The Spotlight | 1-100 by Graham Tabor and Miguel Villalobos

Graham Tabor and Migel Villalobos | Photo: Miguel Villalobos

NEW YORK, United States — I first met Graham Tabor and Miguel Villalobos over sushi in New York with our mutual friend Diane Pernet. Then again, it felt like we already knew each other since their smiling faces were often featured on Diane’s blog and she had already told me so much about them.

Since then, Graham and Miguel have kept me captivated with their creativity and ideas. A talented photographer and illustrator working in film, fashion and art, Miguel is always casually snapping photos away when we’re together. He has worked on creative projects with various collaborators including another friend of BoF, Zaldy Goco. For his part, Graham has long collaborated behind-the-scenes with other talented creatives — including super-stylist Melanie Ward, Helmut Lang and Karl Lagerfeld.

Most recently, Graham and Miguel put on their first solo sculpture exhibit in Paris, featuring animal skeletons constructed out of found cardboard and masking tape, covered in layers of resin, which made for some arresting imagery.

I’ve often wondered in the back of my mind how this dynamic duo would take their complementary creativity and commercialise it some day. The answer finally came during Paris Fashion Week just past when they showed me their beautiful new line of fine jewelry, 1-100.

The word ‘fine‘ jewelry isn’t intended to be a descriptor of the aesthetic mind you, as everything in their collection has a rough hewn, organic feel, with unfinished raw edges and shapes. Made in numbered editions in their New York atelier, the collection combines traditional and innovative materials with age-old artisanship. For Spring/Summer 2011, Miguel and Graham created a series of necklaces, bracelets, and cuffs in sterling silver and leather, captured by Miguel in captivating photography.

1-100 for BoF

It seems like we’re not the only ones who were impressed. Sarah Lerfel from Colette snapped the collection up for a Paris exclusive, along with cutting edge boutiques like Reborn in Montreal and Hostem in East London. Not bad for their first try at jewelry.

We are delighted to welcome Graham and Miguel, and their Spring/Summer 2011 collection, to the BoF Spotlight!

The Spotlight is BoF’s showcase for emerging talent employing creativity and business acumen to make their mark in the fashion business.