HOVE.- Tatty Devine’s statement jewellery disrupted the fashion world with their unique designs which tell stories and generate conversation. This spring Misshapes: The making of Tatty Devine, considers the power of creativity and innovative British design and making, alongside the glamour and humour that Tatty Devine are known for.
The exhibition celebrates design duo, Harriet Vine MBE and Rosie Wolfenden MBE, who met at Chelsea College of Art and founded Tatty Devine when they graduated in 1999. They soon started trading from a market stall in east London and developed a signature style that saw them lauded in Vogue and stocked in Harvey Nichols and Whistles within the year. They discovered laser-cut acrylic on a trip to New York in 2001. On their return, they invested in a laser-cutting machine, rarely used in jewellery at that time, which gave them a creative freedom to push the boundaries.
In the early years, Tatty Devine’s DIY, anarchic approach resonated with an industry and public who were hungry for something different from the commercialised, mass-produced products on offer. Turning disposable objects like guitar plectrums and cake decorations into playful personality-packed jewellery led to fans all over the world, as well as collaborations with some of the biggest cultural institutions in the UK, as well as celebrated artists and musicians alike: Peaches, Scarlett Curtis, Young Women’s Trust, Eve Appeal, Caroline Criado Perez, Lucy-Anne Holmes, Venus Libido, Gillian Wearing CBE, Sarah Millican, Poppy Chancellor, Rhyannon Styles, Kae Tempest and Viv Albertine.
Tatty Devine jewellery carries a strong feminist message and is known for making a statement. Jewellery is a very powerful way to spread messages and Tatty Devine loves to challenge what jewellery can be and do. Through its jewellery and campaigns Tatty Devine empowers its customers by giving them a medium to be political. For over twenty years Team Tatty has predominantly been made up of females, giving women space to enjoy creativity, jewellery and working together in a relaxed, uncompetitive, open and collaborative environment.
Twenty-three years after pioneering laser cut jewellery, all their pieces are still made by hand in the UK. They remain culturally relevant as they continue to design bold pieces for campaigns close to their hearts, such as Fawcett Society, Comic Relief and Battersea Cats and Dogs Home and they are passionate advocates for the power of creativity. Rosie and Harriet were awarded MBEs in 2013 for services to the fashion industry. Tatty Devine was voted one of the Cool Brands of 2021.
Rosie Wolfenden MBE said: "We are so excited for Misshapes: The Making of Tatty Devine to be opening in Brighton and Hove, a place that has always embraced everything Tatty Devine makes and stands for."
CEO of Royal Pavilion & Museums Trust Hedley Swain said: “We are so thrilled to have Tatty Devine at Hove Museum. Their work matches Brighton & Hove style beautifully, and we want to develop Hove Museum as the local home for creativity and making so this exhibition is a perfect match.”
Misshapes features over 100 pieces from the past 23 years, from the early leather cuffs and piano belts to giant two metre versions of their ‘greatest hits’ including a huge lobster, parrot and dinosaur. The show includes sketchbooks, ephemera and two new films plus newer pieces which illustrate how Tatty Devine continues to embrace technology and cultural shifts.
