Swarovski CSM finalist, 2017
The African elephant is in danger of extinction because of illegal
poaching fueled by the lucrative ivory trade. As Ivory is sometimes
sold under the guise of legal mammoth bone and then used in the
jewellery industry, I wanted to create a piece which would show that the
aesthetic of ivory can be reproduced using alternative materials such as
sustainably sourced turkey bones which are a by-product of the food
industry.
My design has been inspired by the Elizabethan ruff, a fashion
accessory deliberately chosen as it has virtually vanished from the
fashion world. The piece comprises 19 turkey bones which I prepared, cut
to size and carved before inlaying with upcycled Swarovski crystals and
then joining together with upcycled Swarovski pearls to create a ruff.