From Scraps to Elegance
"One man's trash is another man's treasure." That saying is especially true among artisans, for one never knows what materials will become the inspiration for success. For jewelry designer Emma Carroll, leather scraps turned out to be the trash that inspired an entire line of fun, contemporary jewelry called Emma Carroll Etc.
Originally from Chicago, Emma Carroll studied in England, first studying art foundation at Central St. Martins, then fashion accessory design at the London College of Fashion, where she discovered her love of working with leather.
While working for handbag designer Ally Capellino, Emma spotted potential in the leftover leather scraps that weren't made into bags. Using traditional leather crafting technique, she turned them into necklaces, earrings, and bracelets.
Made from vegetable-tanned Italian leathers, these brightly colored pieces are hand-cut and hand-assembled and play greatly on geometrical shapes. Carroll uses cut out hoops to create whimsical statement pieces. She arranges colorful leather strips in feather patterns for elegant looks. Pieces made of circular leather disks almost seem as if they were stamped out of metal. Other pieces feature leather disks and rivets for an edgier style that doesn't look dated. Carroll's signature is using ribbon ties on many her necklaces, which allows the wearer to adjust the length to her liking.
Although the pieces seem simple, Carroll's attention to detail creates an overall elegance to the line. The use of leather as a base material is also interesting because as it ages, it will incorporate subtle changes and can even take on a whole new beauty.
Carroll and her business partner (and significant other) Matt Eckford moved back to the States this year and set up their business in Chicago. Carroll focuses on the design and jewelry creation, while Eckford handles the nuts and bolts side of the business. Recently they were invited to take part in Gen Art's Fresh Faces in Fashion show. The line, although available in selected boutiques, is available for purchase online.