ANIMALKINGDOM. Wolves, hedgehogs and humming birds designed with a vigilant eye.

2 November 2015

886

Browsing through jewelry is like hunting. Everything shimmers; similar motifs lurk in a lot of stores. Something catches our eye, but we’re not always sure how to match it. Where to find something original? Aaaagrhh! Calm down. I’ll teach you how to get unique trinkets. This time we’re going to Łódź.

ANIMALKINGDOM. stands out, so is not hard to track. I visited their boutique, located next to OFF Piotrowska in Łódź, at the premises of the former cotton mill of Franciszek Ramisch. A vibrant place of modern bohemianism. Their cozy store, which is also a workshop, is located among different ateliers, surrounded by numerous charming cafés and stores with collections by independent designers. Piotrowska comes back to life during summer. In the evenings, colorful lamps light up above restaurant tables. That’s the place where designers spend their Friday evenings with friends, eating dinner and sipping Prosecco. Dorota and Gosia have been friends and Magpies since childhood. Gosia is tech-savvy and keeps both feet on the ground. Dorota is more emotional. She can text Gosia with a new concept in the middle of the night. She pays attention to every single detail of a design – from its creation to the precise packaging. That’s why whatever you order you’ll find it packed in a unique way. The girls make a great team. They’re natural, direct and have that rare childlike joy and curiosity. Constantly planning, drafting, designing… They know well they can count on one another. And I have a feeling that they’ll keep feeding you with their fresh collections for a long time. Their hands were occupied with creating a new pedant even while we were talking. They got me into browsing through about a hundred different accessories with ease. I was delighted. I felt like a little girl again, crumpling colorful strings of different girth and length, touching plastic elements and matching them with the coolers, copper ones, and the small beads, which would always like to travel, rolling down the table. ☺ That’s how a perfect summer necklace, finished with a gem, which would passionately dive into a female neckline, was created in front of my own eyes. The girls only use products which they order at a local market. Recently, they introduced an option on their website to personally create jewelry from premade elements. But don’t worry, you can always choose something from a fixed collection. ☺ If you’re ever to come to Łódź, visit Gosia and Dorota in their workshop at Piotrowska. They’ll brew you a coffee, liven up with delicious chocolate, and, what is most important, gladly advise and help you in creating something just for you.

Now, confide in me, what’s you’re favorite animal? I was captivated by the wolf. It joined my pack of jewelry. It’s not so wild anymore. I tame it, wearing on my neck.