Human Hair Jewellery – the Girl X range.

Human Hair and Black Ribbon Neckpiece

Human Hair and Leather Earrings

I spent the last couple of years as a jewellery designer before I decided to free-fall in the fashion world. Free falling has been a lot of fun soo far but terrifying at times. I guess the things I like to design are a little bit terrifying too. Hair jewellery evokes odd reactions – I find it interesting, so many girls wear weaves and extensions, actually woven into their own hair so why would the concept of hair jewellery seem so odd. Interesting how attitudes change when taken out of safely established contexts – I think that’s why I love it as a material. I feel the same with my animal skull pieces.

I’ve always been obsessed with hair – I have a big unruly mop of it that refuses to be controlled by the powers of Parlux(best hair dryer on the market). I used to have rages, my hair flick-switching a bright and breezy me into into the Antichrist – still happens occasionally(we all have our excuses). Hair is powerful and has many meanings in different cultures. The Victorians attached great importance to it – you’ve probably familiar with lockets holding a lock of the hair from the deceased worn around the neck to keep them close to the wearer.  Well it did’t stop at lockets, there were intricately woven bracelets and cabachons too, a beautiful example of which is shown below. Kind of spooky, a little bit eary.

Victorian Memento Mori Hair Jewellery

Human hair started to interest me as a material several seasons back before Margiela put it anywhere near the catwalks. When I was designing hair accessories I was sent a big silver ring with lots of different hair swatches attached to it. I was fascinated, I knew it had to be something, I didn’t quite know what. The first incarnation of my hair jewellery was slightly hideous but I kinda liked it – a skull with a big flower, neon orange hair and some black crystals(it’s worth mentioning I had neon ghetto nails at this point too (style schizophrenia at is worst). 

Coque Feather Headpiece

Since then I’ve refined it somewhat and simplified. I’ve a tendancy to overcomplicate things so for now I’m going with simplicity and it’s working for me. Actually no that’s a lie, I also made a shoulder-piece with strips of leather, hair, tulle and a big old dead animal skull embellished with Swarovski crystals too. I really need to stop lying – who am I kidding.

Real Animal Skull Shoulder Piece

I sent Queen Michelle a little headpiece a few weeks back as a thankyou for being so supportive of what we’re doing and she blogged it – you may have read, well I’m Girl X. 

As a designer I was always told things were “soooo Marion” but could I just reign it in a bit more and make it commercial. I guess this little capsule range is my answer to that – “No”. 

Just to show I’m not a total liar here is one of  the simple pieces…..

Simple Fringe Necklace

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