By Chrissy Iley
- H and H Body Adornment
I was introduced by a friend to Holly, one half of H and H. It’s a friend with great taste but I was shocked by how excited I became by their latest collection of jewellery.
It’s edgy, punky yet girly and wearable. And makes a statement. Remember RiRi’s gold nails? Or MIA with her amazing leopard nails? They all came from Holly and Hannah.
Hannah Warner, jewellery designer, met make up artist and body adorner Holly Silius in 2012. The combination of their talents is overwhelmingly good. Holly is a beguiling blond who studied prosthetics at the London College of Fashion. Holly was a lover of special effects make up and in her work we see how she put her training to perfect use, “the process of making molds for jewellery is similar to making a prosthetic. For prosthetics you sculpt clay and jewellery, wax and then cast. If you want a cast of a leaf you use a real leaf – so we use real scottish thistles for our nails.”
Holly was working in wigs at the Royal Opera House when her first set of nails arrived. All gold plated. They were picked up by Thierry Mugler for a show in 2012 who had them spray painted white.
The first collection was Nature, then skulls, after that jaguars and for MIA leopard heads.
The collection is broad reaching. There are some pieces in 24c gold with Ruby baguettes. The majority go for gold plated with Swarovski crystals, “I’m constantly experimenting. Recently did a collection with black diamond dust. I like to use different textures and tools.”
H&H have most recently done a set of enamelled nails for Sharon Stone. They look almost medieval. They’ve also worked with Beyonce and Madonna.
I am waking through the whole collection. Exciting – I want so much!
They have reinvented the toe ring and given it a purpose and created the cuticle ring – a ring that sits on the top of the finger, just below the cuticle. You see Holly body adornment past as the influence. They are part sparkly femininity and part punk – savagely good.
Some of the jewellery is displayed on pineapples that have been spray painted black. There are a few interesting pineapple studs and a wonderful flamingo head bracelet which is the epitome of girly meets edgy, punk meets wearable.
There are the tattoo rings that feature words from popular tattoo like paradise. Theres a necklace that looks like a handcuff. So many wonderful pieces. Her work is currently available online and at the Residency in LA. If Oscar nominees want to impress on the red carpet, H&H should definitely adorn them. It’s real stand out stuff. Different and addictive.
A set of Swarovski crystal nails are around $500 because it’s labour intensive and a life of skill in the making, says Holly, “Most people don’t buy the whole set, they just buy one or two statement nails for around £55/$75. The cuticle rings start at $65/£40. 24c gold with baguette rubies are around £12,000.
This is a collection that if you buy one piece, you are buying into exotic and edgy and part of a bigger statement. There work is constantly evolving, some of these pieces are real one off’s and incredibly collectible and I predict they will be massive.
–