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Influencing trends and attitudes since 1980...
Tom Binns is a directional artist who over his 30+ year career in the fashion industry, has earned numerous prestigious awards including the Accessory Designer of the Year from the Council of Fashion Designers of America ("CFDA"), the British Fashion Council (BFC) Award for Best Accessories Designer and the Elle Style Awards for Best Jewelry Designer. He has garnered a cult following for his unique designs, which combine elegance with an anti-conformist sentiment. His luxury attitude has adorned icons ranging from Michele Obama to Beyonce and Cate Blanchett to Lady Gaga just to name a few. Dare to wear. |
IN RETROSPECT
2018 SHANGHAI LIL
Shanghai Lil seemed to fit with this kimono like crusted beer can. I gave her a pair of gold Céline shoes. Tasty! rusty oil can, red acrylic paint wall piece |
2017 CHANCE ENCOUNTERS
It is just that, no rhyme or reason to what accompanies each linked charm. This story is what you interpret it to be. found objects, wood, acrylic necklace |
2016 WILD STYLE
The approach to my new work is IRRATIONAL. (without thinking) This was one of the first pieces in this new space. The only restriction being that it fit. hair, rocks, crystal, iron necklace |
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2014TYPE WHITER
This obsolete object has a complicated beauty having written a few secrets. A machine frozen in time. vintage typewriter, white acrylic paint sculpture |
2013HARMONY
Harmony of two opposites. The song of contradictions. The opposite attraction. painted broken violin sculpture |
2012STOP WATCH
The idea of wearing a very expensive watch annoys me, so I thought I would hammer a nail into like they did to Jesus. Fuck that for a game of cricket. faux cartier watch, rusty nail wrist band |
2011FROM THE DEEP
I was fascinated by the colors of the coral reef. There is a neon world down there that is unimaginable and I can only marvel at how brilliant nature is. hand painted vintage crystal necklace |
2010SPLASH BAG
This leather shoulder bag was inspired by bag pipes. I thought I would just add a dash of anarchy in gold. black calf leather, gold acrylic paint bag |
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2008PUNK COUTURE
This is a mass brawl. Taking the regal jewels and attacking with a punk attitude using razor blades, safety pins, and chains. white crystal set in nickel, silver chain, safety pins, gold plated razor blades body bib |
BODY JEWEL
I put this together using old colored rhinestone broaches. I was thinking Beyoncé would look statuesque in this jewel structure. She has the deportment. vintage broken broaches assembled body bust |
2006ANNA NECKLACE
I tried to imitate royal jewels using vintage crystals and colored broken glass to replicate emeralds and rubies. I lent it to Anna Wintour to wear in Paris. She told me everyone thought it was real. Sometimes it's the frame that distinguishes the work. It was real, real to me. vintage pearls & crystal, broken glass necklace |
2005AFTER MATISSE
I love the way Matisse, although in a wheelchair, found a way to create with his cut outs and random placings'. I had a group of tumbled blue glass and I hung it from chains so the pattern constantly changes. deep blue glass, black chain necklace |
2004ALL THE RAGE
This is a big girl's blouse. I wanted to try to construct a piece of clothing in the same way I was making jewelry, piecing contradictions to make a whole. mixed fabric, metal chain blouse |
PEARLS IN PERIL
Pearls have the attitude of conservatism, which of course I reject. So I treated them in a thuggish manner with a bit of grievous bodily harm. vintage rhinestone, vintage costume pearls necklace |
2002RAJ NECKLACE
The inspiration for this came from royal India. It was the men who wore all the jewels as a sign of wealth. This is my interpretation of a royal attitude. colored crystals set in nickel necklace |
2001WHAT WAS ONCE, NOW IS
I started feeling really loose about putting different elements together in an abstract way, with no rules. The construction of abandonment. broken jewels reassembled bracelet |
FLIES ON SHIT
Today you only have to think of an idea and someone else is on it, pre-empting your thoughts. Rather like flies on shit. oxidized silver on rhinestone necklace |
1999WATERFALL
Fine chains on mass have a particular way of acting. These chains cascaded so I left them as is, and added a blue crystal hiding under the waterfall. fine silver chain ,blue crystal set in nickel necklace |
PRECIOUS MOMENTS
The inspiration came from imagining what a child would collect and tuck away in their pocket. Much like a bowerbird collects to attract a companion. Finding beauty in odd objects. crystal, cord, shell,plastic,stone,ceramic, metal bracelet |
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CALAMITY CHAINS
Found a mass of chains that had their own elegance and chaos. It formed itself, I just re-realized it. mixed metal chains, silver, brass, copper, nickel, gold plated brass necklace |
1995
TWIST OF FATE
Originally this was a body sculpture you would step into, but I prefer it as a hollow entity because the space is what is important. I was inspired by Jose De Rivera. tapered bronze metal sculpture |
1994BROKEN DREAM
Edgy and daring having a smashed Pepsi bottle lashed together with safety pins. It becomes the new diamond. If on Mars we found diamond mountains, we would have to reevaluate their value. With nature dying, it would be come the new precious. glass pepsi bottle, metal safety pins necklace |
1993EMPATHY
On this canvas, I hung a swans feather, the most regal bird. I splashed the red paint across it to emphasize how delicate life can be. 4ft x 5ft stretched canvas, swans feather, acrylic paint, cord, rusty metal nail painting |
1992ANGEL
My sister Susan said to me, there is a certain amount of pride a woman gets from ironing her man's shirt. I thought ironing was the most boring of jobs. She is an angel to think that way. vintage iron, brass wings scultpure |
1991TULIP
Finding nature and seeing the beauty and its possibilities. I gave this shell a new identity, a new significance. shell, silver, copper pin |
1990VEIL OF SHADOWS
This was a piece I made for the Pirelli calendar that was not used. It's purpose was to sit on the shoulders as a black coral veil covering the face. Nature's last laugh. black coral, bronze metal face mask |
1989BIRD
I noticed this piece of drift wood resembled a wee bird, so I gave it legs and prominence. Now it is mighty. silver drift wood, slate stone cuff |
1988DANCER
I worked on a collection with Rifat Özbek in London. It was ballet inspired, I love the dynamics of dance. I tried to capture motion with a simple twist of wire. A la Man Ray. gold wire, plastic plinth sculpture |
1987FAUX FASCIST
I did a series of Disney characters acting out of character, taking the innocence of universal cartoon and giving it a nasty streak. plastic donald, metal paper, hair small sculpture |
1986FACE
I like studying sculpture. Gargallo was a Spanish sculptor I was inspired by who formed 3 dimensional pieces from flat metal. bronzed metal pin |
1985IN THE NAME OF CHRIST
Religion has a violent side. Being from Belfast, I've seen how it turns faith against faith. wood, metal, enamel watch face broach |
1984FOR FORK'S SAKE
Always loved a fork, it is a violent object that goes into the mouth. A dangerous server. metal forks, silver plated cuff |
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1982FISH
At college, I rebelled of course, veering towards fashion instead of arts and crafts. I went for the dramatic, it was the early 80s and being ostentatious was in. hair, bone, wood, leather, rusted metal necklace |
1981REFLECTIVE
A Cubist face carving with a ripple of a profile reflected in the diminishing silhouette. silver, bone, plastic pin |
1980 FOR SALOME
I was in college and Salome was the brief. The idea was about someone who had it all, but destroyed it with her own venom, in spite of herself. silver, bone bracelet |