BRACE YOURSELF

Our new design crush is jewelry guru Elke Kramer.

There's been a steady thread of "Go, Russia!" creeping through recent runway collections.  Some of it's overt - Marc by Marc's London debut with furry hats and Faberge egg prints, Chanel and TopShop's babushka purses - and some of it subtle.

In that vein, Aussie designer Elke Kramer released a new set of bangles that are part fashion, part folk.  Created as part of her "Tromp L'Oeil" collection, the bracelets have geometric explosions on every surface, and look as intriguing when viewed from above as they do when work with a t-shirt and jeans.

They also look similar to Gzehl, the Russian style of pottery that merges traditional patterns with mind-boggling geometry to create unique, incredible dishes. 

Thanks to Elke's careful craftsmanship, these accessories have the same feel, but there's no chance they'll break in your luggage.
--FARAN KRENTCIL

Find out more about her jewelry right here or here.



This story was published on July 23, 2009.