In the dystopian dreamscape where humanity fuses with machine, ASK & EMBLA ignites the future of adornment with their new collection, AETHERIUM—an ode to the post-human condition, reminiscent of William Gibson’s Neuromancer and the liquid realities of Donna Haraway’s cyborg manifesto.
Established in 2013, ASK & EMBLA has never been just a jewelry brand—they are a rebellion, a ritual, a revolution in body ornamentation. Born from a deep connection to Gothica, Mythology, and Ethnology, their pieces transcend the ordinary, delivering symbols that echo the soul’s yearning for self-expression. Under the creative vision of Olivia Eleazar, the brand has consistently empowered outcasts, mystics, and romantics to defy societal norms and tell their stories through their bodies.
Now, with AETHERIUM, ASK & EMBLA plunges into the unknown. This cyberpunk-infused collection sees jewelry not just as decoration, but as a visceral extension of the body—a seamless evolution where human and AI merge, and body modification enters a new dimension. In a futuristic universe where man and machine coexist, AETHERIUM explores the infinite possibilities of self-transformation, embodying a hybrid reality of corporeal evolution.
The collection’s design ethos revolves around limitless expression: reversible structures, modular pieces that shift and reconfigure, and intricate, handcrafted designs that mimic the precision of machines. It’s a fusion of mysticism and tech—natural crystals like smoky quartz and onyx set against polished silver and gold, mechanical bolts and chain links embedded in cybernetic components. AETHERIUM taps into humanity’s eternal drive for transcendence, capturing the essence of transformation, creation, and power.
Through their campaign visuals, ASK & EMBLA dissects the cyclical relationship between God, humans, and artificial intelligence—a symbolic ouroboros, where each creation begets the next. The cyclical relationship between God, humans, and artificial intelligence. This interconnected continuum, forms an ouroboros loop of symbiotic genesis: God creates humans, humans create Al, and Al creates and advances beyond its predecessors. AETHERIUM magnifies the nuances and dualities of humanity, divinity, and technology, in their intersecting and ever-turning parallels. Religious iconography, from crucifixes to sacred hearts, anchors the collection, reminding us to hold onto the essence of our identities as we drift into a digital future. Like Jean Baudrillard’s concept of hyperreality, AETHERIUM plays with the notion that in the merging of virtual and physical realms, these sacred symbols act as tethered signifiers, grounding us in our human origins while we spiral into an unpredictable neo-future.
This collection is not just for the body—it’s for the soul, transcending time, space, and form. Prepare to adorn yourself for the neo-future.
Aetherium / Ask & Embla
Credits:
Brand: Ask & Embla / @askemblastore
Creative director: Olivia Eleazar / @elkantlers
Photographer: Shawn Paul Tan / @shawnpaultan
Videographer: Terence Chiam / @terence_chiam
Stylist: Min G. / @girlwhocriedwolf
Makeup artist – Juno Pchel @juno_makeupartist
Assistants – Olivia Cheng @thesleepyrabbit / Ryan James Gomes @crayongnomes
Models – Mae Tan @marxmae / Viktoriia Knysh @babemariaj
Sergei Kuzbozhev @kuzbozhev / Aaron Davies @_aarondavies
Wardrobe – Gelareh Designs @gelarehdesigns / K.J.Dan @k.j.dan
Editor: Anca Macavei / @ancamacavei