You can probably count the number of polymaths from the hip-hop world on one hand. Multidisciplinary genius can be seen in the likes of Tyler The Creator, Kanye West, Donald Glover, and Rihanna, but also increasingly one ultra-private Long Beach native. I’m talking, of course, about Frank Ocean – whose latest project to see the light of day is his new jewellery brand Homer (launched this week).
The announcement came with an 84-page collection catalogue, which looked more like the editorial section of a fashion magazine showcasing the 25-piece collection; presenting rings, necklaces, bracelets, and even charms. All of which have been made from 18K gold, recycled silver, as well as American lab-grown diamonds.
But the collection isn’t as traditional as those materials make it sound, also offering a range of handcrafted enamelled pieces and printed silk scarves. Prices will reportedly range from approximately $530 for the most modest pieces, all the way up to $2.5 million for the most extravagant high jewellery piece.
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In an interview with the Financial Times, Ocean confessed to having always been interested in jewellery, explaining, “… my mother was into jewellery, but in a low-key Princess Diana kind of way.” Homer is the result of three and a half years of designing, and was named so because “It’s five letters and the dotcom was available.”
The designs are eclectic, reminiscent of the brightly coloured smiling flower motif from Takashi Murakami, while adding a dash of the graphic street artwork style by Keith Haring. Despite the playful nostalgia that the pieces represent, Ocean is pricing them in line with established jewellery houses, stating that, “I didn’t want our work to be any less expensive than Cartier.”
If you’re a fan of his pieces and you’re stuck in Australian lockdown, there is some unfortunate news. The collection won’t be available online, and will only be available for purchase at the Homer store in the diamond district of New York.
You can check out the Homer site – complete with photography by Frank Ocean – in the catalogue below.
