Handpicked by Chiara
Mettle - Low ring by Linnie Mclarty
Truly stunning sculptural piece in sterling silver by London-based Linnie Mclartie, this subtly textured matte ring will certainly demonstrate your love of contemporary jewelry.
Tag: linniemclarty
Who wore it better?
Posted in by Poppy
With a limited number of ‘it’ dresses and a multitude of celebrities, it’s inevitable that sometimes, shock horror, celebs will be seen in the same ensemble. Here we take a look at these style twins and in a bid to make every look individual, we show you how the help of some unique accessories would win the style war every time.
Eva Longoria Vs. Kate Cassidy
It’s Desperate Housewives Vs. Gossip Girl this week as the two leading ladies go head to head in the style stakes.
Starting with Latino lovely Eva Longoria. Shining in style with this Alice+Olivia frock, Eva’s no-accessory look leaves us a little flat. With the ¾ sleeve, we would have liked to see a delicate bracelet such as the Vine Bangle in Gold by Julia Failey. With such a perfect up-do, we also would have preferred some bolder earrings. Striking yet subtle, Linnie Mclarty’s ‘small pleasures’ silver and gold earrings would make this ensemble pop perfectly.
Gossip Girl’s Kate Cassidy’s effortless style brings a fresh and fun vibe to this frock. However, with such a wow piece, we would add a dash of low-key formality just to bring out the drama. Fun, fresh and funky, the Mini Cedars bag by MOJO is just the ticket.
So, the question still remains: who wore it better. A sucker for her high-octane glam, Eva does it for us. Do you agree?
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Perfect Presents
Posted in by Poppy
With the frenzy of the festive gift-buying season well under way, we give you the ultimate guide to buying a perfect, unique gift.
Make it personal. Run of the mill, on everyone’s top 10 list presents are easy. Make sure they know you’ve taken that extra little bit of care with a personalised present. We love Jessica de Lotz Jewellery’s Personalised Hand Stamped Wax Seal Necklace.
Think outside the box. Dorus Mhor’s Liberty Print Gem Bracelet is fashioned from vintage Liberty of London cotton fastened onto wooden beads for a delightfully different piece of bling.
Give the gift that keeps on giving. What are we talking about? Why fairtrade of course. As a licenced Fairtrade designer, 15% of Linnie Mclarty’s profits go towards ensuring a better working life for miners and for their families. We love the METTLE ring.
Life is better when you learn. Gemstones are not only beautiful and unique but each and every one has a separate meaning. From agate to amethyst, find out what each one means on our blog.
Make it local. Fly the flag for homegrown, local talent and pick an artist from your hometown. Boticca has over 200 designers from over 50 countries around the world.
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Fashion with a conscience
Posted in by Poppy
Michael Jackson once famously sang that he wanted to ‘heal the world and make it a better place’, which is something some of Boticca’s designers can identify with. With a belief that true beauty comes not just from product alone but that it encompasses a responsibility to the planet, we take a look at our top ethical artists.
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GLAMOUR.COM UK’s Fashion Editors Philippa Morgan & Leisa Barnett talk shop and celebrate all things gorgeous.
Posted in by Poppy
When we asked Glamour’s online Fashion Editors for their take on Boticca style we knew it was going to be interesting. Where Philippa’s style is more eclectic, Leisa is more of a fan of minimalism making their picks from our plethora of unique designers one of the most interesting yet.
Intrigued? We have more from the girls here.
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London Jewellery Week
Posted in by Poppy
If you have noticed that your office is emptier, the tubes less packed and friends uncharacteristically quiet this week, chances are it’s due to London Jewellery Week.
Taking place from June 6th to June 12th, this week long extravaganza celebrates the best in the biz, bringing together industry heavy hitters and emerging artists alike. Based at several key London locations, this bling enthusiasts dream week will include catwalk shows, live jewellery making exhibitions, parties and most importantly, opportunities to buy. So with so much to do and so much to see, Boticca give you their guide to London’s most exciting week.
Who to see
Zelia Horsley
A former winner of the highly prestigious Professional Jeweller Treasure Competition, this year Zelia will not only take her place on the panel of judges for the coveted competition but will also be exhibiting her Autumn/Winter 2011/12 collection. Inspired by industrial materials from a bygone era, Zelia mixes acrylic plates with layered chains for an unmistakably feminine yet strikingly modern range of earings, bracelets and even brooches.
Renaissance Life
Born out of a desire to turn their passion for history into beautiful jewelry, Renaissance Life is a divine Swedish brand, new to Boticca, who create pieces each with their own story to tell. Taken from popular Swedish sayings, the pieces aim to reflect the past, present and future, reflecting life and its infinite possibilities.
La Diosa
Literally translating as ‘The Goddess’ in Spanish, the designer duo behind La Diosa travelled the world for an entire year to find the creativity behind their label. Finally getting their inspiration from a small local community in Mexico, La Diosa’s look is bold and striking whilst still elegant and feminine and is heavily inspired by the jewellery of the Aztec’s and the Mayans. Already a multi-award winning brand, La Diosa jewellery has been sported by celebrities including Naomi Campbell and Kim Cattrall.
Linnie Mclarty
With a degree in fine art, Linnie Mclarty’s pieces are in themselves like a piece of treasured art however at the heart of her designs are ethics. One of the first licensees of certified fair-trade, 15% of the bouillon price used in the piece is guaranteed to go towards providing a fair wage for miners and towards developing their community.
Boasting an impressive win of four awards by the time she graduated three years ago, Linnie strongly believes her sculptural and sensual designs will bring visual poetry to the wearers’ day.
Joanna Dahdah
Last years winner of the Best Newcomer award, this year will see Joanna launch not one but two new collections at London Jewellery Week. Working mainly with gold and silver, Joanna’s innate passion for art lends a structured yet delicate look to her pieces and has seen her work grace the pages of Italian Vogue. Recently qualified as a gemologist, Joanna has recently opened her flagship boutique in her hometown of Beirut.
Eastern Mystic Jewelry
Although Sonal Talgeri-Bhaskaran, the brainchild behind Eastern Mystic Jewellery is now a multi award-winning designer, her life could have taken a very different path. Originally a banker with Goldman Sachs, it was only after the sudden loss of her father that she realised her creative rivers ran deep and decided to school herself in the art of jewellery making. Inspired by the world of myths and folklore, she combines gold and brass with a myriad of gemstones and crystals to create bold and thought-provoking pieces.
Catherine Marche
Chic, elegant yet playful; Catherine Marche’s stunning jewellery perfectly sums up her unique French vibe. Made with high carat gold or sterling silver, her collection plays with the rich colours of precious and semi precious stones, with blue topaz and tourmaline being amongst her favourites.
Alexandra Simpson
Looking at her handcrafted, delicate and highly artistic pieces it comes as no surprise to learn that Alexandra Simpson is a classically trained artist. Growing up surrounded by the lush green of Richmond Park, nature is a theme that runs through Alexandra’s pieces made mostly by combining sterling silver and gold with semi precious stones.
And now for a look at what to do.
Eagle eyed shoppers should head straight to Victoria House for the Treasure Exhibition. Running from June 9th to June 12th, it will showcase 80 of the UK’s best contemporary jewellers.
Those looking for a bit more info to their bling should try the Goldsmiths’ days of Knowledge. Taking place between the 8th and 9th June guest speakers include Theo Fennel, Stephen Webster and Louisa Guiness.
Hatton Garden Festival, taking place on the 11th June has something for everyone. A giant street party taking place in London’s famous jewellery district, highlights include live performances and jewellery making demos.
Jewel East runs from June 6th to 12th at Old Spitalfields market and will showcase a mixture of vintage and costume jewellery.
Last but most certainly not least are the events taking place at the Royal Exchange. Don your best ball gown and get ready for a week of gala festivities from June 6th to June 12th.
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School of Seduction
Posted in by Lauren
This Valentine’s Day, we’re taking style inspiration from the most famous seductresses in history. Who better to teach us how to perfect our Valentine’s look, than the women who have become famous for their allure?
Forget famous lotharios like Casanova, Lord Byron, Errol Flynn and err… Russell Brand, the seductress can make men fall for her in the wink of an eye, leaving great empires destroyed, families torn, and some of the most powerful men in history hopeless to her charms.
But how does the temptress enchant so easily? Far from your cookie cutter beauties (some seductresses were famously called ‘ugly’), most sirens seduced the great and the good with their own unique style – a combination of brains, beauty and charm.
Here’s a look at some of our favourite femme fatales:
Cleopatra
The last Pharaoh of Egypt, Cleopatra was a great beauty blessed with wit and charm. By pairing her intelligence with her coquettish ways, she seduced both Julius Caesar and Mark Antony – and became one of the most powerful women in the world. Her beauty regime – bathing in milk – is iconic – but we would rather stick to her wardrobe of pearls, gold and Egyptian style jewelry.
Cleopatra is such an icon she has even inspired one of the pieces featured on Boticca. We think Fannie Schiavoni’s Egyptian style necklace of gun metal and steel rings would have been fit for the queen.
Helen of Troy
The ‘face that launched a thousand ships’, Helen has long been blamed for starting the long and bloody Trojan War by seducing Paris. Whether she was a temptress or not, we think her long golden tresses, Grecian style gowns and simple leather sandals would set any man’s heart aflutter. Channel Helen on a dinner date with a gold Greek Leaf headband from Eddera.
Catherine the Great
Reigning over Russia in the 1790s, this empress relieved the stress of running an empire…by taking lovers. Once she’d finished with them, she would give them important positions in government (or got them to help her choose a new suitor). Her look? Distinctly regal and outlandish – think dozens of antique gems, long gloves, velvet capes, and your hair piled high.
If you’d rather look a little more contemporary, we think a modern day Catherine would love this Chrysanthemum ring from Linnie McClarty. Handmade in sterling silver, with an oversized flower at the centre, it’s an eye-catching statement piece – and with a title of ‘Take me, I’m Yours’, it seems apt for the amorous queen!
Marilyn Monroe
One of the most iconic femme fatales around, Norma Jean had legions of men falling for her curvaceous figure and girly girl charms. Even intellectual playwrights like Arthur Miller couldn’t resist her! The most iconic Marilyn moment is her singing ‘Happy Birthday Mr President’ to JFK (and it was rumoured she had an affair with him soon after) – you can look as glam in a floor length sequin dress that clings to your curves, retro curled hair and a beauty spot.
If this sounds a bit OTT for your Valentine, you can still get Miss Monroe’s hourglass figure by wearing a waist-cinching belt. We love this soft and supple leather number from David Webdale.
Angelina Jolie
A modern day vamp, Angelina certainly ruffled a few feathers after seducing Brad Pitt and causing him to leave golden girl Jennifer Aniston. Whether you’re ‘Team Jolie’ or not, she’s certainly got a unique sense of style (and lips to die for).
Chic and understated on the red carpet, make like Angelina in a long sleeved, floor length, but backless gown in black or a soft hue, wear your hair long and flowing, and opt for simple diamond accessories. Dark make up around the eyes and nude lips are essential – but avoid the vial of blood she wore round her neck during her goth girl days!
Off duty, Angelina opts for a busy mother’s uniform of jeans, t-shirts and stylish scarves. We think she’d love this Rumi Scarf by Mojee Design – it features the passionate words of Rumi, a 13th century Persian Poet – ‘All is born of love itself’.
