name to know: Michelle Jank

 

Portrait of Jank, courtesy of news.com.au

If you haven't heard of her yet, Aussie darling, Michelle Jank is a name you're sure to be hearing a lot of in the near future. This former clothing designer started her career in Australia back in 2000 with a highly anticipated collection of lace dresses. However, after mediocre success in the fashion world, Jank traded in her dress forms and patterns in exchange for a career in jewelry design. She moved halfway around the world and set up atelier in Paris, the marais, no less, and began working on her unique collection.  

Another fabric necklace, photo courtesy of  Who Stole the High Street

Jank's jewelry is not your average glitz and glitter; textiles reign supreme throughout her collection of whimsical collars/bib necklaces.  And that, precisely, is what makes Jank's jewelry collections so interesting and sought after- her background in fashion is entirely evidenced in textured folds and flaps. Her garment perspective provides an interesting angle from which to design and wear jewelry: these pieces are the product of a perfect fusion of these two stylistic spheres. Using fabrics enables Jank to really play with volume and silhouettes with a freedom that conventional jewelry mediums do not allow. The neck pieces can be large, statement pieces that are interesting to the eye without fear of weighing the wearer down. 

 

 

Photos courtesy of The Fashion Spot

More recently, Jank has ventured into more structured jewelry pieces, experimenting with rigidity in mediums such as acrylic and Perspex. However, although these pieces are equally interesting aesthetically, I find her softer, more fluid jewelry a more stunning and creative example of her work. You can find Michelle Jank jewelry in a number of places- including Colette (Paris), Dover Street Market (London), Harrods, and Kima Zabete (New York), to name a few. Or check out her IQONS profile, here.