STRINGS attached - an interview with Camilla Lehn

I've had the absolute pleasure of being introduced to a wonderful artist from Denmark, Camilla Lehn.

She's kindly agreed to a little Q&A so we can all get to know her a little bit better. Read on!



B>Tell us a little bit about Camilla Lehn, the artist and creator of Strings.

CL>Born and raised in Denmark. I have always been fascinated by creativity. Even though I love fashion and is fascinated by design, I do not see myself as a slave to the latest trends… I tend to go with my own style and I love to leave people with a quirky impression (them not being able to figure me out :). You never know where I´m at :)

B>When did u first think of the concept for Strings. What sort of reception did they get?

CL>I started out buying some leather string and actually just tried knitting it… I took parts of my grandmother’s old jewelry or other stuff I could find in my jewelry shrine and implemented it into my bracelets to add the personality.


These kinds of bracelets became very popular amongst my friends and encouraged me to look for new ideas.

B>Tell us a little about the materials used and process behind making Strings.

CL>I do all the work myself - from picking only the best leathers and other materials, to tying each bracelet together by hand. The look and feel of each bracelet is very important to me and I like the fact that I can customize bracelets and personalize the designs if required.


And that´s actually what I like the most about the skull bracelets…

B>Speaking of the Skulls (my favourite!), what was the inspiration behind them?

CL>They surprise people and leave them unable to quite figure out what’s behind the idea or the person wearing them. Some people think it´s all about tattoos and the biking environment.. Not for me! I don´t have a single tattoo and I have never ridden a motorbike :) Not that I mind either of it though. Individuality is the best!
For a while I had been looking for edgy jewelry to combine with the sometimes too feminine clothes, but found none. Yes there were a lot of knitted bracelets to be found and yes there were a lot of taggy jewelry with skulls, but none that appealed to me.


My mantra is: Memento mori ("Remember your mortality"). The skulls remind me to live my life with focus and appreciation of all the pretty, loving, fascinating and positive people and things surrounding me…. While I have them.

B>Currently Strings are sold exclusively in Denmark and via just the one boutique I believe, can we expect Strings to be more readily available in select stores and online?

CL>I like the fact that my designs are not sold in a lot of shops – that it is not "common property". This must not be understood as me being snobbish – just the fact that I like to keep it personal and be able to keep track with orders and stick with the handcrafted version.

People find their way to the one boutique and to my web because they really want it I guess. Word gets around somehow! I love it! Webshop… I honestly cannot make my mind up… As for now I kind of like the pace of my little project and the quirky way that the word is spread around the world! He he :)



B>Can you tell me which other jewellers and boutiques you are a fan of?

CL>I tend not to look at what others do and just stick to my own ideas. The thought of being “slave” of what’s “fashionable right” does not appeal to me :)

B>What's the plan for Strings in 2011?

CL>Latest the skulls which have become very popular amongst celebrities here in DK and even people from abroad :). First orders have been shipped to Norway, England, Belgium and US!

B>And finally for now, can we expect a visit to the London any time soon?

CL>I will be visiting London from April 20 to 23rd.


Great news! I hope we can find the time to meet up, it would be an honour. Thank you so much for your time and I'm very excited about the future!
 
Camilla has released photos of her S/S 2011 colourways (see below) and designs which can be found on her Facebook Page. Get over and follow the progress of Strings here.


-Bossman