RESEARCH

“The study of flowers allows me to convey the rich and varied stories of our intimate connection with nature, and the cultural significance of flowers throughout time.”

Flowers are historically potent with meaning and symbolism. They can carry great sentiment and serious intent. There is a boundless generosity and sense of abundance in flowers. They can reflect love, celebration, and loss and mourning. We see them bloom, and we witness them wither.

The representation of flowers is linked very closely to a history of female identity and empowerment. Rachel aim’s to explore these [her]stories through the articuation of her intimate designs in order to contribute to a richer contemporary art and adornment discourse.

The concept of storytelling, through the art of adornment - and the relevance of flowers in often forgotten or erased female histories are central to future directions, collections and research.

The language of flowers
The language of flowers was a popular concept in the Victorian era. It was sometimes called Floriography, and was a means of cryptological communication through the use or arrangement of flowers – gifts of blooms, plants, and specific floral arrangements were used to send a coded message to the recipient, allowing the sender to express feelings which could not be spoken aloud in Victorian society. 

Meaning has been attributed to flowers for thousands of years, and some form of floriography has been practiced in traditional cultures throughout Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. In 19th Century England, armed with floral dictionaries, Victorians exchanged small "talking bouquets," referred to as nosegays or tussie-mussies, which could be worn or carried as a fashion accessory. 

The meaning of flowers
The Cherry Blossom speaks of Impermanence; the Chrysanthemum of truth, the Dahlia of dignity, the daisy of innocence. The sacred water lily speaks of purity of heart and the Violet of devotion, loyalty and modesty. The tulip; a declaration of love and the Snowdrop for consolation and hope. The pansy, whose name derived from the french word pensee, means ‘thought.’

Giardinetti
A design concept originating in Italy in the mid 18th century. Giardinetti means “little garden”. This concept is explored in an ongoing range of elaborate RLG rings featuring a myriad of gemstones that represent a basket of flowers, floral bouquet, floral spray or miniature garden. These designs explore the concept of gifting a miniature floral cosmos: where the jewellery object functions as a metaphor for the complexities of existence – the cycles of love, life and death, and of beauty and decay.