Dear Stardoll,

 I just had the most amazing day! It was boiling, 35C degree weather but I went to see the studios of Wear-and-Tear and sat down with Wendy Mak of cocomojo so it was totally worth it!!

 Wear-and-Tear

 The first company, Wear-and-Tear is the brainchild of designer Cheung Lik. Wear-and-Tear is a jewellery and accessories line, sold in such places as Kabiri in London. Not only is the brand a collection of beautifully sculptural pieces but also everything is handmade and I was lucky enough to see the designer in action.

 Cheung Lik’s studio was an oasis of knick-knacks, buttons and trinkets.  She told me that she went to school wanting to study sculpture but opted for fashion, however her sculptural desire definitely speaks for itself in her jewellery.

 The piece that really stuck out to me was a peachy orange fabric covered square necklace. It reminded me of a waterfall, an angular structured waterfall but with an organic hands on feel.

 Designer Cheung Lik told me that she likes contrast, such as the mix of soft and hard or the idea of how things shouldn’t work together yet somehow they do.  She showed me how simple ideas turn into beautiful jewellery. She starts by playing around with bits and bobs while getting basic ideas down. The designer had a ring she was working on which was held together by blue tack, which was a way to visualise the idea before figuring out the logistics.

I loved the designer’s approach and thinking behind the brand. It was inspiring to see her workspace, her ideas come together and the ultimate result, beautiful pieces of jewellery.

cocomojo

 cocomojo was a surprise to me, I didn’t know much about the brand prior to the meeting but I had heard amazing things and cocomojo definitely did not let me down.

cocomojo is a handbag and accessories label with the prettiest items you can imagine. I’ve always been more of a shoe girl myself but cocomojo’s colourful bags have made me a convert.

It was like being a kid in a candy shop as Wendy showed me the cocomojo range of bags and explained to me the meaning behind cocomojo. She said the name coco sprung from rococo (an 18th century French style and a personal favourite of her own). As for mojo, she liked how it conjured charms and love spells. I love anything with a bit of tongue and cheek/playfulness.

 The handmade, hand cut and had painted bags were so delightful that I’ve decided that I absolutely must get my hands on a bag ASAP!