You guys, I’m so excited about this that I’m not even thinking straight. I’ve just seen an online article by Harper’s Bazaar, announcing the upcoming launch of an official Game of Thrones jewelry line. The line, which is largely based on the super-cool dragon necklace worn by Emilia Clarke’s character Daenerys Targaryen in season 5 of Game of Thrones, was created by Emmy award-winning costume designer Michele Clapton and London-based jewelry designers Yunus & Eliza. According to the article in Bazaar (written by Ashley Phillips), the line of jewelry came about in a sort of organic way during the planning of the character Daenerys Targaryen’s wardrobe. Apparently while planning the wardrobe pieces for season five of the show, Clapton, Yunus, and Eliza all realized that they were on to something that really seemed to work, and that definitely had mass appeal; not only to Game of Thrones fans, but to jewelry buffs in general. Clapton commented on it to Bazaar.
There’s a sort of edginess that I thought was really appropriate to Dany [Daenerys]. They seemed to understand what a strong and complicated character she was.
This is a sentiment that Yunus and Eliza echoed to Bazaar.
We have had such an amazing response to the dragon neck sculpture we made with Michele for Khaleesi, it has become iconic, with fans contacting us daily from around the world. Finally being able to own it is going to make a lot of people very happy!
I don’t think that you can really argue with the fact that this line of jewelry is going to make a lot of people very happy. I count myself among those people.
The collaboration will be sold under the name MEY designs (to be sold at www.MEY.london), and will consist of 26 pieces, all created from solid sterling silver, with price points starting at $100. four of the 26 pieces will be direct replicas of what the line is referring to as “hero pieces” (which I am taking to mean that they are bold, statement-making pieces) that were worn by Daenerys in seasons five and six, and there will also be a selection of more “everyday” jewelry like bracelets and stacking rings.
When Bazaar sat down to an interview with Clapton, they gave us a bit of a peek into the process and why she decided to create the collaboration.
On why they chose the character of Daenerys Targaryen to base the designs upon
I think she’s a character that sort of appeals to both men and women. They’re both drawn to her. She’s so beautiful, and yet complicated, and dynamic. She just seemed to be the perfect vehicle to launch the collection around.
On whether or not the pieces can translate to everyday jewelry and be wearable by those who are not mothers of dragons
I think that in the collection we have these huge statement pieces that can be worn many ways. They can be dressed up with eveningwear. or they can be worn in an edgy way with attitude and strength. That’s the way that I’d like to see them, as we have in the pictures. We’ve also made some understated pieces for people that don’t want to shout about them.
There are four main statement pieces that Khaleesi wears in the show, and then there are 26 pieces that support those four big pieces that are probably more wearable. And she may end up wearing some of the bits [in the show], but at the moment the story is around those four pieces.
On the process of designing the jewelry
I initially sketch out the idea to give the direction of the piece and what it needs to do, and then I talk to Eliza & Yunus, and they bring their views on it. Then they hand-carve it into wax so we can get the proportions, and then we try it on Dany to make sure it’s fitting, because the big pieces have to fit really beautifully, and be comfortable to wear. If they’re not, they don’t work. They distract her. A lot of it is really articulated so the wings move with her movements. So, once you’ve made it in wax, then they will transfer it into silver — all the pieces are solid silver. It’s a very lengthy process just to get the beauty, and we carve a lot of it away because we all like it to slightly speak to, to have a modern sense to it. But still to keep that strength. We just go back and forth until we refine it and we’re all really happy with the design.
The MEY designs Game of Thrones collection will launch June 30th.
