Unconcerned by disciplinary boundaries, Kramer’s idiosyncratic format derives from a sprawling creative outlook on the world in general, where her jewellery collections provide the 'bread and butter', allowing her a certain liberty to explore other design opportunities.

Kramer met with immediate attention when she made jewellery to complement friend Michelle Robinson’s fashion show in 2004, and found herself unable to meet orders due to unanticipated interest from media and retailers. For successive collections she commissioned overseas factories to make limited production runs of her designs, giving her time to focus on the creative side of the business. 'I enjoy the challenge of maintaining a product’s integrity in mass mode,' she affirms.

Quirky, whimsical and opulent, her earrings, chains and oversized pendants invite comparison to animals such as jellyfish or insects, tribal aesthetics, arts deco and nouveau, Victoriana and fanciful baroque accoutrements such as harps and fans. Her other non-jewellery projects also carry this aesthetic, with decorative layering and patterning, nostalgic iconography with cheeky twists, attracting edgy clients such as Melbourne fashion staple Alice Euphemia, magazines Russh, Yen, Dazed & Confused (Japan), and fashion designer Mala Brajkovic.

Being a solo practitioner, Kramer has the room to build a personal vision while still negotiating the image games of the fashion industry and the particular parameters of projects, maintaining a delicate balance between design credibility and saleability.

Elke Kramer

Elke's digital story was produced in collaboration with:
Alaana Fitzpatrick, Indesign Publishing
Nina Cueva, Metalab


TAGS
+ Sydney Design 07
+ Digital storytelling
+ SoundHouse VectorLab
+ Contemporary jewellery