TESSA METCALFE

Self taught taxidermist turned jeweller Tessa Metcalfe draws in her childhood fantasies to create collection entirely cast from the feet of London pigeons. “As a child I desperately wanted everything to be beautiful like a fairy tale,” Metcalfe says. “But it just didn't translate to my inner city surroundings.” The jewelry designer, who grew up in East London, decided to create her own fantasy underworld. Inspired by Grimms’ Fairy Tales and her tough, gray neighborhood, Tessa says she wanted to find beauty in the gutter. After learning to taxidermy pigeons, she began casting their feet in silver, adding gold nails and handmade miniature rings for the birds to wear giving these vermin an secret lust for jewels. The results are an incredibly detailed blend of edgy style and luxurious glamour.