In the world of fashion, where the focus is always on the evolution of design and what the next season holds, the subject of death and mortality is not one often broached by designers. But for jewellery designer Gisele Ganne, growing up on a farm meant that she was familiar with the cycle of birth, life and death from a young age. This preoccupation with mortality and all things morbid remained with the UK-based designer during her studies at the Royal College of Art, and eventually became the basis of her namesake jewellery label. While most jewellery is designed to celebrate occasions such as birthdays, weddings and anniversaries, Gisele designs pieces to mark other significant life events, such as the mourning for a loved one. This is an idea taken from the Victorian era, when symbols and artefacts were commonly used as part of the grieving process. As is the case with fluid design, Gisele’s collections have evolved organically. Her first collections looked at the themes of death and divorce, while her latest collection, Hunting Man, explores the issue of new love after loss. Using the symbols of the stag, the trophy and the prey, the collection mimics the ways in which a hunter marks a conquest and, in turn, celebrates the tender process of winning the affections of a new partner. The collections are made from materials including leather, sequins, foam, gemstones, human hair and silver, and each piece is embellished with intricate detail. Each piece of jewellery bears a beautiful aesthetic on the surface, but also conveys a deeply powerful meaning. By representing periods of hardship that have been overcome, Gisele’s jewellery reminds wearers of their strength and empowers them to revaluate their deepest fears.