Justine Garner.
Justine Garner is a London College of Fashion graduate who initially specialised in bags in accessories through the Product Design and Innovation course. During her course, the Polish jeweller, however, began experimenting with mixed media inspired by the dynamics of movement found in nature.
Through our conversation with Justine, we learned about her favourite piece of jewellery from a motion picture, what inspires her design process, and how she became a jeweller.
Perfect: What is the most treasured item of jewellery you own and why does it mean so much to you?
Justine Garner: A couple of years ago I was browsing through Camden Market and stumbled across this incredibly structural ring. I later found out that it was a real cast of a coral reef. I absolutely loved it; it looked like a piece of the sea on your hand.
Perfect: What is your favourite item of jewellery from a motion picture?
JG: My favourite piece of jewellery from a film belongs to Isabella Rossellini’s character in ‘Death Becomes Her;’ she wore a large necklace covering her naked bust with pins that apparently symbolised immortality — I love this concept so much!
Perfect: If you could make a piece of jewellery for anyone in the world, who would it be for and where would they wear it?
JG: I would love to make a brooch for Tilda Swinton; perhaps she could wear it for an event. I would love the idea, however, of her being so fond of it that she would wear it in private. I am much more drawn to the idea of forging a relationship with my work rather than where it could be shown — I would love for this to happen!
Perfect: What inspires your design process for your jewellery? How important are the shapes found in nature to your process?
JG: I always loved the dynamics of movement found in nature, impacted by the natural forces; this always informs my work in one way or another. Currently, I am obsessed with watching documentaries about the deep sea and observing the physicality and subtleties of living underwater creatures. I really like translating that into my jewellery.
Perfect: When did you realise that you would like to pursue jewellery and why?
JG: I started making jewellery in 2019. The idea of jewellery was always very appealing to me for its expressiveness and uniqueness. I have always enjoyed the process of making things with my hands. I previously studied the Product Design and Innovation – Bags and Accessories course at the London College of Fashion, and experimented with jewellery with different ranges of outcomes. I was drawn to the tactility, softness, and spontaneity of the process, as well as to how naturally and intuitively shapes that felt very emotive may be achieved. More recently, I have started adding raw materials, such as river discoveries and repurposed elements, to my work. The whole process is very intuitive and it’s always exciting to see what comes out in the end.
