Rubbish turns into surprise cult hit

By Rachel Lee

It’s a very busy month for jewellery twosome Tatty Devine. The London-based designers are celebrating their quinceanera this month with their bijou collection of necklaces, earrings and bracelets.

Fifteen years ago, Harriet Vine and Rosie Wolfenden met at the Chelsea School of Arts, part of the University of the Arts London, and the pair started making wrist cuffs from the contents of a bin bag — they fashioned rubbish leather samples into cuffs and sold the first batch in the Portobello and Spitalfields markets. Then the call came from Vogue to bring their first collection for the Millennium issue. It instantly became a hit and Tatty Devine had arrived.

The British designers always get commented on for their recognizable pieces such as personalized Perspex name necklaces and other items inspired by trapeze artists, burgers, lobsters and rabbits.

For a decade and a half, Harriet and Rosie have collaborated with fashion designers such as Louise Gray, Peter Jensen and artists including Rob Ryan and Gilbert & George. Last year, the jewellery designers were awarded MBEs (Member of Order of the British Empire) for their services to the fashion industry.

In Korea, Tatty Devine is seen at two stockists in Cheongdam-dong and Sinsa-dong in Gangnam, Seoul.

The duo talked to The Korea Times in an email interview and told us more of their exuberant 15 years experience in the industry.

Brand history

Rachel:

Where did name Tatty Devine come from?

Rosie:

When we were at college, Harriet’s nickname was “Ms DeVine,” a play on her surname.

When we started trying to think of a name for the business we knew we wanted to use the word “Devine.”

One day I was making a telephone call to a prospective stockist and came up with the “Tatty” part on the spot and the person who answered said “Oh, I’ve heard of you!.” From that moment on it stuck.

How did you come up with such an idea?

Harriet:

We’ve always been really interested in dressing up and making adornments for our outfits and customizing them, so when we graduated from art school, we decided to make leather wrist cuffs studded with gem stones to sell on a market stall.

When we sold out on the very first day, we knew we had the right idea! One thing led to another and by Christmas we were wholesaling to Whistles, Urban Outfitters and Harvey Nichols and were also featured in Vogue’s Millennium issue. Whilst wrist cuffs aren’t a part of our current collections, we still use leather in our designs such as the Frida Necklace and Dog on Wheels Brooch.

How did it feel working with Vogue for the first time?

It was great when our jewellery first appeared in Vogue — we were in the Millennium issue shot by Mario Testino! Kate Moss was wearing a Tatty Devine cuff embellished with Swarovski crystals and Liberty Ross wore the Vintage Lady Brooch on her hat.

It almost felt normal to see our work in Vogue because everything was such a whirlwind at the time.

What do you think the brand’s core value has been since the launch

Since the very beginning, Harriet and I have designed all our product lines in house and we’re committed to staying true to our values which include being original, playful, brave and authentic. We’re passionate about keeping manufacturing of our jewellery in Britain and always will be.

You were awarded MBEs. Did you meet Prince Charles?

Receiving our MBEs was undoubtedly the proudest achievement of our careers to date. We’ve always been driven to create new, original and exciting jewellery, so to be formally recognized in this way is just incredible. It felt really natural chatting to Prince Charles, like I’d known him for ages!

Where does the Korean market stand in comparison to others?

We’re very excited to be stocked in Korea and would love to visit soon.

The fashion world always looks to Korea for the latest trends and inspiration and the mainstream press are starting to really recognize its influence. Our Korean fan base is going from strength to strength and we can’t wait to see how it develops.

About the designs

Tell us about Autumn Winter 2014 collection.

Tatty Devine enters a world of smoke and mirrors in our Autumn Winter 2014 collection. Inspired by the ancient arts of divination and palmistry, we’ve recreated miniature hands in marbled pearl and black Perspex, each one laser etched and hand inked with mysterious symbols. Traditional folk costume and textiles are a key influence and we’ve reworked Georgian love tokens for the 21st Century in digitally printed Perspex, too.

We always strive to pioneer new techniques and push the boundaries of working with Perspex. I’m very excited about the different materials we’ve used in this collection: semi-precious stones, Swarovski pearls, walnut wood and Formica all create a dark luxurious feel.

What’s your favorite design?

We both love big statement necklaces! The Banana Necklace is a great piece to wear as the curved Perspex makes it look as though it’s really peeled.

When we were deciding which iconic pieces should return in our 15th Birthday Collection, we put it to a public vote and they agreed that we should bring the Banana Necklace back. I’d wear it with a simple black dress or kimono jacket to let the jewellery stand out and tell its own story.

I love the Aviatrix Goggles Headband from our Autumn Winter 2010 collection as I came up with the design in my sleep. I often dream of new jewellery! I would wear the GIANT Dinosaur Necklace in gold mirror Perspex with bold, bright colors to match my rainbow-dyed hair.