We Make: Totems

Totem is a collection of playful Post-Modern jewellery inspired by the wit and humour of the Memphis movement of the early 1980s; the amazing technicolor furniture and objects of designers like Ettore Sottsass and Nathalie du Pasquier.

Inspired by the Memphis mix of colour, form, pattern and texture we wanted to create neckpieces that not only play with materials but also allow you to play with your jewellery. Wearing a Totem shouldn't be a serious fashion statement - it should be fun!

We really like taking materials out of their common environments and giving them a new meaning. We've used Formica laminate in our signature Form collection for a while now and for Totem we initially collaborated with Finnish solid surfacing brand Durat and later with Corian to create the focal blocks for each neckpiece. Each block is then mixed with materials like brass and copper, acrylic, cotton, wood and resin. 

Like all of our jewellery each Totem is made in the Pigeon studio by our amazing team of jewellers. Anything we can't do here, we source locally. The acrylic is laser cut in a workshop in the hills above our studio, the Durat and Corian are cut and drilled by a good friend and amazing cabinet maker on the other side of the River Tay, and everything else we do ourselves. 

We cut and finish the copper and brass tube so it's super-smooth, polish every acrylic disc to remove the tiniest laser marks, drill the resin beads, oil every square block and then assemble and box every Totem by hand.

Totems can be worn with each element organised neatly on the brass or copper tube or can be disassembled and mixed up to create a completely different necklace. Its up to you... Play! 

 

The Totem Collection was recently featured on Design Milk. To read a bit more and access the Design Milk discount code, just click here

To shop the collection, click here.

And don't forget to #tompigeon on your Pigeon Instagram photos... we love to see how you live with our designs!  

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