Jewelry Trends
Fall 2009 Fine Jewelry Trends
BY HELENA KRODEL, JEWELRY INFORMATION CENTER
New York’s Fall 2009 fashion week showcased telling fashion and fine jewelry
pairings. A common theme among the many collections shown was large,
statement-making jewelry pieces, taking the place of layered looks that have been trending.
These hot-off-the-runway styles are sure to influence jewelry in the coming seasons.
U-Shape Necklaces:
Closely watched fashion designer Jason Wu, who recently dressed
Michelle Obama for Inauguration Day, teamed up with jewelry designer
Philip Crangi to toughen up his fall collection with some metal hardware jewelry.
The U-shaped necklaces looked inspired by both African culture and architecture.
According to Style.com, “His necklaces, earrings, and belts for their show
feature long, spindly pieces of metal ‘almost like spears,’ as Crangi puts it,
hung off of thin fiber-optic wire.” Vera Wang, the designer known for her
romantic wedding dress masterpieces, showcased jewelry that was
both crafty and sparkly. Necklaces featuring bejeweled,
egg-shaped metal nuggets and white crystals were strung in a
U shape on black grosgrain ribbon, adding a touch of whimsy to Wang’s
basically black clothing collection.
V-Shape Necklaces:
Simple silhouetted dresses made of the most luxurious fabric
by Lebanese fashion designer Reem Acra cried out for amazing V-shape necklaces,
which continue to be the predominant style of the season. Acra who designed
both the necklaces and the dresses, presented Oscar-worthy versions
featured big, bold, regal colored gemstones in navy blue and red.
Several of the necklaces were paired with giant matching earrings for a
double dose of glamour. Another fashion designer who opted for colored
gemstones in a V-shape necklace silhouette was Matthew Williamson.
Channeling the Navajo Indian culture, he presented beaded and gemstone
necklaces in red, turquoise, and brown paired with tactile fabrics.
Accents of color reminiscent of Mexican culture will also be popular
as we move into fall.
Lastly, fashion designer Thakoon’s retail-friendly printed and textured
clothing was accessorized with jewelry designer Fenton's by Dana Lorenz
V-shape necklaces. The necklaces and matching cuffs (worn on both wrists)
were like no other: picture hexagon quartz crystal layered with pieces of
mirror and layered onto large metal plates.
Cuffs:
More feminine than the cuffs shown on Thakoon’s models, the white metal
industrial cuffs shown in the Abraxas Rex for Alexander Wang collection
showcased a simulated shark fin at the top of each bracelet.
Smooth and shiny, the focus was clearly on the sleek shape.
Similar in size bracelets made by long time collaborator Robert Lee Morris,
were worn over bountiful sleeves made of fur,
at the Donna Karen’s show in New York.
Big Necklaces:
Karen’s fluid, black-and-brown jersey garments also came to life
when paired with Robert Lee Morris’s big bauble necklaces made from
combinations of sterling silver, copper, and gunmetal steel. Most of the necklaces
comprised several layers of graduated gumball spheres. Of equally large
proportions but vastly different in style were Michael Kors’ chainlink
chokers in gold. One of the only designers who showed yellow metals on
the runway, Kors went for the bold, showing a single necklace style on all
models that was so large it resembled a bike chain—but worked with
the neo-classical clothing which included suits and dresses with
modern and sassy details like high cut slits or cut out shoulders.
Large Chandelier Earrings:
As anticipated, large chandelier earrings are back. Fashion designer
Tracy Reese paired preppy schoolgirl dresses with knee-high socks
and a jazzy twist—bell-shaped chandelier earrings worn with snug knit caps.
Tracey Reese shows some perfect examples of how modern women of today dress;
she combined high end and fanciful jewelry with casual caps.
Likewise making a statement with large earrings, Isaac Mizrahi provided
further proof that this look is back in fashion. When asked why
Mizrahi incorporated jewelry in a time of economic uncertainty,
he explained that he wanted to take people’s minds off of the
economy and says: “"I wanted to show actual luxury," he said post-show.
"And luxury for me means fur, color, and glitter. Glitter is actually comforting to me."
He did this by incorporating large tassel pins and huge earrings at his showing.
Jewelry designers as well as retailers alike shall also find it comforting to
know that jewelry will be on the shopping lists for many this fall 2009. |
Arthurs Jewelers is UpFront
