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Designing with your partner could result in a few arguments for some, but it's no problem for young designers Claire Hammon and Greg Fromont. The pair work together to design jewellery under the Meadowlark label, but Hammon says their design process is "very relaxed".
"We end up designing all over the place, our best designs so far were sudden ideas we came up with over lunch one day. And if we do argue, we have a dance off and whoever wins, we go with their idea," says Hammond, who also works as a graphic designer. Fromont is a visual artist and jeweller, and has worked for the likes of Huffer and also has a bespoke bridal jewellery service.
The pair combined their talents in 2006 to set up Meadowlark, which designs high quality, handmade jewellery from sterling silver and gold, all with a dark and slighty twisted edge. Past collections have included everything from crossbone stud earrings to serpent cocktail rings. The talented design duo give us their eclectic list of 10 favourite design pieces.
Ten favourite things
1 Mummy chairs by Edra
These chairs are awesome - they are a plain chair but covered in white tape to look like they are all bandaged up like mummies, they come in lots of colours but the white is best. I haven't managed to convince Greg of the coolness of these yet and we don't have the space for them, but some day I hope that we can get some. I love way too many chairs! - Claire
2 Iggy & Lou Lou jewellery box
I bought this ceramic jewellery box in Melbourne about four years ago. It has an old ship on the front and tiny decals of butterflies and skulls. Inside it has lots of small details that are hidden by all my jewellery. - Claire
3 Our white lampshade
Some of my earliest childhood memories are of this lamp, although it used to look a lot different. I managed to save it from my parent's cleanout when they moved house and it's been following me from place to place for a good seven or eight years now, usually only to sit defunct in a corner somewhere. But now it's a whole new thing. We just painted it a super glossy white and added a new lampshade. - Greg
4 Our engagement ring
I proposed last summer after spending weeks sneaking around making it. This was one of the first quite traditional pieces of jewellery that I had made and now I make commission bridal jewellery all the time. It's a very special and personal thing making someone's engagement ring. - Greg
I love that he put tiny little swallows on the sides, they're the same swallows as one of my tattoos. - Claire
5 Our white ceramics collection
We have a growing and accidental collection of white ceramics, some old, some new, but the main theme is "things that in their normal state would never be ceramic". Our latest is a vase in the shape of a hot water bottle. We love pieces from Qubus in Czech. Our sister-in-law is Czech and sends us pieces when she is over there. - Claire
6 Shanghai Lil's
Shanghai Lil's is stunning, I love the avant garde feel of it all. It's a great place to never feel overdressed. Our birthdays are one day apart and we have had our last two at Shanghai Lil's, and we will probably have our next one there! We always take our friends there for a drink when they come to stay in Auckland and they always seem to love it. - Claire
7 Mexican black clay skull
This was an awesome little find at Mexican Specialties in Ellerslie. It is one of those things you just stumble across and have to buy. I'm still amazed we came across something so beautiful and cool without looking for it. The owners there are so nice, they do great food and have lots of Mexican paraphernalia for sale. Mexico is at the top of our list for our next overseas holiday! - Claire
8 Art by Aubrey Beardsley and Alphonse Mucha
In much the same vein as Shanghai Lil's, these two art nouveau artists have been my favourites for years. They're quite different to each other but for me sum up graphic art during the movement. Actually I think their work was some of the most interesting graphic art created during the whole century. Big call I know. - Greg
9 Miss Crabb dresses
I love Miss Crabb dresses. If I am stuck for a party dress, I can look around every store in town but if I go into Miss Crabb I always have about five to choose from, and they are hot! There are so many I regret not buying. Most of the ones I own are red which is a bit intense sometimes. I also love how it's not mass-produced, it makes pieces almost collectible. - Claire
10 Anything by Jaime Hayon
Jaime Hayon is a new one for me, but amazing. He effortlessly creates whole worlds of wonder. I particularly like the Jet Set project on his website (www.hayonstudio.com), but really I love it all! - Greg
This guy, he is amazing - the way he mixes the super-modern with the old is so perfect. - Claire
