Chain Reaction: Shells Reinvented with the Melanie Georgacopoulos Katina Collection

Since focusing her attention on pearls in 2010, Melanie Georgacopoulos has become something of an expert in taking this recognisable material and transforming it into unexpected creations. In the last five years, she’s shifted her focus to shells – the more commonly disregarded ‘homes’ of pearls – and has used them to produce double-take jewels that subvert our perceptions of what this relatively soft substance can achieve. This is perfectly demonstrated in the new Katina collection, which uses carved quahog shell and mother of pearl to recreate the links in a classic metal chain. I spoke to Melanie to discover more about her latest, innovative offering…