Nestled where Highgate and Mt Lawley blur together, Behind The Monkey is a store dedicated to beautiful accessories.
It is home to jewellery that makes a statement, yet stakes a claim at adorning those who adore it.
Owner Elaine MacLeod opened this store when she sought a studio space with a retail frontage, a home from which to craft and develop her own bespoke jewellery range, Monkey Shine.
‘It was much bigger than I needed so I developed the idea to add other artisans,’ MacLeod told OUTinPerth of the genesis of Behind The Monkey.
From there she added WA talent such as Beth Allen, Karen Thompson, Stickmann, Planet Lime, Why Creations and 2010 WA Fashion Award Fine Details winner Alister Yiap alongside luminary Australian brands such as TMOD, Mania Mania and Deadly Ponies, the likes of Anne Marie Elorza, Gem Kingdom and Metal Pointus rounding out the edges of the global market.
She currently also stocks a selection of 1970’s West African beads, made from recycled bakelite, a material used before resin.
‘Apparently the African villages utilised the bakelite and punched out flat beads from discarded objects, the shape of these beads known as heishi beads. They were then strung together to form jewellery.
‘I love anything that makes a statement. I love things that have a soul or a story to them,’ MacLeod explained.
‘(I love it) if something can connect to me via an actual fingerprint, such as an item belonging to someone or the designer has a particular thing going on.’
One such local designer is Frieda, who creates iconic pieces from Stirling silver, her cobra arm cuffs and pendants particularly timeless.
In the Cracked Gallery space midway back through the shop, MacLeod has introduced a selection of garments suitable for layering, produced in collaboration with fashion label Ten Thousand Things, the range twisting the concept of clothing so it acts as the accessory for jewellery.
‘Typically people see an accessory as being a necklace, but in our case it’s a dress. It’s a case of would you like a dress with your necklace instead of typically being asked if you’d like a necklace with your dress.’
For MacLeod, the key to accessorising is to gradually build a collection so it can eventually be used to layer upon itself, playing on the primitive origins of self-adornment.
‘Jewellery is a primal thing. It’s a real primal urge to decorate, to stick bones through our nose and the like. I think it’s a natural thing for people to do.’
Behind The Monkey is located at 479 Beaufort Street, Highgate. Phone (08) 9227 7886. www.behindthemonkey.com
Scott-Patrick Mitchell
