Designer Jewelry Lines Launching for Spring
Peter Som's fresh take on a charm bracelet. Photo courtesy of Anneliese Paull
These jewelry collections span all sorts of tastes and price points -- from precious to streetwise, rubies to ribbons and five figures to $50.
Two of the new lines come from womenswear designers Peter Som and Behnaz Sarafpour.
Som decided to experiment with accessories while working on his Spring 2010 ready-to-wear collection. He was inspired by 1930s seaside photos by Lartigue and Japanese woodcut prints -- but felt that the outfits needed a little something extra.
He explained to StyleList, "The jewelry collection was truly inspired by need. I wanted the spring collection to have that extra sparkle and shimmer but in a bold way."
Childhood memories also played a part. "My sister grew up with a traditional charm bracelet," Som recalled. "I loved the idea of taking something small and delicate and making it bold and eclectic. It's all about a bold, fun gesture, isn't it?".
Sarafpour challenged herself to find an unusual material for jewelry. She was looking for something unexpected yet classic and hit upon ribbon.
"I wanted to do something with jewelry that was very different than what is out there," she told StyleList. She dreamed up "soft jewelry which makes a bold statement while being surprisingly weightless."
A third new collection arrived as a spin-off. After a few seasons executing the high-end LowLuv line, model Erin Wasson and jeweler Pascal Mouawad decided to introduce costume jewelry.
The duo decided to branch into more casual items with a lower price point and a simpler, rough-and-tumble style. Aesthetically, they took their cue from an imaginary Southwestern trek.
Their designs incorporate Native American elements (arrow patterns) and shapes found in nature (feathers, bones). And Wasson's edgy chic style is evident, as there are even a few knuckle-dusters that might help in a bar brawl.
Meanwhile, Ward Kelvin stepped out from major luxury brands and started whipping up high-glamour jewelry. While his name might not yet ring a bell, you've likely seen his work for instantly recognizable companies: Tiffany & Co., David Yurman and Estée Lauder.
When striking out on his own, Kelvin indulged his loves for '30s Hollywood Regency style, chinoiserie and '70s décor, synthesizing them into a look he dubbed "American Chinoise." He set out to craft "big looks with a lightness to them, a bit of humor, done in a free-form, sculptural way."
After years of working for hyper-polished luxury brands, he's eager to try an earthier style. "It's what I call organic symmetry," he told us. "There's a pattern but it's not completely perfect; there's the unique imperfection of the hand-made."
All these glittery temptations could turn us into magpies. And that's not even counting Stella McCartney's "Alice in Wonderland" limited-edition jewelry!
Filed under: Accessories, Fashion, News, Designers & Brands
Tags: behnaz sarafpour, designer jewelry, erin wasson, Jewelry, lowluv, Mouawad, peter som, Spring 2010 Jewelry, Ward Kelvin
Tags: behnaz sarafpour, designer jewelry, erin wasson, Jewelry, lowluv, Mouawad, peter som, Spring 2010 Jewelry, Ward Kelvin
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Shoefly, 1-25-2010, 8:37PM
Love the Peter Som charm bracelet! Cool proportions and great mix of materials. The Behnaz Sarafpour necklace looks like something you'd see at MoMA -- and the Ward Kelvin earrings look ready for Palm Beach!
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