June 10, 2021: Sister design duo Jaclyn and Morgan Solomon look to architecture and art for creative inspiration. Their made-to-order jewelry line, AGMES, is distinctive and enduring with eye-catching designs. Conveying their unconditional love for sculptural form, the two decided to partner with Brooklyn-based sculptor and designer Simone Bodmer-Turner for their newest collaboration.
AGMES and Bodmer-Turner initially met in December of 2019. Instantly, the two bonded over their similar aesthetics incorporating timeless designs with elements of curvy organic shapes. They began conceiving and collaboratively developing the creative idea during the height of the coronavirus pandemic while working entirely remotely.
“Working on a line of jewelry has always been a dream of mine, and for years I’ve been collecting sculptural, biomorphic silver pieces from my travels, flea markets, and designers I admire.” says Bodmer-Turner. “When Morgan and Jaclyn approached me to collaborate with them on this line I was thrilled to finally have the opportunity to bring this idea to life.”
COVID-19-induced lockdown measures supplied ample time for creativity for the partnership. The 18-piece capsule interprets Bodmer-Turner’s large-scale sculptural pieces and seamlessly transforms them into wearable art. Crafted in recycled silver and gold, the collection boosts drop earrings with freshwater pearls, while an emphasis on negative space (which Bodmer-Turner is affectionately known for) takes shape in studs and pendants.
The collaboration is now available to shop on SSENSE alongside Simone’s permanent collection of vessels. Continue ahead for an exclusive conversation between GRAZIA and Morgan and Jaclyn Solomon on their remarkable collection with Simone Bodmer-Turner and to shop some of our favorite pieces from the collection.
Grazia: What drew you to Sculptor and designer Simone Bodmer-Turner’s work for your latest collaboration?
Jaclyn Solomon: We had long been fans of Simone’s—we love her minimal, biomorphic style and her use of negative space.
Morgan Solomon: I remember working on an idea we had that I wasn’t able to fully bring to life. It was all around the same time that Jaclyn had gifted me one of her pieces and Simone had separately reached out about a pair of earrings, and it all kind of clicked. I remember sitting at my kitchen table trying to design this piece, looking up at her vessel, writing back to her message, and having that “a-ha” moment that she would be the perfect person to help bring that idea to life.
G: How long have you been fans of hers? What piece of her work really speaks to you?
MS:: We’ve been fans of her work for years. Jaclyn actually gifted me one of her pieces for the holidays a few years ago. I especially love the sculptures she creates with the spheres hanging from violin strings, as I love how they look like they’re floating on air.
JS: Simone continues to impress us with her sculpture and interior work, including some of her newer commissioned pieces. My favorite from her permanent collection is the Valentine Vessel and I also love the furniture she’s been working on, especially the chair she recently released, Chair 1.
G: How was it designing a collaboration remotely?
MS: Both challenging and fun. It was nice in a way because we were able to send photos in real time of the process instead of having to be in the same place, but we also had to put a lot of trust in each other since we couldn’t physically work together on the pieces and proportions.
G: What did you find challenging?
MS: The most challenging part also happened to be the most fun, and that was translating her large-scale sculpture work into smaller, wearable pieces. We wanted to be sure to still capture the essence of the sculpture but make them comfortable and practical for everyday wear.
JS: In addition to scaling down Simone’s pieces, we were thoughtful in the placement of each post, carefully considering the center of gravity of each piece to be sure they would sit properly when worn.
G: What are your favorite pieces of the collaboration, how come?
MS: So hard to pick just one…my favorite is probably the Turner Ring. Wearing this ring truly makes me feel like I’m wearing one of her sculptures. I love the amorphic shape and how it looks different from each angle. Secondly are the Bubble Hoops. These earrings are something we had imagined a few seasons ago but had trouble fully bringing to life—Simone was able to put her special touch and really transform these earrings beyond what we had imagined. The Bubble Hoops and Turner Ring have already become my everyday staples!
JS: I love a good chunky ring, so the Turner Ring is one of my favorites from the collection. Also, the Baroque Bodmer Earrings for a special occasion.
