Arcadian Treasures - Julia De Ville, Loose Leaf and Gwendolynne

Arcadian Treasures is the product of three talented Northside women of diverse artistic disciplines came together to create thisspirited and unique series of photographs. Dress, jewelry, flowers and floral works inspired by nature and driven by the desire to preserve beauty and memory. 

Gowns | Gwendolynne

Flowers | Wona Bae of Loose Leaf

Jewellery | Julia De Ville

Photography | Gwendolynne Burkin

Renowned Melbourne Designer Gwendolynne, artist and Jeweler Julia De Ville and floral designer and sculptor Wona Bae have a reverence for nature, life and devoted affection for materials, blending of tradition with contemporary, constancy, continuation of time honored traditions and lovingly handcrafted natural feminine elegance to treasure and remember.

The shoot was styled and photographed by designer Gwendolynne Burkin, and concentrates on close ups of detail showing the prized, objects and materials. It celebrates the exquisite and intricate elements of Gwendolynne gowns next to the beautiful facets of jewels beautifully set into Julia de Ville’s unique engagement rings. The story telling of these images honours both designers obsession with intricacy. and celebrates heirloom pieces together coveted, beautiful, rich in historical references and diverse cultural references.

History-meeting features, foundations

Julia and Gwendolynne met when Gwendolynne shared her studio space on Smith Street in the late 90s, the two would cross paths socially  particualarly in the days of uber cool underground nightclub Honky Tonks which led to a mutual appreciation of each others creative pursuits.

Gwendolynne has admired the work of local Wona Bae, co-owner of the enchanting Loose Leaf studio in Collingwood for several years. Her work was the perfect fit – melding- finishing touch, melding of creative style, personal work and loose leaf work drawing on natural beauty of materials combining organic, raw, unaffected natural beauty amongst the vision.

Distinctive Northside aesthetic, blend of old world and the contemporary, creating something original, naturally beautiful and sustainable. Vintage treasures are combined with elements from the natural world to create an effortless, comfortable, sustainable natural beauty.

Dried flowers, also become heirlooms. Deliberate use of flowers that can be dried and preserved.  Florals are presented as an art form, Julia also an artist, Gwendolynne arts and crafts architecture based in a fashion context

Rigorous exploration of themes and details to absolute refinement

Common threads_ tradition in a modern context, response to throw away culture, replacing the new and throw away with the beloved, precious, revered heirloom, respect for the preciousness of materials. Wona Bae, drawing on Korean culture to create contemporary arrangements that slow and soften the urban environment

Ritual, festivities, historical references…. Victorian, ceremonial, passage of time

Embellishment

Refinement, grace, style, sophistication, adore, affection.

Gwendolynne
Gwendolynne’s design approach explores tradition in a modern context, each collection evolving in a well-versed blend of historical references.
Gwendolynne’s intuitive approach to her work has resulted in a unique signature look with details that include luxurious couture hand embellishment (some featuring fresh water pearls and Swarovski crystals) and exclusive fabrics (such as French, Swiss and Italian lace).

Gwendolynne’s relentless pursuit of timeless beauty appeals to contemporary brides who want to invest in designs that can be worn again. Longevity, sustainable design, natural products, a response to the consumerist culture. challenging our disregard for …flora and fauna….precious materials

“I love working with beautiful exclusive fabrics and designing my own embellishments. My design philosophy is to create timeless beauty; I choose to work in small quantities in order to maintain quality, exclusivity and longevity.”

The beautiful Gwendolynne Boutique details add her

Julia deVille’s work is characterised by an elegant and original combination of jewellery and taxidermy. Julia uses taxidermy as a celebration of life and sees it as the preservation of something beautiful.

Add here about materials, diamonds, gold aquamarine, topaz,

Julia’s work is designed to serve as contemporary Memento Mori—a reminder of mortality.  Julia uses traditional precious and semi-precious metals and gems.  In examining mortality, her work incorporates motifs that encourage viewers and wearers to identify with their own fate and challenge a prevalent culture that obsessively plans the future: forget an unknowable tomorrow and instead embrace the present.

deVille trained as a jeweller and learned further crafting skills studying shoe design before her long hunt for a taxidermy mentorship was successful. Driven by a strong commitment to animal rights, deVille’s sculptural assemblages belie the heroic, trophy-hunting culture associated with mounting dead animals. In a form of gentle protest she combines precious gems and metals with antique ‘ready-mades’ to challenge our disregard for and consumption of both wild and domesticated fauna.

Drawing on Renaissance, Baroque and Victorian art and ideas, deVille creates contemporary ‘memento mori’ that raise our curiosity through the use of paradoxical processes and materials. While all deVille’s creatures have died a natural death, they live on as beautiful and compelling allegories, begging a reflection on our symbiotic but decidedly unequal relationship with the animal world and our cavalier disregard for mortality in general.

Floral artist and sculptor Wona Bae also draws inspiration from the cycles of nature.

Having worked with natural materials consistently over many years in various disciplines including fashion, horticulture, floral design and sculpture, she says ‘the beauty in organic materials that is the source of my creativity.’

 Rich mix of traditions having been born in Korea, Studied in Germany, and now living and lives and working in Melbourne. She has received numerous awards including the Winnier Heide at Yering Station Sculpture in 2011, and the Sustainable Living Festival in 2013

“In a world full of visual clutter this is about creating true beauty that makes people stop and consider the preciousness of nature and life.” - Gwendolynne

pricelessness of nature and preciousness of life…?