Yokabid Worku imbues architectural silhouettes with edgy floral detailing in her jewellery brand Yoki. In earrings, necklaces and rings, prettiness is eschewed for texture, delicacy for bold design codes, making for wearable and cool results.
‘Colours, textures, patterns and shapes found in nature are all reflected throughout the designs,’ says the jewellery designer of her distinctive aesthetic. ‘From contrasting boldly coloured precious gemstones to neutral, subtle hues, as well as the reflective nature of gold tones, each piece ties into the overall theme of the collections. Juxtaposing and balancing the various elements found in the tropics and in the deep sea inspired these new designs.’
Worku translates these inspirations into unexpected, occasionally delightfully eccentric, jewellery. Palm tree fronds are drawn in tsavorites offset with blackened gold, while the ridges of tree bark become thickly drawn swirls of gold glinting with bezel-set diamonds.
‘When designing, I love mixing two or more ideas and tieing all inspirations into one balanced form of art – often with a bit of mystery,’ Worku adds. ‘For example, there is an earring that offers a striking yet minimalist take on the snake motif. I wanted the piece to be subtle and sculptural in my iteration of the serpent. Being inspired by the natural world gives me the freedom I need to deep dive into my imagination with a micro and macro level of precision.’
Creating the high-concept pieces is not without its challenges. As Worku is self-taught, she has learnt to find alternatives to conventional jewellery drawing at the beginning of the creation process. ‘As such, while I envision the complete front and back 3D form of the piece in my mind, if the design is complex it takes me longer to draw the image. And, I opt out to draw the pieces in sections in order to capture all the details and help with the formation of the complete piece.’
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