Gunilla Karlson
Design Student's Unique Pendant is a Hit With BBC Radio Listeners
A design trailblazer who studied at Kensington and Chelsea College became an instant hit with BBC listeners as she spoke about her quirky new pendant design.
Recently graduated Gunilla Karlson, took to the airwaves to tell dog-lovers about her design of a pendant which doubles as a dog whistle.
The pendant was crafted at the college whilst Gunilla studied on the Professional Development Course.
Inspired by the traditional shepherd whistle, it has been described as 'the only dog training aid that does not look out of place at a dinner party'
.
The ambitious mum-of-one has since created 10 different designs of the pendant, all of which are now on sale, with prices ranging from £95 to £160.
Each one is unique and capable of producing several different sounds to help people communicate better with their dogs.
Having heard about her unusual jewellery concept, Gunilla was invited on to BBC Radio London's late night slot 'Barking at the Moon'
- the only one-hour a week UK show dedicated to dogs.
The chirpy designer from Kew went down a storm for her debut interview, with online listeners phoning in from as far as Chile to discuss the pendant.
Gunilla's successful interview earned her a returning spot less than two weeks later on the main evening show where she discussed her work and stories about life as a designer
Talking about her BBC opportunity she said: 'On both occasions being on the show was such an enjoyable experience. The response from the listeners has been great and I've been asked to come in again in the New Year, so who knows, I might become a regular fixture! Wouldn't that be great!'
Gunilla was also one of the college's talented ten who secured a spot at the prestigious New Designers Exhibition, held in London earlier this year.
The one time actress, who has shared the silver screen with Hollywood's finest including Leonardo Di Caprio and Tilda Swinton, discovered a love for designing whilst taking time out from acting to look after her daughter.
Determined to pursue her interest in design she enrolled at the college and progressed across several courses, as well as bagging a high-profile design award from the V&A Museum along the way.
Gunilla added: 'The course has been fantastic for preparing me for the real world. It literally walked you through the entire process of becoming a self-employed designer maker, from mastering practical skills to developing business knowledge. '
'My dream is to establish myself as a professional jewellery maker and eventually pass on my skills and knowledge to encourage other people to find the designer within!'
For more information about Gunilla's work visit www.wolfwhistlejewellery.com
