Jewelry with meaning – Nina Lazić and Nemanja Vuksan, the founders of Belgrade-based Morf studio translate the aesthetics of Brutalist architecture into sophisticated, picturesque pieces of jewelry. Story-telling, fashion and design in a single product. Let’s see the details.
Morf studio was established in 2020, but its story goes back long before that; Nina and Nemanja were both born and raised in Belgrade, and they also completed their studies at the same university, so it was only a matter of time when they launched their joint business.
In terms of shape and form, their pieces of jewelry are inspired by the characteristic Modernist architectural environment surrounding them. This architectural heritage also has a massive impact on how they think about the world and design – the designer duo expresses and conveys their own experiences in the form of contemporary accessories.
“Modernist architecture has formed an integral part of our lives since we were children. In our imagination, these spaces always took us to various utopian worlds. Today, we have a deeper understanding of these spaces, their concepts, meanings, ideas and how the culture of Yugoslavia shaped them – which, in turn, shaped us. We have a truly strong emotional bond with this concrete-dominated environment” – the designers told us.
In addition to personal experiences, Morf also reflects on culture and the architectural heritage of Yugoslavia:
“Architecture is the footprint of history, capturing society’s way of thinking and the values characteristic in the given era. We realized only in the course of our journeys to other countries how much our own cultural and architectural experiences differ from that of the habitants of other countries of the former Eastern Bloc. The former Yugoslavia is a unique area both in terms of culture and creativity, which cannot be seen in many places” – Nina and Nemanja added.
The visual world of the jewelry recalling iconic Brutalist elements is dominated by simple geometric forms; one of the distinctive central elements of the collection is the wave motif also preferred in Brutalist architecture as a unique decorative element.
A further peculiarity is that the Morf jewelry pieces are made out of concrete, with a specific method developed by the artist duo. Owing to the special formula, the earrings, rings and necklaces created by Nina and Nemanja become truly timeless and durable pieces: they are chip and weather resistant, with a delicate texture.
“Our jewelry is produced in our workshop by a manual process that takes approximately 20 days. Concrete is a material that requires a lot of attention and devotion, as it shows even the tiniest imperfections candidly. This is why we developed our own formula, allowing us to create durable design pieces” – the designers highlighted.
Not only do the pieces of jewelry recall Brutalist architecture in terms of forms and use of materials, but are also in line with its ideology: the collection created by Morf is not in the least loud, it becomes a characteristic accessory through simple gestures.
Morf is already working on their new collection, which will lay more emphasis on experimenting with metal in addition to concrete and will also address men more. Until then, go and check out the website of the designer duo and explore the Brutalist jewelry pieces!
Building photos: Nina Lazić
Editorial: Marija Savić
Design x Covid-19 | 9 projects inspired by the epidemic
New city image | Svitavy, Czech Republic
