Written by Reanne Chidiac
In the universe of jewellery, it can be easy to assume that all jewellers live in a microcosm of luscious gold, rare gemstones, and clientele looking for that one heirloom. But on the periphery of this universe, not very hard to find, are fashion jewellers more concerned with their design legacy than material legacy, with ideas, art and fashion. One such jeweller is Australia’s own Ryan Storer, Sydney-based artist crafting showstoppers for the runway and the everyday fashionista. Using base metals and Swarovski crystals, he blurs the line between costume and fine jewellery with his collections of what can only be considered high-end fashion jewellery.
Storer had his creative start studying fine arts and spending time in his uncle’s accessories store. There he was acquainted with a traditional leather worker and scores of costume jewellery. The pieces in his collection now are far from traditional. He bends the rules of what jewellery should look like and do. With gothic influences, his style reveals a subtle hint of rebellion – fearless, structural, bold and organic all at once. Works like the Imperfect Large Crystal Necklace, with its massive Swarovski crystals and over-long organic claws, aren’t made to be worn by the faint-hearted. It’s no surprise, then, that his works have graced the likes of Beyonce, Lady Gaga and Cate Blanchett. They’ve also graced the red-carpet in collaborations with Australian fashion designers. Storer’s bondage-inspired accessories worn by Maticevski models in 2017 left visitors of the Mercedes Benz fashion week stunned. Handcuffs never looked so opulent.
Fashion jewellery offers a rare opportunity to really push design boundaries, unlimited by the stress of investing in valuable materials. Storer’s work has allowed space for development and experimentation, for dabbling in lapidary and pouring molten metal into water. The results that ensue are wonderful, fresh statement pieces unlike anything wearers have seen before, with a hint of luxury in their design – an affordable luxury. While most of his work is made with base metals, highly polished and plated, he includes some beautiful materials in his collections. Paua shells are a vivid blue addition to his repertoire, stunning on their own, but complemented with pearls and Swarovski crystals for extra drama. His designs give the many-hued Fijian pearls a new attitude, clasped by meandering talon claws and clustered with endearingly imperfect colour pairings.
When it comes to jewellery, Storer has his finger on the pulse of contemporary fashion. His designs are accessible works of wearable art, his own self-expression that many have connected with. They are works of this moment, existing in the now – unconcerned with repetition, past or present. He proves that fashion jewellery is not synonymous with mass-production: each piece is as individual as the wearer. Experimental, rebellious and innovative, Storer has thrived on the border between jewellery and fashion.
