Violet Darkling’s jewellery will spook up your Halloween outfit
We’re absolute suckers for Halloween. Even though we’re well aware that strictly speaking it’s a holiday for kids, we have spent all of October planning the perfect Halloween outfit. There’s just something deeply seductive about the dark glamour of Halloween. Perhaps the chance to get dressed up and indulge in a little Morticia Adams chic, or maybe it’s getting in touch with the childlike desire to be thrilled by things that go bump in the night.
In the run up to the Holiday, we caught up with Louisa Richwhite, the designer behind Violet Darkling, who’s jewellery designs are perfect for a chic Halloween look – as well as adding edge to any outfit through out the year. Violet Darkling’s collections are based on nocturnal animals and use curious creatures for the main theme. Amongst the little known animals that Louisa has immortalised in precious metal are the Jerboa, the Loris, and the Fossa. One of our favourite pieces is the Tarsier Necklace – an accurate rendering of the skull of a Tarsier with a sparkling jewel clutched in its jaws. The Tarsier isn’t a particularly obvious candidate for jewellery; it’s a tiny, intensely peculiar looking primate who enormous, hypnotic eyes weigh more than its brain. The use of goggle-eyed animal skulls is somewhat macabre, yet all Violet Darkling’s jewellery is intrinsically pretty. Louisa told us:
‘Contradiction and juxtaposition is the thing I love to use in my work. I’ve always been obsessed with animals, and I’m really intrigued by nocturnal, obscure looking creatures. I like to combine this with affordable luxury.’
It’s Louisa’s choice in animals that makes her work so interesting – her favorite piece from the collection is a beautiful fresh-water pearl bracelet, that at first glance is classic, traditional and would be quite at home on the wrist of any Park Avenue princess. However on closer inspection reveals a tiny sterling silver spider, squatting malevolently on the central pearl. Even though spiders are a reoccurring motif in the collection, eight legged creepy-crawlies are actually one of Lousia’s biggest phobias;
‘I’m inspired by fear; the adrenaline rush from when you’re really scared – it’s the hysteria you get when you’re a kid, camping out in the woods and telling ghost stories.’
The combination of delicate beauty and chilling themes make Violet Darkling stand out amongst a sea of hum-drum jewelry brands. As well as edgy-pretty jewels, the Violet Darkling brand has aims to raise awareness about endangered animals and the destruction of their habitat:
‘I choose endangered animals that not many people know about; I want people to know about these creature and understand what’s happening to them.’
Louisa has chosen well, not only do we respect her endeavor to raise environmental awareness through fashion – the animals used in her collection have an eerie splendor that makes her work perfect for a glamorous Halloween look. Even the name Violet Darkling conjures up images of a Grimm’s fairytales heroine – in fact the moniker comes from Louisa’s own imagined alter ego:
‘I think of Violet Darkling as a nocturnal girl who lives out in the woods, running wild with the creatures of the night.’
The perfect piece for a sophisticated Halloween ensemble is the Tarsier skull necklace in black rhodium. Alternatively the fierce beauty of the Fossa Ring, which has been spotted on Rhianna, would fit perfectly with a dark manicure for a polished punk look. We’ll be rocking Violet Darkling jewelry this Halloween, but with the brand’s beautiful craftsmanship, these pieces will look super chic all year round.
For more information or to view the entire collection, visit: www.violetdarkling.com
