An influential and inspiring innovator, London-born artist and polymath Annie Sherburne studied fashion at textiles at St Martins School of Art and Goldsmiths College. A pioneer in felt making in the 1980s, Sherburne is a devotee of the ‘slow movement’. She believes in making objects that take patience and time to create, seeing this as an act of rebellion against the financial imperative of mass production.
After designing and making hats, buttons, wooden jewellery and other accessories for fashion designer Jean Muir for almost 20 years, Sherburne has since the 1990s become one of Britain’s foremost proponents of sustainable textiles. She started investigating environmentally friendly fabrics in 1994 and eventually obtained a Master’s in Sustainable Design at Kingston University. Since then, she has been developing and working with materials such as recycled yarn, which she weaves with wool, linen and factory yarn ends into one-off collectable rugs for floors and walls.
Sherburne also currently makes ‘war’ jewellery, colourful creations juxtaposing vintage stones with unusual ready-made figures, which she combines and remodels into modern, contemporary pieces. The beads, rhinestones and backs Sherburne has frequently used over the years are often sourced from authentic vintage components which date from the twentieth century and come from World War Two factories in what was once known as Czechoslovakia. They were bought by her late husband in the 1980s for the couple’s shops on Portobello Road and in Kensington’s famed Hyper Hyper. Today, Annie continues to use these unusual elements in the making of many of her jewellery pieces.
If you love funky statement jewellery then look no further than the jewellery of Annie Sherburne. Her pieces are handmade with striking crystals and vintage trinkets from the 20th century and are entirely unique; two pieces of Annie Sherburne jewellery are never the same. Using high quality and durable materials, these pieces of wearable art are striking pieces that are reminiscent of costume jewellery without feeling tacky and low quality to touch, and are proof that vibrant design can be just as delicate and elegant as more humble pieces.
With necklaces, earrings, and brooches, and backs made of brass or copper and sprayed to prevent allergies, these pieces are both beautiful and safe for everyone, making yourself or your loved ones feel special for receiving such a distinctive piece of art that will definitely turn heads.
