trams and discarded metal, paying genuine homage to its location.

Aesop
aesop.net.au

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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