Feb 2015

NEWS
44
MUSIC and movement
In the 18th century, Jaquet Droz was known
for its highly decorated grandfather clocks
with sophisticated complications, music and
automata. Today, the watchmaker’s elaborate
designs are still in demand. As a case in point,
the brand has created a celebratory timepiece
for its 275th anniversary. The Charming Bird,
in white or rose gold with a sapphire crystal
dome, plays to the Jaquet Droz strengths by
combining haute horlogerie with automata:
powered by a piston-driven system, a tiny
singing bird, set against a sapphire dial, flaps
its wings, turns, opens its beak and flicks its
tail. Jaquet Droz watch £29,300. Available
from The Fine Watch Room, Ground Floor
HARRODS MAGAZINE
Telling TALES
Designer Natalia Alaverdian has
quite a reputation for making women
look amazing: as fashion director for
Harper’s Bazaar Russia, she styled
everyone from Milla Jovovich to
Naomi Campbell. In 2012, she
left that role to launch AWAKE
(All Wonderful Adventures Kindle
Enthusiasm), a fashion brand
referencing Japanese art and culture,
inspired by tales from history, art and
film. For SS15, Alaverdian focuses
her talents on whimsical designs
and playful details: think inverted
box pleats, oversized fastenings and
idiosyncratic prints. AWAKE dress
£1,125. Available from Studio,
First Floor
Artistic alliance
A fifth-generation member of the family
that founded J Mendel in 1870, designer
Gilles Mendel made his mark at the
turn of the millennium by transforming
the company from traditional furrier
to fashion player. This season, Mendel
continues on his quest to keep the firm
at the forefront of fashion by joining
forces with Puerto Rican artist Enoc Perez
to create the Spring 2015 collection.
The pair share a love of architecture,
and this formed the starting point
for their collaboration, with Mendel
commissioning textile mills to replicate
Perez’s paintings of buildings. Asymmetry
also plays an important part in the
designs, with Perez’s artistic flair seen in
painterly motifs and abstract prints.
J Mendel dress £2,720. Available from
International Designer, First Floor
An inte vie ith
JEREMY MORRIS
by Lindsay Macpherson
Family-owned fine-jewellery
house David Morris has
designed for Elizabeth Taylor,
Queen Noor of Jordan and the
James Bond films. Managing
director and principal designer
Jeremy Morris talks to Harrods Magazine
about creating jewellery that feels “alive”.
“My father started out as a goldsmith in
Hatton Garden. In 1962, his father-in-law
loaned him £200, a lot of money then, to set
up his own business. Within a year he’d won
the De Beers international jewellery award.
I grew up around jewellery – I can
remember playing in the workshop
as a child – but I did a three-year
apprenticeship before I entered the
business. Both my father and I are
bench jewellers at heart; as well
as knowing how jewellery should
look and feel, we have
a focus on manufacturing
and craftsmanship that
I don’t believe many others
in the industry share.
Our designs are never
boring or generic; David
Morris jewellery is certainly
not for the faint-hearted.
What we do is bold and strong,
but also wearable for women
of all ages. People
who appreciate real
jewellery generally
love our pieces.
There’s a distinct
handwriting to our
work. We’ve always
been design-led –
FROM TOP David Morris
Cherry Blossom earrings
and ring, price on request;
exclusive to Harrods.
Available from The
Fine Jewellery Room,
Ground Floor
our creations are interesting and unusual. My
father has a very good eye for jewellery that’s
‘alive’ – he’s always reminding me to create
movement in my designs. Jewellery can be
plain and one-dimensional; we strive to make
pieces that go beyond that.
My inspiration usually comes from the
stones. We might be influenced by maharaja
jewellery, Art Deco or Art Nouveau, but if
the stone is great, the design just flows, as it’s
dictated by the unique elements of the stone.
I often source antique jewellery, then recut
and repolish the stones to create new pieces.
I don’t see the company ever becoming
a massive conglomerate. I’d like to ensure
that it continues to grow and develop in line
with my concept of a family jeweller.”