VICTORIA BECKHAM FAIRYTALE WEDDING TIARA SET TO SPARKLE AT BONHAMS Our Coverage Sponsored by Paul Mayer Attitudes
Paul Mayer's luxuriously, comfortable designs keep women coming back for multiple -- even dozens -- of pairs. Classic, yet contemporary and always comfortable, his shoes are an addiction that we highly recommend. A staple of the Paul Mayer collection is the simple ballet-flat, with true ballerina construction for a perfect fit that comes in a variety of colors and materials. A cult favorite is the cozy, a flat with lavender-scent infused soles adding style and fragrance to collector's closets as Paul's designs emerge in sophisticated design incarnations season after season in the most incredible hues, textures and modern innovations in luxury footwear because we know firsthand how incredibly brilliant he is. Mayer founded the brand in 2004 with partner, Jeff Levy. All shoes in the line are manufactured in Spain’s Valencia region, along the Mediterranean coast by a skilled staff of 12 artisans. They craft each pair of shoes with an old-world attention to detail that includes in-house embroidery, quilting and stitching as well as custom tanned leather. This allows the brand to cater to each retailer’s specific demands in with timely and consistent alacrity, with orders completed in an unheard-of 3 to 5 weeks. In 2011, Paul Mayer stepped out into Manhattan's Upper East Side with a new attitude, opening his flagship store at 1388 Third Avenue. The store which cleverly resembles a pink and black shoebox offers up to 150 shoe styles, including his popular ballerinas, exclusive designs and more. As an added bonus, shoppers have the chance of running into the designer, himself. Paul's sage shopping advice and style eye has made him the New York shoe lover's best kept secret. When not in New York, Paul can be found traveling to his myriad of stores across the country meeting his loyal clientele or vacationing in his favorite spot, the Royal Hawaiian on Waikiki Beach.
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The ‘fairytale’ gold and diamond crown tiara worn by Victoria Adams for her marriage to David Beckham, made by acclaimed jewellery designer Slim Barrett, is to be sold in the Fine Jewellery sale at Bonhams, New Bond Street on 5th December.
The tiara, entitled East of Paris, is valued at £18,000-£25,000 and is crafted from 18-carat latticed yellow gold, set with large brilliant-cut diamonds and suspended diamond drops. The Victoria and Albert Museum exhibited the work in 100 Tiaras, Past and Present and it was included in the prestigiousDiamond Divas exhibition at The Diamond Museum in Antwerp.
“Inspiration for ‘East of Paris’ came from my love of Eastern design and Parisian haute couture” artist Slim Barrett commented, “...so I set out to fuse the two styles.”
Slim Barrett, Irish born jewellery artist and master metalworker, is the man behind countless couture creations made for the pages of fashion magazines and catwalk shows since the 1980s as well as designing jewellery for Princess Diana and Mick Jagger.
Chanel, Versace and John Galliano are among his notable collaborations while famous faces such as Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell and Cara Delevingne are pictured in Barrett’s awe-inspiring crafted jewellery pieces, on and off the catwalk. A revival in the trend of the tiara can be attributed to the Slim Barrett name which has gained followers from the fashion capitals of Europe to the superstars of Hollywood.
Recently, Barrett has worked with performers such as Beyoncé and Lady Gaga creating experimental, cutting edge pieces which reveal his background in sculpture and fine art. Slim Barrett’s work is held in the permanent collection of The Victoria and Albert Museum and recently featured in the museum’sClub to Catwalk exhibition.
Barrett’s work was first spotted by a notable lady jewellery collector who frequented the same coffee shop as the young artist and his wife. The collector was so taken with the necklace around Jules Barrett’s neck that she commissioned a piece of her own. Soon after, Slim Barrett’s jewellery appeared in the famous London department store, Liberty, and the brand was forged.
Bonhams
Bonhams, founded in 1793, is one of the world's largest auctioneers of fine art and antiques. The present company was formed by the merger in November 2001 of Bonhams & Brooks and Phillips Son & Neale. In August 2002, the company acquired Butterfields, the principal firm of auctioneers on the West Coast of America. Today, Bonhams offers more sales than any of its rivals, through two major salerooms in London: New Bond Street and Knightsbridge; and a further three in the UK regions and Scotland. Sales are also held in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Carmel, New York and Connecticut in the USA; and Germany, France, Monaco, Hong Kong and Australia. Bonhams has a worldwide network of offices and regional representatives in 25 countries offering sales advice and valuation services in 60 specialist areas. For a full listing of upcoming sales, plus details of Bonhams specialist departments go to www.bonhams.com. Prior to sale there are several days of viewing which collectors and the general public are welcome to attend.
