A childhood spent in Africa is the inspiration behind Sarah Cho's AW13 collection, named Night Story. SCHO is a jewellery label sponsored by Swarovski Elements crystals and AW13 see's the fierceness of African wildfile and a wintry desert's night merge with abstract psychedelic art, watercolour block paintings and grunge beats of 90's rock and roll. Born in Seoul, but raised in Namibia, wild fauna, safari's and festive Indian folkloric princess costumes create nostalgic visual imagery of her time there, seen in the use of cultural elements, colours and materials.

Cho spent her high school years in the United States, until relocating to Paris. It is also where the label is based. Graduating in 2009 from the Ecole de la Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne, Cho then worked for both Balenciaga and Lanvin, before launching SCHO is October 2011. There is an ease with which different cultural stimuli can merge, with a diverse background creating a striking jewellery collection.

Youthful in outlook, the overall silhouette of the collection hints at Art Deco glamour and Futurism, artfully juxtaposing unexpected colours like pale pink, magenta and fire red aside blue jade semi-precious stones, obscure Swarovski crystals, Czech glass pearls and hematite. Each element plays an important role throughout the collection, offering fresh insight into ways to wear statement jewellery. The deep grey color of this stone is treated giving off a brilliant multi-colour reflection that resembles the night sky and adds an element of character completing the puzzle of pieces connecting the AW2013 collection.

After the first showroom in March 2012, SCHO is already being sold in LUISAVIAROMA, Lane Crawford, Frank & Fils and other stockists globally.

To see more of the recent collection, visit: www.schostudio.com

As featured in Unfolded Magazine Issue 13
Words: Nardip Singh