The Neo Lace Gown by Tessa Blazey and Alexi Freeman, for the Powerhouse Museum International Lace Award Exhibition later this year.  Photos by Marija Ivkovic.

Every once in a while I receive a submission which really just jumps off the screen and kind of slaps me in the face.  A submission which says something like 'yeah I know you've deleted 45 other submissions today but try ignoring THIS ONE!'  This incredible collaboration between Melbourne jewellery designer Tessa Blazey and fashion designer Alexi Freeman made for one such attention-commanding email when it popped up in my inbox last Friday!

The Neo Lace Gown was created for the Powerhouse Museum International Lace Award Exhibition which opens in Sydney in July this year.   Not surprisingly, the gown has been shortlisted, and so will be exhibited at the Powerhouse Museum in July / August if you happen to be in Sydney!  The gown took Tessa and Alexi hundreds of painstaking hours to make by hand - it's made entirely of metal components, including thousands of jump rings and hundreds of metres of chain in silver plated nickel, steel and sterling silver.

Seriously, have you ever seen such a truly exquisite wearable thing!?

Tessa Blazey, who submitted this beautiful project, is an award-winning local jeweller based at the Pieces of Eight studio in Fitzroy North - her work can be viewed at the gorgeous new Pieces of Eight retail space and gallery in the CBD, and in many other local stockists listed on her website.  In addition to designing and making jewellery, Tessa is also a trained interior designer and lectures in interior design at RMIT.  She's also a busy Mum!  WOW  impressive!

Tessa says -  'I met Alexi at a Blade Runner party I had at my house a few years ago. A while later he opened his pop up shop in the GPO and asked if I would be interested in stocking my Fiction range of jewellery in his shop. It turned out we had very similar aesthetic interests - we have now started a little brand for our collaborative projects called ALEXI + TESSA'

Tessa has a blog and a website and an etsy shop!  Alexi also has blog a website well worth checking out!

(SORRY about the boobs but I really couldn't edit these stunning pics!)

Photos by Marija Ivkovic