Rewrite
Picture a three-course meal spread upon a lavishly laid out table – as exuberant as they come – decorated head-to-toe in plush napkins and candles that permeate a warm light throughout the dining room; conversation is plentiful. As delectable as it is, the centrepiece of the meal is not the food itself, but the delicate cutlery that sits to the side of your plate and comes adorned by intricately twisted bows on the base of each fork, knife and spoon. The candle holders are also sculpted into coquettish silver bows. Each piece of cutlery and candlestick is imbued with a tenderness that’s served up in the shape of reflective silver metalware. One might assume these are the type of antiques that are to be looked at and not touched, but no – these are the ethereal works of Leo Costelloe, the Australian-Irish jeweller and artist who subverts a decorative world of femininity as a way of exploring their own queer identity.
Upon first inspection, Costelloe’s work could be seen as a by-product of the mammoth trend that is all things hyper-feminine and coquette, but this is by no means their first foray into the world of ribbons. The creative moved to London, aged 19, to study Jewellery at Central Saint Martins – after growing up on the outskirts of Canberra, Sydney and Perth – where they dove headfirst into East London’s bubbling queer scene. Here, Costelloe worked alongside Simone Gooch as a florist whilst studying at CSM, which naturally added to their sculptural design aesthetic.
With an aim to make their clients feel “Like a star!”, as Costelloe proclaims, they douse dolls, necklaces, tiaras and cutlery in silver and ornate bows. Think 1930s dolls that might as well be straight out of a horror film, or tiaras made out of barbed wire and silver ribbons. Costelloe builds this intimate design vocabulary as they shroud silverware in ribbons, flowers and anything sinisterly fragile.
Amidst this, Costelloe has initiated their artistic tendencies with an array of exhibitions and films throughout the past year. At Neven Gallery, their Special Day exhibition sought to dissect the tropes and traditions that exist within weddings. A concept that, for Costelloe, comes as a result of societal pressure, orchestrated as a means to perpetuate feminine stereotypes. Utilising feminine iconography as a mirror into Costelloe’s own intimate relationship with their ever-evolving queer identity, the jeweller and artist sat down with us to unveil the inspirations behind their metalware; one barbed-wire bow at a time.
“Sterling silver Bow Candleholders” 2023, Sterling Silver; “Knitted fine silver and silk Ribbon” 2023, Fine silver and Silk; “Party Crown” 2023, Sterling silver, Smokey quartz and silk; “Small cutlery set” 2024 Sterling silver, cubic zirconia, pearls; “Sterling silver bow chain” 2024, Sterling silver
目次
- 1 On their design language
- 2 On their upbringing and its impact on their work
- 3 On their time at Central Saint Martins
- 4 On their creative process
- 5 On the influence of online culture in their designs
- 6 On the relationship between their aesthetic and personal style
- 7 On their bespoke cutlery designs
- 8 On the future of Leo Costelloe
- 9 On their design language
- 10 On their upbringing and its impact on their work
- 11 On their time at Central Saint Martins
- 12 On their creative process
- 13 On the influence of online culture in their designs
- 14 On the relationship between their aesthetic and personal style
- 15 On their bespoke cutlery designs
- 16 On the future of Leo Costelloe
On their design language
I make a lot of work that I wouldn’t necessarily share because I feel insecure about it or because I decided it’s failed, or it’s unfinished/not started. So defining a particular design aesthetic is hard because I feel like things are always changing, I’d like to think that it’s more of a taste thing than a particular aesthetic. There are particular motifs though, that I think people associate with the work, but I wouldn’t want to define a design aesthetic based on an incomplete oeuvre. I think making work helps me to understand, some of my work is more sculptural. My general rule is everything for the body should look as beautiful off than it does on. Things to wear should be as decorative on the dresser or in the wardrobe as they are on the body. I’m a strong believer in that. I have things I would never dream of wearing but I like them just to look at, to hang on the wall or sit on the dresser.
On their upbringing and its impact on their work
I’d like to think that I exist in my work, I think a lot of good work is about dragging pieces of yourself out and getting people to understand them, so maybe if the work feels like it’s connected to my own childhood it’s doing what it should? But I don’t think I’ve made a work based on my childhood. Maybe some work based around some liminal stages of my life. I don’t really see bows and dolls as particularly infantile, I think those associations are patriarchal. I grew up in government housing in rural Canberra we later moved to the suburbs and a lot of this time was turbulent and hard to understand in retrospect.
Fork shown as part of “glamorous dinner date in Los Angeles (with my baby)”, “General Assembly Gallery London” 2023, Sterling silver and human hair; “heavy duty Mixed bow chain” 2024, Sterling silver; “sterling silver and silk ribbon necklace” 2022, Silk, sterling silver; “something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue” Shown at “Neven Gallery” 2024, Sterling silver, silk, pearl, Photo courtesy of Dominique Cro
On their time at Central Saint Martins
I think studying grounded me a lot and made me a more disciplined maker and helped me find my voice. It engaged me with new materials and I met some people that really influenced my understanding of myself and how I want to communicate. Shockingly, lol, I’m not really a big fan of jewellery. I find it kind of airless but i’m interested in sentimentality, objects and materials, motifs and meanings, beauty and jewellery can be a great vehicle to explore those things.
On their creative process
I like to treat it all as one output, I’m just figuring out the best means to express that output. I don’t want to get too dependent on a particular technique because that gets boring and it feels like I’m repeating myself, but I also have to make money and I have to work to briefs etc so I find myself doing lots of the same thing but that’s arts and commerce and maybe it won’t be like that forever. It depends on the piece, I use a lot of silversmithing techniques with the metal work hand building, forging etc Minimal casting to be honest. The hair work is just reticent skills I kept from styling wigs in my showgirl days, there’s some sewing and knitting it involved and photography too. I think I’m still working on my signature designs – I like the idea of a signature look though, it sounds glamorous.
On the influence of online culture in their designs
I love the internet, I grew up with it and it was so integral to my growth as a teenager. I know it’s evil but it’s really connected me to so many awesome people and things, I love tiktok and Instagram. I like how social media flattens everything out so I enjoy the simplicity of it. I mean of course it doesn’t equate to real life, but I think the internet is fun, when it’s not I try to avoid letting it dictate. But I think I have a strong enough sense of self and a handle on the work I create so I don’t worry too much about it at the moment.
“Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue” shown at “Neven Gallery” 2024, photo courtesy of Dominique Cro, “I wish you lived here too”, 2023, Silk ribbon, sterling silver, Rose, “Kupfer Gallery London”, Photo courtesy of Peter Otto
On the relationship between their aesthetic and personal style
I’m a lot less put together than a lot of my work, it’s something I’m trying to get back into, I think I used to but I spend so much of my time working so there’s not a lot of space to get dressed and I’m always piss poor, if I need to buy new shoes or materials I will always buy the materials first. These days I steal a lot of my boyfriend’s clothes and I like to cut the hems of tracksuit bottoms into pirate style triangles. I used to wear cute ribbons around my neck and do beautiful eyeliner looks but lately I’ve been too busy. I did however take my fabulous assistants Erin and Winnie to get our nails done for our Christmas party and I love having little claws. So perhaps a more glamorous future is on the cards.
On their bespoke cutlery designs
For me, I think the cutlery is a lot about playing with decoration and function. I like the work to permeate different contexts and I get excited when things feel difficult to place. I think cutlery is historically complex and making it something overwrought coupled with this historic complexity feels exciting. I also just like the idea of silver and rubies dangling in pea and ham soup.
On the future of Leo Costelloe
I’m working on two new bodies of work that I’ll show next year, and a new jewellery collection which hopefully will be finished by spring next year, if all goes to plan.
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Picture a three-course meal spread upon a lavishly laid out table – as exuberant as they come – decorated head-to-toe in plush napkins and candles that permeate a warm light throughout the dining room; conversation is plentiful. As delectable as it is, the centrepiece of the meal is not the food itself, but the delicate cutlery that sits to the side of your plate and comes adorned by intricately twisted bows on the base of each fork, knife and spoon. The candle holders are also sculpted into coquettish silver bows. Each piece of cutlery and candlestick is imbued with a tenderness that’s served up in the shape of reflective silver metalware. One might assume these are the type of antiques that are to be looked at and not touched, but no – these are the ethereal works of Leo Costelloe, the Australian-Irish jeweller and artist who subverts a decorative world of femininity as a way of exploring their own queer identity.
Upon first inspection, Costelloe’s work could be seen as a by-product of the mammoth trend that is all things hyper-feminine and coquette, but this is by no means their first foray into the world of ribbons. The creative moved to London, aged 19, to study Jewellery at Central Saint Martins – after growing up on the outskirts of Canberra, Sydney and Perth – where they dove headfirst into East London’s bubbling queer scene. Here, Costelloe worked alongside Simone Gooch as a florist whilst studying at CSM, which naturally added to their sculptural design aesthetic.
With an aim to make their clients feel “Like a star!”, as Costelloe proclaims, they douse dolls, necklaces, tiaras and cutlery in silver and ornate bows. Think 1930s dolls that might as well be straight out of a horror film, or tiaras made out of barbed wire and silver ribbons. Costelloe builds this intimate design vocabulary as they shroud silverware in ribbons, flowers and anything sinisterly fragile.
Amidst this, Costelloe has initiated their artistic tendencies with an array of exhibitions and films throughout the past year. At Neven Gallery, their Special Day exhibition sought to dissect the tropes and traditions that exist within weddings. A concept that, for Costelloe, comes as a result of societal pressure, orchestrated as a means to perpetuate feminine stereotypes. Utilising feminine iconography as a mirror into Costelloe’s own intimate relationship with their ever-evolving queer identity, the jeweller and artist sat down with us to unveil the inspirations behind their metalware; one barbed-wire bow at a time.
“Sterling silver Bow Candleholders” 2023, Sterling Silver; “Knitted fine silver and silk Ribbon” 2023, Fine silver and Silk; “Party Crown” 2023, Sterling silver, Smokey quartz and silk; “Small cutlery set” 2024 Sterling silver, cubic zirconia, pearls; “Sterling silver bow chain” 2024, Sterling silver
On their design language
I make a lot of work that I wouldn’t necessarily share because I feel insecure about it or because I decided it’s failed, or it’s unfinished/not started. So defining a particular design aesthetic is hard because I feel like things are always changing, I’d like to think that it’s more of a taste thing than a particular aesthetic. There are particular motifs though, that I think people associate with the work, but I wouldn’t want to define a design aesthetic based on an incomplete oeuvre. I think making work helps me to understand, some of my work is more sculptural. My general rule is everything for the body should look as beautiful off than it does on. Things to wear should be as decorative on the dresser or in the wardrobe as they are on the body. I’m a strong believer in that. I have things I would never dream of wearing but I like them just to look at, to hang on the wall or sit on the dresser.
On their upbringing and its impact on their work
I’d like to think that I exist in my work, I think a lot of good work is about dragging pieces of yourself out and getting people to understand them, so maybe if the work feels like it’s connected to my own childhood it’s doing what it should? But I don’t think I’ve made a work based on my childhood. Maybe some work based around some liminal stages of my life. I don’t really see bows and dolls as particularly infantile, I think those associations are patriarchal. I grew up in government housing in rural Canberra we later moved to the suburbs and a lot of this time was turbulent and hard to understand in retrospect.
Fork shown as part of “glamorous dinner date in Los Angeles (with my baby)”, “General Assembly Gallery London” 2023, Sterling silver and human hair; “heavy duty Mixed bow chain” 2024, Sterling silver; “sterling silver and silk ribbon necklace” 2022, Silk, sterling silver; “something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue” Shown at “Neven Gallery” 2024, Sterling silver, silk, pearl, Photo courtesy of Dominique Cro
On their time at Central Saint Martins
I think studying grounded me a lot and made me a more disciplined maker and helped me find my voice. It engaged me with new materials and I met some people that really influenced my understanding of myself and how I want to communicate. Shockingly, lol, I’m not really a big fan of jewellery. I find it kind of airless but i’m interested in sentimentality, objects and materials, motifs and meanings, beauty and jewellery can be a great vehicle to explore those things.
On their creative process
I like to treat it all as one output, I’m just figuring out the best means to express that output. I don’t want to get too dependent on a particular technique because that gets boring and it feels like I’m repeating myself, but I also have to make money and I have to work to briefs etc so I find myself doing lots of the same thing but that’s arts and commerce and maybe it won’t be like that forever. It depends on the piece, I use a lot of silversmithing techniques with the metal work hand building, forging etc Minimal casting to be honest. The hair work is just reticent skills I kept from styling wigs in my showgirl days, there’s some sewing and knitting it involved and photography too. I think I’m still working on my signature designs – I like the idea of a signature look though, it sounds glamorous.
On the influence of online culture in their designs
I love the internet, I grew up with it and it was so integral to my growth as a teenager. I know it’s evil but it’s really connected me to so many awesome people and things, I love tiktok and Instagram. I like how social media flattens everything out so I enjoy the simplicity of it. I mean of course it doesn’t equate to real life, but I think the internet is fun, when it’s not I try to avoid letting it dictate. But I think I have a strong enough sense of self and a handle on the work I create so I don’t worry too much about it at the moment.
“Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue” shown at “Neven Gallery” 2024, photo courtesy of Dominique Cro, “I wish you lived here too”, 2023, Silk ribbon, sterling silver, Rose, “Kupfer Gallery London”, Photo courtesy of Peter Otto
On the relationship between their aesthetic and personal style
I’m a lot less put together than a lot of my work, it’s something I’m trying to get back into, I think I used to but I spend so much of my time working so there’s not a lot of space to get dressed and I’m always piss poor, if I need to buy new shoes or materials I will always buy the materials first. These days I steal a lot of my boyfriend’s clothes and I like to cut the hems of tracksuit bottoms into pirate style triangles. I used to wear cute ribbons around my neck and do beautiful eyeliner looks but lately I’ve been too busy. I did however take my fabulous assistants Erin and Winnie to get our nails done for our Christmas party and I love having little claws. So perhaps a more glamorous future is on the cards.
On their bespoke cutlery designs
For me, I think the cutlery is a lot about playing with decoration and function. I like the work to permeate different contexts and I get excited when things feel difficult to place. I think cutlery is historically complex and making it something overwrought coupled with this historic complexity feels exciting. I also just like the idea of silver and rubies dangling in pea and ham soup.
On the future of Leo Costelloe
I’m working on two new bodies of work that I’ll show next year, and a new jewellery collection which hopefully will be finished by spring next year, if all goes to plan.
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