LASTCHANCE/LOSTCHILD
LASTCHANCE/LOSTCHILD departs from the rugged and theatrical aesthetic of the previous //mineD// collection by embracing delicate shapes and lines. This collection features statement cuffs, body jewelry, headpieces, hand bracelets, and ear cuffs that accentuate the body. Inspired by the costume jewelry of Gina’s maternal grandmother and the industrial mining town of Butte, Montana, where she grew up, each piece is named after a former mine in the region.
Embracing raw metal materials like antiqued EcoSilver and coppery tones intensified by heat for an oily rainbow effect, several pieces are also set with uncut, locally sourced minerals such as Pyrite and Chalcopyrite. Blue enamel details mimic the denim colors of the mine workers.
After a recent trip to explore the Montana mines, visiting small mining town Butte - home to her recently deceased Grandmother - Melosi has embraced raw metal materials of antiqued silver and coppery tones which have been intensified by applying heat to achieve a rainbow effect, in addition to the setting of uncut, locally sourced minerals such as Pyrite and Chalcopyrite. Once again Melosi has been able to capture the beauty which arises out of destruction - the broken, abandoned, and overlooked, a recurrent theme in her work - but this time inspired by family history. “The theme is different from the first three collections. It's inspired by my Grandmother who recently passed and the place in which she lived” Melosi explains. “Her family came over from Yugoslavia to Butte to work in the mines. It used to be a thriving town at the turn of the century, but now it’s barely a third of its original size and all the mines are shut. The town is dominated by a toxic open mine and the mountainous but barren landscape is dotted with the remnants of all the underground mine shafts. I’ve visited this place often - taking photos, panning for gold and gemstones, and learning its history”.
The unique edge of this new collection is due to Melosi inheriting her Grandmother’s vast costume jewellery collection, which has provided the core inspiration. “Collecting all her jewellery and dressing up as a child, coupled with my interest in mining history and a love of natural gemstones, minerals and metals have led me to becoming a jewellery designer."