Fashion nerds will rejoice at the prospect of the Design Museum's shiny new jewellery exhibition — but a trip to the crown jewels, it ain't. Entitled Unexpected Pleasures, the exhibition celebrates contemporary jewellery in all its bizarre, conceptual, and innovative glory.
Charting jewellery design from the late '70s, curator Dr. Susan Cohn has gathered some of the world's most radical and awe-inspiring pieces from the likes of Alexander Calder, Gijs Bakker, and Wendy Ramshaw. There are three themes: Worn Out, which celebrates the experience of wearing jewellery; Linking Links, which looks at how jewellery is an expression of personality; and A Fine Line, an insight into the origins of modern jewellery.
Just don't expect razzle dazzle and glamour; memorable designs on show include Doug Bucci's stem-cell-inspired neckpiece and Tiffany Parbs' mega eyelash extensions, which reach to well below the chin. The exhibition also poses that age-old question: Can a ring manufactured to mimic a finger blister ever be a thing of beauty? We suggest you head down to the Design Museum so that you can make up your own mind.
Unexpected Pleasures at the Design Museum, 28 Shad Thames London, SE1 2YD; December 5 to March 3, 2013, 10.00 -17.45 daily.