There’s been a lot of talk about art influencing fashion these days, but Anndra Neen takes it to the next level. Designed by sisters Phoebe and Annette Stephens, Anndra Neen’s pieces function as both wearable accessories and decorative art—their giant collar necklaces, weighty rings, and thick bangles are veritable sculptures. Their most recognizable piece, an alpaca silver cage clutch, was inspired by an aquarium their father built to resemble a birdcage. It was a hit with nearly every fashion editor—including Carine Roitfeld, who commissioned the sisters to produce the clutch in solid 18-karat gold for the LoveGold amfAR gala at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival. “I think the gold clutch took around 20 hours to make,” Phoebe told Style.com. “It was all handmade. It’s very different working with precious metals versus alpaca silver. The craftsmanship had to be a lot more delicate and finely done, but it was amazing seeing it come to life. Solid gold shines so beautifully.”
The sisters recently decided to auction off the piece, and after meeting with several houses, they partnered with Sotheby’s for its Important Jewels auction in New York this September. They spoke exclusively to Style.com about the sale. “It’s a unique opportunity for Sotheby’s, too, because they don’t usually have so many new designers,” Annette explained. (Sotheby’s fine-jewelry roster includes Van Cleef & Arpels, Buccellati, and De Grisogono.) Anndra Neen certainly doesn’t fit the traditional mold. “They’re looking for more of a fashion focus, and they want a younger audience. There are a lot of young collectors now who are really savvy—they know what they want, and they know about objects and jewelry.”
The 18k question: What will people pay for this clutch? LuxCartel confirmed the auction estimate was between $20,000 and $30,000. “Having one of our pieces auctioned off at Sotheby’s kind of puts us in the art market, which is really validating,” Annette said. “It’s super-exciting to be able to really cross both categories.”
Anndra Neen’s solid-gold cage clutch will be sold at Sotheby’s Important Jewels auction on September 23 in New York.
Photos: Courtesy of Anndra Neen
