PERA MAY has a flair for expressive individuality, across both its clothing and jewellery offerings
There’s a joyous freedom of creativity infused into every aspect of PERA MAY, across both the fashion and jewellery offerings crafted at the hands of designer Pera May.
The vibrant designer’s work is refreshingly individual and confident, proudly designed and made in New Zealand and reflecting the diversity of the world that inspires her.
Pera’s expressive and fun fashion creations have a legion of fans embracing the designs for celebrating individuality and expression of personality.
“We create clothing and objects to be treasured and admired. Conscious of the impact of production, each style is limited and made locally in New Zealand, Aotearoa.
“PERA MAY pieces not only serve their function but will be your very own work of art – unique, considered, and made to be loved by you forever.”
Each collection plays with the concept of creating timeless moments and encourages conscious buying.
Born and bred on the South Island’s West Coast, Pera recalls being fueled by an intense curiosity about the world for as long as she can remember.
“I channel my exploration through conceptual engineering, intuitive creation, and relentless storytelling.
“At PERA MAY, we design forever products that will make an impact on your life, not on the planet. We consciously strive to be as transparent, ethical, and sustainable as possible across all aspects of PERA MAY. However, we acknowledge it’s a journey, not a destination and will constantly remain a development.
“A high number of our garments are designed with deadstock fabric. In the design process, this is the easiest way for us to minimise waste, as we rescue these textiles from an uncertain fate and give them a new purpose. Natural and organic fibres, recycled silver and materials are always our focus. Creating from abundance continues to be our exploration.”
FashioNZ takes a closer look at the PERA MAY artisanal jewellery collection, with the first pieces launching in November 2022.
What sparked the original concept/passion for PERA MAY jewellery?
I’ve always dabbled with the idea of exploring jewellery. I adore the expression and personal connection that one can have with something so intricate. So after some gentle encouragement from my mother to take lessons, I fell in love with the art form. While exploring the motherboards for the ‘Take No Prisoners’ clothing moment (that’s just launched), preparation met opportunity and jewellery became part of the story.
How do you best describe the Lost Wax method?
All PERA MAY artisanal object jewellery is made using the Lost Wax method, one of the oldest known techniques dating back to more than 6000 years, allowing for beautiful, intricately detailed pieces.
The entire process is handmade for you from start to finish and creates an incredibly intimate relationship between the designer and the wearer.
The wearable art began as a piece of hard wax. The wax has been hand carved and sculpted creating a ‘mould’. Molten metal is then poured into this wax model, which is ‘lost’ during the process. This is then filed, sanded and polished by hand.
Why does the Lost Wax method appeal?
Each unique PERA MAY creation carries its own animism, mana, purpose. We don’t create for the sake of creating. We innovate to reinstall value, educate conscious consumption, and empower humanity to live in their own authenticity.
The lost wax method appeals as an organic and traditional method, true to its form and process, which aligns with the truth that PERA MAY advocates for. The lost-wax technique in jewellery making has been overshadowed by the drive for high demand and fast fashion. By working with such an incredible method, we are able to honour the original art form and create valued, quality products.
What inspires the PERA MAY design concepts?
I am fascinated by the world that we inhabit – always finding moments, objects and societal structures to explore or develop. The motherboard was a late edition to
the collection but quickly became the final touch as the literal metaphor of ‘Taking No Prisoners’ (which you can see imprinted in each object-jewellery design).
An electrical motherboard with its power, strange ethereal beauty, aesthetic oddities, and magnetising patterns captivated me, so I photographed an original circuit board and repurposed its essence into PERA MAY object jewellery. Each piece demonstrates the importance of perspective and subjectivity of perception.
A seemingly banal piece of technology that held hidden so many captivating possibilities. It symbolised an unnoticed object of beauty that lived imprisoned within a larger structure. Only when that structure was deemed useless and discarded in the trash, did we find the motherboard and set it free from its constraints.
An exploration into the concept of how we live our lives – imprisoned, slaves to a system, to society, to chaos. PERA MAY exists to stir that system up. What is true
and who are we really, if our structures were taken away? What pure beauty and untainted reality would we find there?
What is the most satisfying part of the PM jewellery-making process?
Because I’m accustomed to clothing design being an intensive and long process, with more boundaries and functionalities to consider, I absolutely let loose with the jewellery-making process. The most satisfying parts of creating jewellery would be the freedom around design/function, the speed at which you can have a final product made and the ability to quality control/have less environmental impact.
What gives you the greatest joy in terms of jewellery making?
The creative liberation. And the honour of working with such organic, raw elements from nature. Exploring how magical they are is truly a privilege.
How is the creative process different from designing your clothing collection?
Extremely different, as I mentioned above: more freedom, faster turnaround, less environmental impact. The ability to quality control is easier than my clothing supply chains. The intimate and organic nature of jewellery creation – it’s super purposeful and carries so much value between the wearer and their unique creation. Product consumption is something that I personally feel humanity has lost connection to in general. The true value and impact of jewellery still carry its prestige in ways that clothing may not. However, to draw awareness to this divide, I have created the ‘Take No Prisoners’ jewellery and clothing moment as an extension of one another, their value and life cycle should be no different.
What are the greatest challenges for you in terms of designing and steering your brand in its chosen direction for 2023?
Personally, I am focusing on intuitively trusting in the process, holding space for the vision and myself to grow side by side organically and authentically.
Currently, this looks like creating a circular economy within PERA MAY – it’s a huge challenge but such an inspiring and empowering one to be a part of.
Showing up for consumers in a world full of confusion and information, especially in the green-washing sense.
Continuing to promote models of creation that consumers are still warming to, in terms of pre/custom order. Promoting the truth in the concept of less is more, quality over quantity and then in saying that how can we make that narrative not only environmentally responsible but also socially?
Always seeking truth and purpose with each decision that we make. Then leading with transparency to empower, inspire, and educate our audience.
What are you most hopeful for in terms of PERA MAY and 2023?
Conscious and connected change. Exploration, discovery, and collaboration with our audience. Further, us engaging in authentic ways to discover how we can help educate and empower for a future that we see as conscious and connected.
Images supplied