Peter Som's fresh take on a charm bracelet. Photo courtesy of Anneliese Paull
Now that the
glossies are bursting with
spring clothing (or lack thereof), we're checking out the latest crop of accessories to match: bangles and beads, bring it on! Excitingly enough, four notable designers make a jewelry debut this season.
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."
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New Designer Jewelry Lines
Check out the hottest pieces from spring's debut bauble collections.
Anneliese Paull
Spring Jewelry
The Debut:
Womenswear designer Som slips into the jewelry world with a small yet potent collection: one bracelet, one bib-style necklace and one chain necklace. Each piece has a flotsam-and-jetsam look, with a funky, gleaming mix of materials. They jangle with Swarovski crystal starbursts, faux pearls, resin loops and wooden beads. On this necklace ($650), you'll even net a lobster-shaped trinket.
Launch Date:
February 2010
Where to Buy:
Nordstrom or Henri Bendel, New York City.
Price Range:
The trio starts at $370 for the bracelet, topping out at $925 for the bib necklace.
Spring Jewelry
The Debut:
Erin Wasson and Pascal Mouawad kicked off their new LowLuv Costume line with 28 pieces spanning cuff and bangle bracelets, drop earrings, rings, and pendant and chain necklaces. They're ideal for layering; all are plated in silver or 14 karat gold. This cuff ($88) exemplifies the ready-for-a-road-trip look.
Launch Date:
January 2010
Where to Buy:
In the U.S., you can find LowLuv at V.O.D. in Dallas and at Ron Herman and at Church boutiques in Los Angeles. Online, visit Shopbop.com, ForwardForward.com and Mywardrobe.com. A few international stores, including Tokyo's Isetan and Quartier 206 in Berlin, also carry the collection.
Price Point:
Every item is $200 or less.
Spring Jewelry
The Debut:
For his first independent line, Ward Kelvin created 40 designs, including bangle and cuff bracelets, earrings, necklaces and eye-popping rings. He works with recycled gold and precious and semiprecious stones, gravitating to green gems like peridot and tourmaline. Many pieces, like these Fiesta earrings ($3,000), have a bamboo-lattice motif.
Launch Date:
November 2009
Where to Buy:
At the moment, Bergdorf Goodman in New York City is the only place to snap up these baubles. In April, San Francisco's Neiman Marcus will also carry the line.
Price Range:
Most items cost between $3,000 and $8,000, with a few five-figure exceptions.
Spring Jewelry
The Debut:
Known for her elegant bows-and-lace womenswear, Behnaz Sarafpour added jewelry to her Resort and Spring 2010 collections. The necklaces, bangles, cuff bracelets are all made of intricately woven metallic or satin ribbon. Most pieces, such as this silver necklace ($175), twist themselves into sculptural knots.
Launch Date:
January 2010
Where to Buy:
The Resort and Spring collections are available exclusively at Saks.com.
Price Range:
Costs range from $140 for a set of three braided bangles to $195 for the chunkiest necklace.
Spring Jewelry
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!