Melanie Georgacopoulos continues to explore a subversive side to pearls in new Tasaki jewellery collections. Pearls are studded with golden droplets and spliced with yellow gold in earrings, bracelets, rings and necklaces that offer a contemporary rethink of a traditional aesthetic.
‘I was drawn to the irregular and more singular shape of baroque pearls, their silvery colour, and wanted to give them a punk feel,’ says Georgacopoulos of the new ‘Baroque Drops’ collection inspired by delicate drops of water. ‘When your finger runs over the surface of the pearls, those small golden “disruptions” surprise you as your mind tells you that they are not supposed to be there.’
Georgacopoulos has also added to the popular ‘Arlequin Slashed’ and ‘Reflective’ collections in pieces that incorporate spheres and ribbons in yellow gold. ‘So many of us are ingrained with this idea that pearls are pure and proper and that symmetry is a manifestation of clear thinking and responsibility,’ Georgacopoulos adds. ‘However, as is increasingly obvious, we have entered a period where people are embracing their individuality, the beautiful “flaws” that make them unique. I feel that I have been championing this for a long time now through my pieces and collections, challenging the status quo. I feel that this non-uniform aesthetic really makes us pause and think and ultimately appreciate pieces much more.’
The new pieces mark 11 years of collaboration between the jewellery designer and Tasaki. ‘And what a time it has been! I just love how they always embrace my ideas; they are so open to pushing the boundaries of contemporary pearl jewellery. They are not followers, they are trailblazers.’
