The uncanny beauty of Toronto-born Alice Waese’s collection is in its ornate endurability. Her jewellery pieces are modelled on off-cuts from parallel collections, which attribute her work with the juxtaposition of found objects which have been transformed into precious metals. Dazed caught up with the designer to chat about the inspiration for her latest collection and her future projects.

For the recent collection, a series of drawings of figures under webs and cages inspired crocheting leather and casting it in silver to be worn as a type of hardened cage. The drawings and the jewellery inform and inspire each other

Dazed Digital: What was the inspiration for your latest collection?
Alice Waese: Inspiration comes from materials and processes. Ways of making inspire the collection and the mistakes encountered in learning inspire new ideas and methods. I also often start with my drawings. The drawings and jewellery always relate conceptually but the ideas come out really differently based on the materials, parameters of the medium, and what the work is meant to do. For the recent collection, a series of drawings of figures under webs and cages inspired crocheting leather and casting it in silver to be worn as a type of hardened cage. The drawings and the jewellery inform and inspire each other. 

DD: How do the different mediums you use impact upon each other?
Alice Waese: I like working in all the mediums at once so they have cross over. Working in leather to make jackets, shoes and then casting the off cuts to make bracelets. Casting tree bark to make cuffs then drawing the bark in an illustration and using that to create a jacquard for the knitwear. The cross over of the mediums is what inspires the collection.

DD: What are your aspirations for the future?
Alice Waese: To keep working and developing the collection and to continue working on interesting collaborations with other artists and stores. I have a few exciting projects coming up in London and Tokyo which will be featured on my new website, launching this month.