One of Britain's most directional jewellery designers, Melanie Georgacopoulos, has joined forces with Japanese fine jeweller Tasaki for an exciting new collaborative collection: M/G Tasaki. Launched at this season's London and Paris Fashion Weeks, working with the exclusive pearl brand has given Georgacopoulos the wings to take her creative vision one step further.
Sliced pearls have become her trademark, and the new capsule collection includes some classic Georgacopoulos pieces. A single-strand white pearl bracelet features pearls cut down the middle to reveal concentric circles of nacre that look just like the age-related rings you see on a felled tree. The deceptively simple design is what makes the bracelet so dramatic. On the surface, the pearls are near identical but, when sliced, a different succession of pinky hues radiates out from the core of each.
With access to Tasaki's high-tech processing technologies and inventory of exceptional pearls, Georgacopoulos has taken the slicing technique one step further, introducing longer necklaces strung with irregularly faceted pearls that descend in size, from just the tip sliced off to a tiny sliver of pearl. In one necklace she has paired strands of white and peacock freshwater pearls, united at the centre by a recomposed pearl that consists of one half white pearl and one half peacock pearl, joined together to create a perfectly spherical whole. Freshwater peacock pearls are sought-after for their deep and complex colours. When placed next to a perfect white pearl, the monochromatic contrast is mesmerising.
The highlights of the collection are the experimental pieces, which look like they have been plucked straight off the catwalk. Working with black-rhodium-plated titanium chains, the combination of classic pearls and edgy metal, shaped into architectural forms, is a revelation. From the front, one necklace reveals itself as a chunky multi-chain necklace; from behind, an elegant arc of white freshwater pearls follows the curves of the shoulders. Elsewhere, a bib necklace spills downwards in a cascade of titanium tassels, each tipped with tiny pink pearls. Stunning.
