Summer jewelry loses its sparkle
Sequins, fake gems nixed for earthy, organic materials
By Regine Labossiere
Tribune Newspapers: The Hartford Courant
Published June 5, 2006
The bright sequins and fake gems that sparkled on necks and wrists and, well, everywhere, last summer are being pushed to the side as organic materials, such as woods and horns and volcanic stone, take prominence in summer fashion.
One reason, says Talya Cousins, jewelry market editor for Jewelry W magazine, is that going natural is a reflection of a summer attitude, and the colors complement this clothing season’s neutral palette. “I think it goes for what we’ve seen in the 2006 spring collection, more subtle things that go with the skin,” Cousins said.
White coral, tourmaline, fossilized woods and non-precious stones are popular for jewelry lately, Cousins said.
“They look like a part of the earth; they don’t shine necessarily,” she said.
Judy Price, president of the non-profit National Jewelry Institute, argues that the emergence of organic jewelry this summer is to contrast with the season’s palette, a la the 1960s.
Price said the sleek lines and cool colors of some ’60s fashion needed a boost with multicolored stones and lots of gold, “which is exactly what is happening today.”
She said this summer will feature lots of African-looking jewelry painted in bright colors, including blues, greens and gold, to contrast with the white- and cream-colored clothing.
“What we’re doing is going back to the roots,” said Price, whose new book, “Masterpieces of French Jewelry,” comes out in September.
Kelly Killoren Bensimon, editor of the magazine Elle Accessories, says the attitude of the 1960s, when individuality was expressed in clothing and accessories, is what’s driving this summer’s jewelry trends. Bensimon said individuality is expressed in the bright pop colors of the 1960s and the layering of necklaces, made of gold, medallions or painted organic materials.
“They’re very emblematic of summer,” she said of the bright natural materials.
“We don’t care about coral in the fall.”
