Timeline
January 2020 - Launch of Aussie Online Shop
The Johnny Rocket Jewellery's Australian website launches, featuring the UK site's classic collection- alongside newly created collections. The Australian site introduces Johnny’s distinctive work to his homeland for the first time. Because, although he's known and loved in the UK, he's relatively unknown in the country where he was born and raised. So...time to offer up the work of one Australia's great designers to his fellow Australians! Johnny will be adding new collections inspired by his new surroundings, bringing his personal touch and quality of service to Australia. And that's a thought that makes him decidedly happy.
image: "Renaissance Rose" collection web image
design and made: Johnny Rocket
photograph: danlowe.tv
September 2019 - Ruby Crystal Guitar
image: "Ruby" Swarovski crystal guitar for The Darkness's Justin Hawkins
design and made: Johnny Rocket
photograph: Johnny Rocket archive
May 2019 – Guildhall London: Freedom of the City of London
Johnny Rocket is awarded The Freedom of the City of London.
It is a recognition awarded to people who have achieved success, recognition or celebrity in their chosen field. Freedom of the City of London is a recognition of lifetime achievement or high international standing. A limited number of Freemen are admitted each year by the Clerk to the Chamberlain of the City of London during a ceremony at Guildhall. Johnny now has the right to drive sheep over London Bridge and protection from being press ganged into the navy or army, which should come in handy!
image: "The Flock” Guildhall London
design and made: Traditional Corporation of London
photograph: Johnny Rocket Jewellery archive
January 2019 - A Museum: Pleasure & Pain
Johnny Rocket collaborates with Master Cobbler Caroline Groves to create two pairs of shoes for this exhibition at The Victoria & Albert Museum London. The exhibition looks at the extremes of footwear from around the globe, presenting 200 pairs of shoes ranging from ancient Egypt to the most elaborate designs by contemporary makers. In permanent collection at Shoe Icons: the Russian shoe museum
image: "Virtue" women’s gold kid sandals with Cockatiel wings, solid gold talons and heel tips.
photograph: danlowe.tv
March 2018- Goldsmith’s Hall, London: Freeman of the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths
Johnny Rocket becomes a Freeman of the Company of Goldsmiths and a Freeman of the City of London.
The Goldsmiths' Company is one of the Twelve Great Livery Companies of the City of London originating from the trade guilds of the Middle Ages and is an institution that is more than 700 years old. Nowadays the company promotes excellence in design and craftsmanship and has the responsibility of hallmarking all precious metal jewellery made in the UK. The Freedom ceremony took place at Goldsmiths' Hall in the City of London.
image: "Declaration of A Freeman” original oath
design and made: Traditional Corporation of London
photograph: Johnny Rocket Jewellery archive
January 2016 - Launch of UK Online Shop
A new chapter starts with the launch of the first Johnny Rocket website, encapsulating classic collections alongside newly created collections. The website introduces the diversity of Johnny’s designs and makes them widely available for the first time. With the advent of this new eCommerce site, he introduces Renaissance Rose: a signature women’s collection alongside the new androgynous Flame collection. Johnny brings his personal touch and quality of service to the internet, blending technology and tradition with a contemporary vision.
image: "Renaissance Rose" collection web image
design and made: Johnny Rocket
photograph: danlowe.tv
March 2015 - A Museum: Savage Beauty
When "Savage Beauty" the retrospective exhibition of fashion collections by British designer Alexander McQueen opens at the Victoria & Albert Museum London, 480,000 tickets are sold.
Pieces created with Sarah Harmanee by Johnny Rocket appear in the Cabinet of Curiosities.
image: "Bow" with arrow by Sarah Harmanee
for: Givenchy Haute' Couture by Alexander McQueen
made: Johnny Rocket
photograph: Marcus Mam for Visionaire
January 2013 - Jewelled Masks - Jungle Charity Ball
Harking back to the opulent and decadent balls of yore, such as Truman Capote’s Black and White Ball 1966, The Animal Ball once again brought the splendour and glamour of a masked soirée to the heart of London. Each room was dedicated to a different endangered animal through its design. This remarkable journey of discovery was accompanied by the illustrious Jools Holland and his Rhythm and Blues Orchestra with surprise guest singers joining the 21-piece ensemble throughout the night. The night raised over £500,000 with an exclusive silent auction of 20 animal sculptures. Johnny Rocket & Sunny Warrington had been tasked to create a bespoke pair of masks that reflected their interpretation of an endangered animal – and gifted to guests paying to attend the nights full festivities, providing the ultimate in conservation chic.
image: “Pussy Cat Pussy Cat” Swarovski Crystal Masks for The Animal Ball & Auction, London
design and made: Sunny Warrington / Johnny Rocket photograph: Johnny Rocket Jewellery archive
November 2012 - Fashion
When Kylie Minogue launches her new book ‘Kylie/Fashion’ exclusively at Harrods on Wednesday 28th November 2012, the cover image features one of Johnny's custom designs. A celebration of 25 years in the music industry, ‘Kylie/Fashion’ features Kylie’s numerous collaborations with the world’s greatest fashion designers including Jean Paul Gaultier, Dior, Julien Macdonald, Johnny Rocket, and Stephen Jones. Highlighting Minogue’s many remarkable stage costumes and music video outfits.
image: "Fashion" book published Thames & Hudson
jewellery: Johnny Rocket
author: William Baker
August 2012 - Phoenix; The Big Egg Hunt Charity Auction, London
Once again Johnny Rocket and Sunny Warrington create a sculpture for charity- “Phoenix” a Swarovski Crystal Flame encrusted Egg. The Big Egg Hunt, also known as the Faberge Big Egg Hunt, was a 2012 charity fundraising campaign, in aid of Action for Children and Elephant Family, and sponsored by the jeweller Faberge. The two charities backed the largest ever Easter egg hunt, known as The Big Egg Hunt, in London in the Spring of 2012. Around 200 artists, celebrities and designers created and painted metre high fibreglass eggs which were scattered across selected locations around London. Londoners had forty days from 21 February 2012 to locate the various giant eggs around the capital
image: “Phoenix” Swarovski Crystal Flamed Egg
design and made: Sunny Warrington / Johnny Rocket
photograph: Johnny Rocket Jungle City archive
March 2012 - The Daughters
Johnny Rocket Jewellery collaborates with photographer Indira Cessarine and legendary hair Stylist Charles Worthington for VOGUE. The casting for this “X-Static” shoot features Poppy de Villeneuve, Lauren Jones (the daughter of The Clash's Mick Jones), Emily Byron (descendant of poet Lord Byron) Alice Dellal, and Lauren Gregory.
image: "Orchid Noire" Jewellery
design and made: Johnny Rocket
photograph: Indira Cessarine
August 2011 - Blake: Jungle City Charity Auction, Edinburgh
Johnny Rocket and Sunny Warrington create “Blake” a Swarovski Crystal Flame encrusted Tiger to raise money for The Elephant Family Charity in Edinburgh.
The 'Jungle City' exhibition comprised over 130 life-size animals, representing endangered species - elephants, tigers, orangutans, crocodiles and horn-bills - painted by artists. The exhibition is the brainchild of Mark Shand, and it will raise £1 million to protect some of the world’s most endangered animals. “Blake” the Rudyard Kipling/ hot-rod inspired tiger encrusted with more than 200,000 Swarovski elements by artists Johnny Rocket and Sunny Warrington, could be seen in the Harvey Nichols store in St Andrew’s Square.
image: “Blake” Swarovski Crystal Tiger for Jungle City Exhibition & Auction, Edinburgh
design and made: Sunny Warrington / Johnny Rocket
photograph: Johnny Rocket Jungle City archive
May 2011 - Alexander McQueen : Savage Beauty
The record breaking retrospective held in 2011 at the Metropolitan Museum of Art featured clothing created by British fashion designer Alexander McQueen, as well as accessories created for his runway shows. Pieces created with Sarah Harmanee by Johnny Rocket appear in the Cabinet of Curiosities alongside pieces by Shaun Leane, Phillip Treacey, Stephen Jones & Simon Costin. When the exhibit closed, more than 650,000 people had seen it.
image: "Blade Face Armour" by Sarah Harmanee for Alexander McQueen
made: Johnny Rocket / Duncan McBain
photograph: Sarah Harmanee
October 2010 - Boudoir Bottle Sparkles
Coca-Cola's Diet Coke brand partners with cult celebrity jewellery designer Johnny Rocket to launch a Diet Coke Crystal Collection. Selfridges is the exclusive retail partner for the venture, which allows shoppers to create their own bespoke crystal bottle made with Swarovski elements. Johnny Rocket creates a pop-up workshop housed in Spirit, the fashion-forward department at Selfridges’ London flagship store.Previous limited edition Diet Coke bottles have been designed by Patricia Field and Manolo Blahnik.The Diet Coke Crystal Collection is supported by a 25 second animated ad on the Coca-Cola Piccadilly Sign and a PR campaign alongside digital engagement across the Diet Coke ’Love It Light’ Facebook page.
image: "Crystal Boudoir" for Diet Coke and Selfridges
concept: Johnny Rocket
photograph: Sunny Warrington
May 2010 - Manasuna: Elephant Parade & Auction, London
Johnny Rocket teams up with fellow designer Sunny Warrington to raise money for The Elephant Family Charity. Elephant Parade London celebrated the beauty of the iconic Asian elephant.
Johnny has been with the Elephant Family since the charities inauguration and has raised an incredible amount of money for them. Specifically, through the Elephant Parade, Jungle City, & the Big Egg Hunt Street Art Events. Johnny designs and creates with his long-term collaborator Sunny Warrington. The two designer jewellers’ sculptures have been auctioned to much demand.
In May and June 2010, a herd of 260 brightly painted elephants pushed their way into London life when they took up residence in neighbourhoods and landmarks over the capital.
image: “Manasuna” Swarovski Crystal Elephant for London’s Elephant Parade
design and made: Sunny Warrington / Johnny Rocket
photograph: Johnny Rocket Elephant Parade archive
September 2009 - Ambassador and Design Judge:Treasure @ London Jewellery Week
Johnny Rocket is made an Ambassador for Treasure.
Treasure @ London Jewellery Week, London's visionary jewellery show, is the best place to purchase the most beautiful, exciting and vibrant contemporary jewellery anywhere in the UK.
Johnny is the event Ambassador and Design Judge for the three awards.
image: "Treasure @LJW” guest invite
design and made: Della Tinsley
photograph: Johnny Rocket London Jewellery Week archive
August 2011 - Ambassador for London Jewellery Week
Johnny Rocket is made an Ambassador for London Jewellery Week.
The event kicked off with spectacular celebration fireworks on the headquarters of the private bank Coutts. On the other side of town, Nadja Swarovski was bringing on the bling at Runway Rocks. Designers ranged from bravura jewellery specialists Johnny Rocket and Shaun Leanne to the fashion wunderkind Christopher Kane (threading crystal ribbons through golden rings). They all showed different ways of embellishing the body: lighted with techno rubies by Hussein Chalayan; while the Indian designer Manish Arora created a multi-coloured skeleton worked on a bodysuit.
image: "Insex” Body Wrap
design and made: Johnny Rocket
photograph: Johnny Rocket London Jewellery Week archive
August 2008 -2011 The British Hallmarking Council (BHC).
Johnny Rocket becomes the jewellery industry representative to The British Hallmarking Council (BHC).
The British Hallmarking Council (BHC) is the organisation responsible for supervising hallmarking in the United Kingdom. It is a non-departmental public body of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS).
The BHC was created under the Hallmarking Act 1973 to oversee the activities of the four remaining assay offices (located in London, Birmingham, Sheffield and Edinburgh).
image: City Hallmarks - British Hallmarking Council
design: Traditional British Hallmarking Council
photograph: Johnny Rocket Jewellery archive
January 2007- The UK Digital Music Awards
Johnny Rocket personally designs and makes inaugural The UK Digital Music Awards solid silver trophy to honour the artist with the most music distributed digitally by methods such as mobile devices, online downloads and blogging. Natasha Bedingfield wins the award.
image:"UK Digital Music Award" for 3 Mobile presented to Natasha Bedingfield
design and made: Johnny Rocket
photograph: Johnny Rocket
February 2007- Harrods: Born to Rock
The world’s biggest display of vintage and contemporary guitars opens at London department store, Harrods. The collection features 150 guitars, including the Rickenbacker “Frying Pan”, the world’s first electric guitar from 1931. This is the first time this iconic guitar has been seen outside the US. Celebrated musicians whose guitars hang from Harrods’ walls include Keith Richards, Neil Young, John Lee Hooker and Noel Gallagher. U2 front-man Bono, former member of Blur Graham Coxon, Duran Duran’s Nick Rhodes all make guitar donations which are displayed alongside specially created guitars by Johnny Rocket celebrity jeweller, Beatles artist Sir Peter Blake & Designer Philippe Starck.
image: "Dirty lil Thing!" Fender 60th Anniversary guitar in solid silver and diamonds
design and made: Johnny Rocket
photograph: Johnny Rocket
January 2007- The UK Digital Music Awards
Johnny Rocket is selected to judge the UK Jewellery Awards the premier European Jewellery awards.
The UK Jewellery Awards unveils the list of prestigious judges who will be deciding who triumphs in its retail and design categories.
Judges include celebrity jewellers Johnny Rocket, Stephen Webster, Shaun Leanne, and Kyron Keogh, owner of Rox.
It is a role he will hold until 2016
image: UK Jewellery Awards Judges – Retail Jeweller
photograph: Johnny Rocket Jewellery archive
July 2006- Runway Rocks
Tokyo Fashion Week sees the debut of Johnny Rocket's couture piece for Swarovski's Runway Rocks.
image: "Dragonfly Nouveau" Runway Rocks Couture piece
design and made: Johnny Rocket
photograph: Johnny Rocket
May 2006 - Anglomania Met Gala Brooch
Alexander McQueen asks Shaun Leane to design two brooches one for him and the other for Sarah Jessica Parker, who accompany him to the Met Gala dressed from head to toe in McQueen Clan tartan. He creates a traditional plaid brooch with a Celtic feel. The Scottish thistle emblem is the primary reference, the lustrous pearls gripped by sharp thorns, encased and surrounded by flowing leaf forms which were both beautiful and savage at the same time. There is limited time. Shaun asks Johnny Rocket Jewellery to set the hundreds of black spinel.
Deadline met - Lee said they were perfect.
image: "Anglomania Thistle" brooch by Shaun Leane for Alexander McQueen
diamond setting: Johnny Rocket
photograph: Shaun Leane
March 2006 - Basso Brooke : New Discoveries
While the Jack the Ripper surroundings of the London Dungeons certainly damped down the eye-searing color of their flamboyant summer collection, all the hallmarks of Bruno Basso and Christopher Brooke's deliberately schlock aesthetics were still on full display. Johnny Rocket creates his characteristic showstopping accessories for the duo, counterbalancing their outlandish colour palate with his jet black raw Swarovski crystal creations.
image: "Crystal Shard" choker by Johnny Rocket for Basso Brooke
design and made: Johnny Rocket
model: Michelle Alves
photograph: Johnny Rocket archive
February 2006 - Runway Rocks
Johnny Rocket creates his record breaking third couture piece for Swarovski's Runway Rocks presentation of elite designers in 2006. The catwalk runs through Karl Lagerfeld's historic Paris residence, a unique honour for the Austrian company. Johnny is assisted on his creation by his close friend Sunny Warrington; master pearl stringer and designer. Hussein Chalayan, Shaun Leane, Lara Bohinic and Scott Wilson all share the stage with Rocket.
image: "Dragonfly Nouveau" Runway Rocks Couture
design and made: Johnny Rocket
photograph: Johnny Rocket
January 2006 - Global Angels Official Launch Concert
Coutts & Co host the Global Angels Official Launch Concert. Johnny Rocket becomes an inaugural Global Angel. The charity set up by Molly Bedingfield is an international development organisation, transforming disadvantaged communities around the world. Johnny donates his time, design and skill to create multiple items to raise funds for the charity. Items include The Global Angels silver angel necklace and a Gibson Les Paul guitar stunningly adorned with thousands of Swarovski Crystals. A 22 carat Gold Orchid brooch encrusted with rubies and diamonds is modeled by fellow Angel super model Lily Cole. Both sell at auction and raise in excess of £25,000.
image: "Orchidee Angel" White gold, diamonds, rubies, and Indian silk
design and made: Johnny Rocket
model: Lily Cole
photograph: Johnny Rocket
Premiere of Quentin Tarantino's “Kill Bill: Volume 1”
Evisu the brand Johnny Rocket is creative jewellery director for hosts the London Premiere of Quentin Tarantino's “Kill Bill: Volume 1”. Daryl Hannah loves Johnny’s authentic Ramones T-shirt and thus a great friendship ensues. The 5.6.7.8's the punk band from the movie entertains the cast and crew. The band wear Evisu Donna and Johnny Rocket Jewellery. Guests receive a piece of jewellery from the Evisu mainline collection.
image: Daryl Hannah
photograph: Johnny Rocket Jewellery archive
September 2004 - Evisu Donna Runway Milan
This was a show that William Baker, Kylie’s creative director dragged Johnny into, and fortuitous it was. Having worked previously with Pamela Blundell part of visionary design duo: Copperwheat Blundell and head designer at Coco Ribbon, Johnny felt privileged to be asked to join the creative team at legendary denim brand Evisu. Working closely alongside owner Yamane San and Pamela, the team creates a fabulous collection in the heart of Milan.
It was a mad event with all the creative team being British and the House – Japanese. East meets West – vision married to perfection. That season resulted in 4 different collaborations- 2 shows in London, 1 in New York, and 1in Milan- a recipe for total exhaustion.
image: Look book Evisu Donna
design and made: Johnny Rocket
photograph: Johnny Rocket Jewellery archive
January 2004 - VOGUE Issue
Model of the Millennium, Liberty Ross has collaborated with photographer Nick Knight on numerous occasions. In 2004 she guest-edited an issue of Vogue alongside Knight and she requests Johnny Rocket be involved with the cover shoot. Rocket excels with his creations and has since taken part in many projects on Knight's creative platform SHOWstudio.
image: "Butterfly cage" Swarovski crystal mesh with encrusted butterflies
design and made: Johnny Rocket
model: Liberty Ross
photograph: Nick Knight
September 2003 - Inaugural Runway Rocks
Launched at Sketch in London, the first Runway Rocks is a breathtaking show - and the first time that an entire runway presentation has been dedicated to the art of catwalk jewellery. With a high-profile audience, each designer shines brilliantly creating a pivotal, unexpected fashion moment.
Johnny Rocket, known for his collaborations with Julien MacDonald; along with jewellery journalist Vivienne Becker create the concept and invite a diverse selection of creatives to present their works. Designers who participate in this inaugural event include Shaun Leane, who creates jewels for Alexander McQueen and Scott Wilson, who works with Karl Lagerfeld. The Collections are continuously in demand in fashion capitals of the world from Paris to New York, from Sao Paulo to Shanghai, and always excite and delight audiences all over the world.
image: "In-sex" Runway Rocks Couture
design and made: Johnny Rocket
model: Liberty Ross
photograph: Swarovski archive
May 2003 - Matrix Reloaded Premier
Lisa B wears Johnny Rocket Jewellery's "Dragonfly" choker necklace on the red carpet for the London Premier of the Matrix Reloaded.
image: "Dragonfly In-sex" Choker Swarovski crystal encrusted dragonflies
design and made: Johnny Rocket
model: Lisa B
photograph: Johnny Rocket
February 2003 - Scott Henshall
Lady Victoria Hervey rocks the catwalk in Johnny Rocket Jewellery, during designer Scott Henshall's autumn/winter 2003 show at London Fashion Week. The Heaven & Hell show features Erin O'Connor and Liberty Ross in Rocket's moulded leather body hugging corsets.
image: "Heaven & Hell" "Seraphim Choker" Scott Henshell Couture
design and made: Johnny Rocket
model: Lady Victoria Hervey
photograph: Johnny Rocket
September 2002 - Boudicca : Corporate Deserters
Boudicca's masked models stepped out to a menacing soundtrack that featured the whir of surveillance helicopters. In homage to the early British warrior queen for whom the label is named, many of the clothes were dyed woad blue - the colour of the war paint that she used. The severe tailoring and complex dressmaking, meanwhile, conjured a couture vision of the '50s, as filtered through an early '80s electro-pop sensibility. Johnny Rocket collaborates with pal Edward Griffith on the leather masks and metal accessories.
image: "Stab Spear" choker for Boudicca
design and made: Johnny Rocket
model: Anonomous
photograph: Olivier Buhagiar
August 2002 - Numero Front Cover
Beautiful photographic shoot for Numero Magazine by Stephane Sednaoui featuring Johnny Rocket Jewellery for Kylie. Known for his work as a music video director, he is the author of the critically acclaimed "Give It Away" (Red Hot Chili Peppers), "Sly" (Massive Attack), "Mysterious Ways" (U2), "Big Time sensuality" (Björk), "Fever" (Madonna).
image: "Fever" dog-tags
design and made: Johnny Rocket
model: Kylie Minogue
photograph: Stephane Sednaoui
August 2002 - “I Believe in a Thing Called Love"
Johnny Rocket is called upon by rock stylist Lucy Manning and friend Justin Hawkins to create iconic belts, rings, guitar straps and the outlandish "Orchid Crown" for The Darkness smash hit "I Believe in a Thing Called Love". Longtime collaborator Owen Gaster creates the jump suits.The team spend two glorious days playing with giant rubber crabs, octopuses and starships.
image: "Orchid Crown" and "Lowestoft Belt"
White leather, and gold accessories for The Darkness's Justin Hawkins
design and made: Johnny Rocket
photograph: Johnny Rocket
October 2001 - An Audience With...
In 2001 Kylie Minogue appears on the popular television show An Audience With...; more than 8 million UK viewers alone tune into the show. Johnny Rocket creates many of the crystal outfits and jewellery. Throughout, Kylie performs some of her songs, three from her new album Fever as well as answering questions from the audience.
When she duets with Kermit the Frog it's Johnny's K-star necklace draped around the star's neck.
image: "K-star" necklace for Kylie Minogue
design and made: Johnny Rocket
model: Kylie & Kermit
photograph: ITV
September 2001- Julien Macdonald Grosvenor House Hotel
Julien Macdonald hits the runway with his most spectacular and acclaimed collection to date. Johnny Rocket as his jewellery and accessory designer, is challenged prior to the show to create a wealth of jewellery, and belts. For the first time Julien asks Johnny to design and make handbags and clutch purses to accompany the extensive collection. The show is a resounding success and draws the attention of Givenchy who are searching for a new creative director to replace their friend Alexander McQueen. Next stop Paris.
image: Gold jewellery and belt for Julien Macdonald
design and made: Johnny Rocket
model: Elizabeth Jagger
photograph: Johnny Rocket
January 2001 - Julien Macdonald
Julien Macdonald launches his own label in 1997 and thus begins a collaboration over the next 5 years with Johnny Rocket as his jewellery and accessory designer. The pair create stunning outfits and jewels which have A-list celebrities queuing. Kate Beckinsale, Beyonce, Kristen Stewart, Heidi Klum, Kim Kardashian, Rihana, Katy Perry, Naomi Campbell, Jennifer Lopez and Taylor Swift; are all fans and clients.
image: Gold jewellery for Julien Macdonald
design and made: Johnny Rocket
model: Naomi Campbell
photograph: Julien Macdonald archive
Vogue Italia October 1999 - Right Now: Rock!
Johnny Rocket Jewellery collaborates with the late great photographer Peter Lindbergh for VOGUE Italia. Considered a pioneer in photography, he introduced a form of new realism by redefining the standards of beauty with timeless images. His humanist approach and idealisation of women sets him apart from the other photographers as he privileges the soul and the personality. He changed drastically the standards of the fashion photography in times of excessive retouching considering that there is something else that makes a person interesting, beyond their age. He explains: "This should be the responsibility of photographers today to free women, and finally everyone, from the terror of youth and perfection."
jewellery: Johnny Rocket
stylist: Karl Templer
photograph: Peter Lindbergh
October 1999 - British Fashion Tribute Award
Jodie Kidd wears acrylic Johnny Rocket armour bangles for Moet & Chandon Fashion Tribute Party in aid of Targets Breast Cancer at Planit 2000, Bishopsgate, London. Honoured on the same evening is long-time collaborator and friend Julien Macdonald.
image: "Glass" acrylic arm-piece for Moet & Chandon
design and made: Johnny Rocket
model: Jodie Kidd
photograph: Johnny Rocket
September 1999 - British Fashion Council NEWGEN Award
In 1993 the British Fashion Council created NEWGEN, its initiative to support emerging and start-up fashion brands. NEWGEN has grown to become one of the world’s most internationally recognised talent identification schemes.
Johnny Rocket becomes one of the recipients of the 1999 NEWGEN. The support of the BFC through NEWGEN allows Johnny to showcase his work at London Fashion Week and begin establishing his network of buyers and press contacts.
NEWGEN offers catwalk designers financial support towards their show costs and the opportunity to use the British Fashion Council's Catwalk Show Space, Presentation Space or exhibition offering designers the chance to meet influential press and buyers from around the world. It is one of the most prestigious awards in the world of fashion.
Since NEWGEN’s inception, its roll call of designers has included Alexander McQueen, Antonio Berardi, Boudicca, Julien Macdonald, Lara Bohinc, Johnny Rocket, Matthew Williamson and more recently Christopher Kane, Erdem, Marios Schwab, Mary Katrantzou, Marques’Almeida and Simone Rocha.
image: London Fashion Week Logo - Johnny Rocket Jewellery archive
photograph: Johnny Rocket Jewellery archive
September 1998 - Alexander McQueen & Sarah Harmanee
Fellow Australian designer Sarah Harmanee calls on Johnny Rocket & his Great Frog mate Duncan McBain to realise her grand visions for the accessories for Alexander McQueen's Autumn/Winter catwalk show in London 1998. The pair transform Sarah's designs into the fierce spike pieces she becomes renowned for. The finale piece being a modernist twist on Joan of Arcs Armour that take the pair 300 hours to create.
image: Joan d'Arc Armour by Sarah Harmanee for Alexander McQueen
design and made: Johnny Rocket / Duncan McBain
photograph: Sarah Harmanee
September 1998 - Owen Gaster: Fiend
Johnny Rocket and Owen Gaster return with the fashion grit of "Fiends".
This show in Kings Cross's Scala Theater's Pool Hall is the stuff of fashion legends. Supermodels are begging to walk the runway for him, and fashion editors are scrambling for seats. Rocket's work for this show grabs the headlines across the global fashion network. His use of giant heavy gold sovereign rings and curb chains with the swarms of bees that are destined to become his signature. The show introduces the world to Bling.
It is a seminal fashion moment.
image: "Bee Swarm" giant dog-tag for Owen Gaster
design and made: Johnny Rocket
photograph: Johnny Rocket archive
February 1998 - Owen Gaster: Chopper
image: Johnny Rocket
jewellery: Johnny Rocket
photograph: Anette Aurell
January 1998 - Acupuncture
jewellery: Johnny Rocket
photograph: Attitude magazine
September 1997 - Stussy
Whilst employed at hip London jewellery gallery, Jess James, Johnny introduces Shaun Stussy to his first Sterling Silver Street Jewellery collection.
The collection inspired by Hip Hop, street tags, graffiti, and Stussy’s graphics, the collection is a global hit in Japan, London and NYC. Sales hit extraordinary numbers and cementing the new collaboration. Production is based in London and every piece bears London Assay Office Hallmarks, a new first for a streetwear label.
image: "Old School Stussy Key Fob” Johnny Rocket Jewellery archive
design and made: Johnny Rocket for Shaun Stussy / Jess James
photograph: Johnny Rocket Jewellery archive