Alise Kennedy
Alise Kennedy is a jewellery designer based in the UK. She studied MA Design (Jewellery) at Central St. Martins in London, jewellery manufacture at the British Academy of Jewellery in Hatton Garden, and Theatre Design at Wimbledon School of Art.
Alise Kennedy designs and makes contemporary jewellery using repurposed textiles and metal. Her jewellery dramatically fuses cutting-edge design with traditional costume construction methods. She creates striking theatrical and tactile statement pieces, which blend precious metals with the rich expressive colour and texture of repurposed and organic textiles.
Artist Statement
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I am a jewellery designer working with repurposed textiles and precious metal. Having spent most of my career in the world of theatre costume at the Royal Ballet, the RSC and Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, I have an affinity with textiles.
Combining materials and processes from the arenas of costume construction, millinery and traditional jewellery-making enables me to use a fusion of techniques.
Currently, I am working with denim because of its iconic indigo colour and its unique place in popular culture. I am fascinated by the potential of repurposed textiles for dramatic colour and texture, their ability to convey a three dimensional form, and the way they retain visual traces of contact with the wearer.
Denim is particularly expressive in this respect. Using denim from discarded jeans adds an extra layer to the narrative of the jewellery. I also work with cloth that has been handwoven from organic fibres because of its distinctive weight and visible weave.
My jewellery reframes denim, transforming it into tactile jewellery that encourages interaction and has an emotional connection for the wearer, evoking memories and inspiring surprising interpretations.