Abbey Lee Kershaw's bling mania

We know Abbey Lee Kershaw loves her bling. When not being glamoured by some of the biggest names in the fashion business on front covers and in campaigns, editorials and runway shows, the boho mufti uniform of modelling's gypsy-esque world number five usually embraces a nose ring and an eclectic variety of oversized rings on almost every finger. No surprise then that Kershaw has found a kindred spirit in cult Sydney-based jewellery brand ManiaMania, the brainchild of Tamila Purvis and Melanie Kamsler. As frockwriter can reveal, having starred in ManiaMania's Spring/Summer 2011 campaign 'Rêve', Kershaw will also be the muse of ManiaMania's upcoming  Spring/Summer 2012 collection, 'The Third Mind'. Here is an exclusive behind-the-scenes image from the recent campaign shoot with photographer Elle Muliarchyk.  

The collection is inspired by the 1978 book of the same name by American counterculture icon William S. Burroughs and multidisciplinary artist Brion Gysin, in addition to the work of American avant-garde filmmakers Kenneth Anger and Maya Deren, French/Cuban author Anaïs Nin (who appeared in Deren’s Ritual In Transfigured Time in 1946 and Anger’s Inauguration of the Pleasure Dome in 1954) and the surrealism which underpinned their collective work. 

French writer/poet André Breton, one of Surrealism’s co-founders, also gets a lookin. In a press release, ManiaMania promises “cult artefacts”; a ‘Manifesto’ ring and cuff (after Breton’s Surrealist Manifesto); a pierced ‘Anais’ cuff, ring and pendant; ‘The Pleasure Dome’ ear cuff and a 'kaleidoscope' necklace called ‘The Third Mind’ - all rendered in metal alloy, brass, sterling silver, pyrite crystal stone, amethyst and tourmalinated quartz. Trippy in other words. And right up Kershaw's alley.

The ManiaMania campaign is of course over and above whichever yet-to-be-revealed big bucks northern hemisphere campaigns come Kershaw's way for the Fall/Winter 2011/2012 season. So far the latter reportedly include Gucci (since confirmed by sources close to Kershaw).

behind the scenes image: supplied exclusively to frockwriter by maniamania

Abbey Lee Kershaw channels Vali Myers for ManiaMania

maniamania SS11 via the new york times

It’s been quite a year for Sydney jewellery brand ManiaMania. First, it gets picked up by high profile European bloggers Garance Doré and Susie Bubble, catching the eye of Madonna and daughter Lourdes Leon and subsequently getting a nod on their Material Girl website. Now comes word that ManiaMania designers Tamila Purvis and Melanie Kamsler have scored Abbey Lee Kershaw as their new season face. Just gone up on The New York Times: The Moment blog: a first look at Kershaw shot by Barnaby Roper for ManiaMania's Spring/Summer 2011 campaign. Entitled Rêve, the collection was inspired by Australian artist, dancer, wildlife warrior and white witch, Vali Myers, who died in 2003 at the age of 72 after an extraordinary life, during which she befriended, was mentored by and/or played muse to some of the biggest art, literary and music figures of the 20th century, from Salvador Dali to Andy Warhol, Tennessee Williams, photographer Ed van der Eisken, Patti Smith and Marianne Faithfull. As documented in four films. The perfect muse for ManiaMania which, in just three seasons, has forged a reputation for its bold bohemian jewellery. 

The NYT reports that the SS11 collection includes a “vagabond” cuff with the texture of whittled wood, quartz jewel necklaces and a bronze “immortal” ring inlaid with amazonite. All of which suits Kershaw, who is usually laden with bold jewellery, particularly over-sized rings. 

Kershaw is a quite extraordinary get for ManiaMania. Their last collection starred another Australian, the upwardly mobile Bambi Northwood-Blyth. 

This is an interesting turn of events for Kershaw, whose Australian work for the past couple of years as she has been building up an impressive international body of work, has almost exclusively consisted of magazine covers. And it's the second local campaign that she has recently booked.

On Monday and Tuesday this week, Kershaw shot the Autumn/Winter 2011 campaign for Australian fast fashion chain Portmans for an estimated A$120,000. Presumably this kind of fee would be out of the reach of Purvis and Kamsler, so we’re assuming ALK may have done it at mates rates and because she really digs the product. 

In the ManiaMania shots, Kershaw is sporting the same platinum blonde version of her infamous “Kob” bob, that was died on the eve of New York Fashion Week in September. And which some have speculated may have cost her some work in the interim. 

What does Kershaw's hair look like now just out of interest? Still the same platinum bob, according to sources who were on the Portmans shoot.

Check The New York Times story for more images. 

mania mania SS11 via the new york times