What's new in the local market? Clay earrings, that's what!

Local fashion designer-cum-jewellery designer Collette Bryan-Foster has just launched her exclusively clay-made earring line, Collette Collective. The designer told Tuesday Style Fashion (TSF) that the idea for the brand came from a recent trip to Europe. "I was a fashion designer for a few years, which I enjoyed so much but I felt like it was time to explore the well of my creativity and find other avenues to pour into. I moved to Spain where I spent almost eight months teaching, and during that time I asked God to reveal the creative path I desired.

"Faithfully, he delivered. While in Spain I rekindled my love for earrings and began buying a lot [of them]. Later on, I saw another creative's work (Polymer Clay Earrings) on Instagram and not only did I think they were beautiful, but I also researched the clay used. Instantly, I knew I wanted to work with it. Now, with this brand, my hope is for women to get excited about wearing clay earrings and getting complimented day in and day out, not only for the earrings but the extra bounce in their step that the earrings have inspired."

Bryan-Foster also expressed that she looks forward to popularising clay accessories and the use of polymer clay, a type of air-hardenable modelling clay, locally. "Jamaica has an incredible pool of creatives and I would be happy to work alongside them in sharing our gift of making art with the public. While polymer clay is a popular medium internationally, there aren't that many people in the jewellery industry exploring it. In light of this, I would love to contribute to broadening the knowledge associated with the medium to not only the industry but to those who aren't very familiar."

The first collection, Down To Earth, features bold, dramatic earthly hues with a soft feminine finish. Bryan says, "As a newcomer to the market for clay pieces and the local jewellery industry, Down to Earth is an honest introduction to the Collette Collective brand, influenced by my personal style. I love nature, the outdoors, so it felt right to use an earth-toned palette, coupled with sand-like and plant textures. I tapped into minimalism, quirky, bold and elegance, equally. These are all elements of my style and I'm excited to share them."

TSF encourages you to try something new!