Martine Rose x LL, LLC AW23

LL, LLC collaborated with Martine Rose on their first collection of jewelry for their AW23 collection, and weaves three stories about feminism, collectivity and circulation, and symbols of masculinity.
The collaboration first began around elevating symbols of female empowerment. From that conversation sparked research into archives of feminist ephemera, including buttons (badges, pins), protest signs, and handmade jewelry. We also wanted to explore textures; I was particularly interested in exploring classic brutalist lava textures, and Martine wanted something that looked witchy, and so we landed on these feminist motifs that look like they were whittled in a cave or archaeological artifacts.
The next story was thinking about coin jewelry, which is also a DIY type of jewelry making with historical precedents dating back to ancient times. Jamaican coins figure prominently as per Martine's roots, and the rest of the coins are discontinued currency from around the world. Discontinued currency is like its own historical record, telling the story of a country's moment on the face of coin but also bears the scratches and dents of daily use and circulation by its citizens. Mixing silver and gold-toned metals brings a sense of levity, excess, and spontaneity, set upon chunky curb chains or delicate elongated thin chains. Coins were also woven into hair styles, and some coins featured feminist slogans from the 60s and 70s with phrases "WOMAN'S PLACE IS EVERY PLACE" and "ENJOY YOUR AGE."
The third story is that of inverting traditional menswear accessories of cufflinks and tie clips. Cufflinks become earrings, tie clips are made to look like an oyster watchband, and then configured into an earring. Circling back to the distressed and eroded-looking feminist symbol earrings, symbols of masculinity are revived but conversely are refreshed by re-coding them into the feminine.
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