With a lifetime dedicated to luxury, Australian jewellery designer Margot McKinney is one of the world’s boldest talents. The very definition of timeless elegance and bespoke excellence, Margot’s extraordinary pieces are a celebration of the world’s rarest gems.
For four generations, the McKinney family name has been synonymous with luxury jewels. However, it is Margot herself who has elevated that name to soaring new heights through her own jewellery brand, and flagship store in Brisbane. With a practice that is deeply rooted in nurturing long-term relationships with suppliers, Margot has worked with leading pearl farmers, opal experts, and gem-cutters across the globe to secure the rare and precious materials that have been the centrepiece of her designs. The one-of-a-kind pieces are coveted by an international clientele and stocked by the prestigious Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman stores in the USA. This exhibition unearthed stories about Margot’s illustrious career and the miracles of nature that make up her designs.
From the coral reef in our own backyard to the rich palette of colours found in Tanzania, this exhibition was a mesmerising celebration of the complex and profoundly beautiful environments and materials that have inspired Margot’s designs. On display were opulent opals, lustrous pearls and rare gems like the intensely blue tanzanite, lilac amethyst and pink tourmalines. Visitors journeyed through a treasure trove of memories and mastery, leaving inspired by Margot’s world of wonder.
World of Wonder was the fourth exhibition in MoB’s identity series that celebrates creative greats who call Brisbane home, including Mao’s Last Dancer the Exhibition: A Portrait of Li Cunxin, a spotlight on designers Pamela Easton and Lydia Pearson for Pattern & Print: Easton Pearson Archive, and High Rotation – an exhibition celebrating over 100 musicians over the last three decades.
World of Wonder: Margot McKinney was on display at Museum of Brisbane from 18 June – 6 November 2022.
