Rachel Darbourne

Rachel graduated from Middlesex University in 1994 with a BA Hons in Jewellery. Students at Middlesex were actively encouraged to experiment with unusual materials and ideas within their work and Rachel was, and still is, driven by the desire to reclaim and use a much undervalued material. She views polythene as a ‘fabric’ and whilst on her degree developed a folding technique which turns this two-dimensional, slippery, colourful material into objects that are three-dimensional, intricate and robust.

Her approach combines elements of both jewellery and textiles, creating highly wearable, tactile pieces that are distinctive, eye-catching and yet address contemporary issues of consumerism and how we assign value to the things we use and wear.