Creative, eye-catching, unique; these are just a few words that can be used to describe the eclectic designs of jewelry line Design and Conquer. Born out of a desire to create visually stimulating pieces, we sit down with the label’s Canadian designer Morgan Mallett to discover where she gets her plethora of inspiration and why having no formal training in jewelry making is never going to hold her back.
What is your unique story?
I was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, and was raised in both Whistler and Vancouver’s North Shore. I’m an only child, so I was often left to my own devices to entertain myself and as a result experimenting with different materials and creativity came naturally to me, I have a few scars from attempting to colour our family cats with crayons! Growing up, I was an unusual hybrid of artist and jock—I played field hockey for my University and province while completing my fine arts degree. I still run and cycle often.
Morgan Mallett, hiking in rocky mountains
Where do you get your inspiration from?
Oh gosh…I’ve always wanted to be an artist, but it wasn’t until university that I learned of the many different careers that were possible in the arts. I was lucky to have a family that encouraged my artistic development!
I was in the middle of my B.FA in painting when I became intrigued with graphic design—specifically, with how things communicate. How do ads persuade, provoke and proliferate cultural ideas? What was the psychology behind it all? I was working on 6’ x 4’ paintings, and experimenting with all kinds of materials, but felt that ‘art’ in a typical gallery sense was a limited medium to get artists’ work out there.
Immediately after graduating, I set out to Halifax, Nova Scotia, where I earned my B.Des in Graphic Design at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design University. I’d always experimented with different materials and made jewelry since I was a kid, but it didn’t dawn on me until after I started my career as a graphic designer that I could actually choose jewelry design as a career! I see myself as a designer, not as a ‘jewelry or ‘graphic’ designer—I design in many different mediums, and want to try my hand at designing in many more.
I learned what I do from experimentation. I have no formal jewelry training—just cravings to visualize my ideas, and the perseverance to make them happen. Trial and error also breeds juicy ideas. Often I’ll think of a new design while messing up another carefully planned one, abandon the first one (or adapt it), and come up with a stronger design in the process. Working in non-traditional materials is exciting and challenging—plastic polymers, prototyping plastics and industrial tubing are incredibly versatile materials. It’s fun to push the boundaries of what is typically categorized as jewellery.
Firewall necklace FW 2010
Zenith Necklace SS 2010
Who is the Design and Conquer woman?
Someone who is confident with their aesthetic style. Someone who bucks trends, or someone who just wants to dip their toe into the sea of non-conformity. My clients are diverse—from Australia, Iceland, Croatia, Canada, the US.
Design + Conquer at Toronto Fashion Week
What have been your greatest challenges as a designer and how have you overcome them?
There are many but they are all learning opportunities! Businesses are expensive, and it pays to have a plan re: funding. I’ve been able to shoot my collections in different locations across Canada by simultaneously working as a graphic designer. Self-funding is tough, but it’s very rewarding, because you are solely responsible for your work. It’s important to love your work, as this is what helps motivate you to push forward.
Morgan Mallett, outdoor studio
I’m grateful to have a graphic design background, as that’s enabled me to produce and promote my own work. I’ve also produced and edited teaser videos for my collections, which has helped spread the D + C word. When I face a challenge, I find it helpful to ask questions. Ask clothing designers, accessory designers, business people, accountants, musicians, publicists—and learn from their experiences. You’d be surprised at how many people want to help you if you reach out.
Could you describe your creative process a little bit?
I’m constantly doing visual research (formal and informal). I collect imagery from all over the place. At the same time, I collect music—I’m a bit of a music-addict, and get a lot of my visuals from music. I’m constantly playing tunes in the studio, and hunting down new music, particularly electronica. I teamed up with Vancouver electronica artist Teen Daze for an interview I did on Vimeo earlier this year, which was a lot of fun!
I typically start with drawings. I’ll get flashes of ideas at random times as my mind filters the imagery I’ve saturated it with, and I’ll scribble these down on whatever is convenient. I’ll create variations of these in sketchbooks, and then start working in the material I’m using. I start with a few designs, and in the process come up with new—and juicier—ideas I never could have just sketching. I work very intuitively, and find that when a design is too contrived, or ‘over-worked,’ it looks stale and loses its vibrancy. I make more designs than needed, sleep on it, and then edit from there. Art direction for my campaigns and collection videos can come before I execute designs, or during the design process.
Currently I hand make all of my designs, but for my upcoming collection, I’ll be outsourcing and hand-making some of the details, which will enable my designs to reach a wider audience.
What is your favorite piece you’ve created and why?
That’s like picking a favourite child! I love them all in different ways…as they all express the different facets of a collection. If I had to pick, it would be my Pavilion earrings from my SS 2011 collection. They were one of the key shapes and designs I was excited about in the early stages of designing. With these particular earrings, I was simultaneously referencing the CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) logo from the 1970s, the sounds of Soul Train, and popular colours from Expo ’67.
Pavilion Earrings SS 2011
I also love the Hostess earrings from my current collection, because of how the light penetrates them when worn. They reference geometric textile patterns of the late 60s. I imagine a stewardess from that era with false lashes wearing these earrings while serving a martini on a transatlantic flight. ‘One olive or two?’
Hostess Earrings SS 2011
Which other designer on Boticca do you admire most?
It would have to be Naomi Mcintosh and her dynamic necklaces. I would love to see her design earrings and rings…I think it’s her architectural aesthetic that most appeals to me. Very cool stuff.
So what’s next?
I’m currently in the final stages of designing my upcoming collection. I’m working with 3D modeling and rapid prototyping—a new design arena for me. I’ll be shooting in Montréal, Québec later this summer—oooh la la!
