Wholesale Fashion Jewelry & Accessories Blog

Bridal jewelry isn’t what it used to be.  Classic, traditional necklaces and earrings are rapidly giving way to a whole new modern twist on bridal wear, with statement necklaces suddenly the major focal point of the bridal outfit, and cuffs and chandelier earrings backing them up with verve. 

The new look is a total bridal wardrobe package, you might say.  It starts with the replacement of highly ornate bridal dresses with a sleeker, straight-lined dress generally featuring exquisite tailoring and body-fitting lines. 

The dress is somewhat minimalistic, often strapless, long, tubular, made from white silk satin or some other luxury fabric, and in no small way stunning. But the voluminous skirts and highly embellished characteristics are now missing, leaving way for jewelry to enter the picture and take over the flash and glitz. 

                                           Bridal Collaboration

A good example of the new look can be found in J. Crew’s collaborative collection done with the 84-year-old costume jewelry brand Miriam Haskell and scheduled to be highlighted at Crew’s bridal boutique when it opens on Madison Avenue next month.

Crew’s creative director Jenna Lyons said, “We want the bride to look gorgeous and we’re not about giant, overwhelming cupcake dresses.  It’s about simplicity in silhouettes and pairing it with great jewelry pieces.”

The bridal collection reflects the designs that Haskell is well known for:  double filigree, hand-beading, and glass and crystal beads intricately applied in dramatic styles.  The necklaces are particularly ornate, made with cluster-like pendants dropping down from multi-strand beaded chokers.  One particularly stunning piece is a three-strand necklace with an elaborate pendant, done in various shades of peach.  

                                         Unorthodox Uses

Pearl and crystal brooches that can be worn at the waist of a wedding dress, or even in the hair, are especially interesting.  Using the jewelry in unorthodox fashion furthers its modern look and multiplies its use considerably.  These are pieces that beautifully accessorize the wedding dress, but then can just as easily be used with outfits worn on the honeymoon and later. 

YOU CAN FIND EQUALLY EXQUISITE JEWELRY AT HIGHLY DESIRABLE PRICES.  JUST LOOK AT THESE BRIDAL-PERFECT PIECES:

• Bridal tiara with faux pearl and rhinestone.  Gorgeous!

• Glass pearl and Tiffany ball bridal bracelet.

Floral motifs are especially popular in the new J. Crew/Haskell collection.  So are long, dramatic chandelier earrings, big cuffs, and impressive cocktail rings.  Colors are frequently muted shades of pink or peach, and the overall effect is often that of an abundant nature-grown garden or coral-sea bouquet.

Prices range from $150 to $1,000 retail.   

                                            Black/White Drama

As trendy styles impact the Bridal Market more and more, look for a variety of creative takes on bridal jewelry.  One prime example is the use of dark or even black jewelry with the otherwise white bridal outfit.  This black/white contrast makes for a very modern and dramatic effect. 

J. Crew is up on this new direction as well, with another highly creative accessories collaboration, this time with Dana Lorenz.  This line features edgy black metal and crystal bracelets, earrings, rings, and necklaces.   On one hand, the collection is grunge or biker-tough; on the other, it is really very pretty.  That seemingly contradictory combination makes for a very interesting jewelry collection, one that is especially fitting to the Bridal Market.!   

THINK ABOUT BLACK FOR YOUR BRIDAL COLLECTION.  IT CAN LOOK AS CLASSIC AS ANY TRADITIONAL JEWELRY!  HERE ARE SOME GOOD EXAMPLES:

• Hematite fleur-de-lis cross necklace

• Black and white Murano style glass bracelet.  Artistic!

“Love appears to be untouched by the credit crunch,” says Guy Leymarie, CEO of De Beers, the diamond jewelry firm.  Like other firms fighting the downturn in luxury buying, De Beers is focusing in on the bridal market, particularly in the United States.  This is a traditional market, and it is a dependable one, jewelers contend.

There are 2.3 million marriages in the US each year, and approximately 1.9 million engagement rings are sold.  According to the American Wedding Survey, the average price of an engagement ring is $4,435.

TIFFANY IS LAUNCHING a new engagement ring collection this May, called the Tiffany Bezet.  It is a grouping of modern rings with a heart, pear, radiant-round, or princess-cut diamond set in platinum. It is simple, with no further decoration, the firm says. People will buy a diamond ring when they won’t buy other luxuries, jewelers assert.  They see diamonds as an investment.

WANT SOME TIFFANY-CHIC STYLE FOR YOUR WEDDING?  TRY THESE:

• Rhinestone and faux pearl wedding day necklace and earring set in silver plated setting.  Elegant!

• Dangling clear rhinestone pendant with faux pearl drop. 

De Beers is also introducing a new diamond collection with a low starting price of just $1,450.  The idea is to make marriage more economical. Called the Forever Ring Collection, the De Beers rings will be branded and recorded in the firm’s diamond registry.

De Beers’ marketing program emphasizes variety.  “A very wide selection ensures we have something for everyone,” Leymarie says.  Apparently the idea works well.  The company had a 50% increase in sales over the past 12 months.  Not bad!       

       IRISH JEWELRY DESIGNER IN NEW GREENWICH VILLAGE SHOP

MAVERICK JEWELRY DESIGNER Tom Binns opened a new store last month on New York’s off-beat Perry Street, in the heart of Greenwich Village.  The shop, a tight 300 square feet, is clean and minimal with white walls and countertops that Binns says act as a blank canvas for showing off his works.

—-”It’s like wearing a plain white or black dress – one piece of jewelry really pops!”  he says. “You feel good when you are minimally dressed and the jewelry is very grand.  It makes you feel empowered.”

FEEL-GOOD JEWELRY DOESN’T HAVE TO COST A FORTUNE.  LOOK HERE:

• Clear and iridescent crystal spider brooch is gorgeously realistic with its amber stones and silver and gold plating.

• A grand brooch featuring a green heart-shaped simulated stone crowned with lacey silver-plated filigree work and sparkling crystals.

Over 30 collections of Binns’ jewelry are on display in the new store.  Prices run from $180 to $25,000.  Apparently, retailers like Binns’ cutting edge designs and his big, colorful fun fashion.  Some call him the father of the layered look, the “more-is-more” jewelry idea that so many younger customers have bought into.  He also appeals to a wide segment of the population, including Amy Winehouse and Michele Obama.  

Some of Binns’ most successful designs have included identification tags shouting out four letter words. Other designs are “an irreverent play on the classics,” as Henri Bendel’s fashion director puts it. But this is no lightweight designer.  Among other things, the Fashion Directors of America named him Accessory Designer of the year in 2006.

                  HOT ROCK HONEY HEADING INTO USA

SHE’S CUTE, SHE’S SASSY, and she has a thing for wide cuff bracelets, big cocktail rings and long, long necklaces with plenty of hang-off pendants.  At just 17, Australia’s sensational Gabriella Cilmi is also a singing spectacular. 

The performer/song writer calls her music “pop-blues, glam-rock,” and already has a runaway hit in Australia and Europe in her up-tempo single, “Sweet About Me.” Cilmi’s album, “Lessons to be Learned,” includes the hot single, and was launched in the United States last week.

WANT SOMETHING SWEET TO WEAR?  WE’VE GOT IT!

• A delightful pink cubic zirconium fashion ring in heavy gold electroplate.

Last year, the teenage wonder literally swept Australia’s Grammys. Cilmi is known to be flamboyant on stage, where, she says, “you like to make more of an impact.”  Off-duty, she is more low-key. Still, she says, “Even if I am wearing jeans and a t-shirt, I’ll just chuck a load of jewelry on, like a thousand rings.  You can’t have too much bling.”

BLOGGING ON THE INTERNET is becoming a celebrity-rich adventure, with top web sites bringing in big-name personalities as guest bloggers for a day or a week or more. 

On one of the top bridal sites, the newest guest blogger for the week is none other than Ivana Trump, the blonde beauty queen who revamped the Plaza Hotel as just one of her many business accomplishments and who is reportedly soon to be engaged to Jared Kushner,  a hunk younger than her own kids.  Hey, if men can do it, why not women…?

Of course, Ivana is better known as the former wife of billionaire Donald Trump. A woman of impeccable grooming with a spectacular designer wardrobe, Ivana blogs on jewelry and bridal wear, saying that every woman should look for fine jewelry pieces that are timeless and versatile and that can be worn in many different ways. 

She also suggests that investment pieces should be wearable as everyday jewelry, and not kept just for dressy occasions.  Ivana points especially to diamond studs, which she calls elegant and simple, as ideal investment jewelry. She suggests that studs are something “every woman should have in her wardrobe.”

• INVESTMENT JEWELRY:  do you think it is just for fine jewelry pieces?  Costume jewelry has become extremely collectible and while prices are still reasonable for older pieces from the 30s, say, expectations are this jewelry will soon be worth a bundle!  Today’s costume jewelry likewise has the potential to become tomorrow’s heirloom treasures. Pick out some beauties and then just wait…

But…back to Ivana.  Talking to today’s bride, the celebrity “first wife” says that over-accessorizing a bridal dress is the biggest mistake a woman can make.  She thinks it’s best to choose just one piece of jewelry and to use it as a focal point. 

Ivana is big on bold statement necklaces for strapless bridal dresses. She promotes a piece from her own jewelry collection:  a graduated pave bead necklace.

• YOU CAN GET THE LOOK: Perfect for a wedding day ensemble is a rhinestone necklace in a timeless V shape. It is dramatic, impressive, aristocratic, a real statement necklace! Or, consider a versatile rhinestone fringe necklace for a slightly dressier, traditional look.  This particular piece uses fringe brilliantly for maximum sparkle and light.

.

For halter bridal dresses, Ivana goes for diamond stud earrings and a beautiful bracelet.  For a sweetheart neckline bridal dress, she again suggests diamond earrings, and also thinks a diamond lariat necklace is ideal.  She suggests that a lariat from her collection could be a very “sexy” accessory.

• YOU CAN GET THE LOOK:  Consider a stunning elongated link bracelet that combines shine with gold-plating to create a true modern classic. Or, look at a dramatic bracelet with a rich traditional design. It has a double row of faux white pearls with bands of shimming rhinestones, and is really special.  Another elegant style involves cream pearls on a golden chain bracelet. Its delicacy reverberates softly against a bridal gown and gently finishes the entire ensemble. 

THE BRIDAL MARKET is moving ahead, apparently unfazed by the economic downturn squeezing the country.  Designers are showing extravagant, expensive and altogether spectacular dresses and jewelry, insisting that while people may cut back in other areas, they will continue to spend — if not splurge – on bridal wear.

Fabulous, luxurious materials, glitzy jewelry, ebullient  folds of material, and styling that combines yesteryear with the most modern design expressions  are all contributing to the excitement in bridal right now. Look at all the areas of thrilling innovation.  Color is just one example.  Because, while there is the usual emphasis on white, many designers are showing a wide variety of other shades and color tones to update the bridal look to a 21st century plateau. 

For example, Vera Wang is showing fascinating shades of chestnut, maize, celedron and grey, saying she wants to play with color to provide “a light, optimistic” antidote to a very dark fall. Color is also optimistic, and is a perfect antidote, as well, for a sagging economy!

Most designers leaned effectively on embellishment for light plays and color excitement.  Carolina Herrera’s gowns were classic champagne and ivory, and took the softer approach even further with delicate wheat-colored beading and gently colored ribbons.

Bling, texture and interesting details were among the major design factors giving a very special look to this year’s bridal collections. Jeweled garlands, sequin straps, and sparkling double-strand bracelets further glitz-ed up the offerings.

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TODAY’S BRIDAL COUPLE is older than ever before, with the bride 26 and the groom 28 on the day they take their vows.  Putting off the wedding this long has its advantages for the bridal market, however.  It gives the couple more time to save for a real blow-out, and that can be readily seen in the extravagant spending that so often accompanies today’s weddings. 

The average wedding costs about $50,000 and even with some economies (admittedly few) being put into effect, most dresses run from about $350 to a few thousand dollars. This, of course, does not include the cost of jewelry, which can be just about any price.  An the important thing to remember here is that while the wedding dress will be put away right after  the wedding, (presumably not to be worn again, except possibly by the brides future daughter), jewelry can be worn again and again and, in almost all instances, will be.

                  — So bridal jewelry has a very important role to play as a lifetime investment. These are future heirlooms!

Big on the bridal circuit are tiaras, such as a gorgeous headpiece in faux pearls that lifts in the front with beaded floral motifs.  Or, you might choose a majestic tiara with pearl flowers that has embedded clear crystals for added sparkle.  More elaborate tiaras include a rhinestone and pearl crown or a scrollwork tiara with white pearls and rhinestones.

Hairdos significantly affect the kind of earrings being worn.  Hair pulled straight back in a bun, and looking particularly good with traditional or classic bridal dresses, almost demand interesting earrings. Color can be used effectively regardless of whether the dress itself is white or colored.

Linear earrings are especially elegant for bridal.  Look at faux pearl linear drops for a perfect example.  A slightly more dramatic linear is a 2-inch long linear pearl.

Some hair styles are tightly fashioned into bunds, others are very casually pulled back into hair bunches with an almost “I-just-got-up” look.  Wedding earrings like hoops and other less ornate styles go well with this look. 

Traditional looks call for more formal earrings, like long silvery drop earrings, or even chandelier crystal earrings.  Button earrings are always very chic. Necklace and earring sets are very hot this year.  Think about a glass pearl necklace with earrings in ivory and brown for a wonderful contrasting look to the bridal ensemble.  Also look at a clear Austrian crystal white pearl necklace and earring set.  Austrian crystal, we might note, is especially popular for bridal, as it makes a fabulous heirloom piece after the ceremony!

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Dresses this year break down into a number of different stories, including minimalist, modern, romantic, and even ancient, as well as styles seemingly taken from ancient Greece. 

For example, Badgley Mischka showed a contemporary long white sheath dress with a light flare at the bottom and a heavily crystal-encrusted design at the top, crossing over into shoulder straps.  Reem Acra put forth a romantically Grecian dress flowing from the shoulders to the floor with an elaborate waist band of grey stones and embroidery.

The grey embellishment was also designed into a dress by Platinum.  Here, a dress of sweeping material folds formed huge white rose flower below the waist and emphasized a grey gem-encrusted bra above. 

From Atelier Aimee and Claire Pettibone came signs of an interesting design direction:  both showed dresses with big pink and green-leaf corsages at the back waist. Pettibone’s dress was a tight fitted white lace, while Aimee’s dress was more frou-frou, with pink ribbon detailing. 

Douglas Hannant showed a dress with magnificent African looks, fittingly worn on a beautiful model with the same generic appearance.  The dress literally pours down to the floor, where it ends in a very slight flare.  The outfit features a stunning cape over the dress with a highly detailed flowery neckline. 

Angel Sanchez showed a somewhat classic fitted dress with a flared ruffled and tiered skirt, while Amsale showed another classic look in beautiful white chiffon falling down to the floor from a top with ornate ruffled straps.  A big pouf of chiffon at the back of the dress gave a spaghetti strapped dress from Christos a very new look.

Nothing says “ladylike, refined, exquisite taste” like the always-appropriate opaque gem:  the pearl.  And, no matter what direction fashion may follow, the pearl always adapts and plays its rightful role for jewelers worldwide as the ultimate fashion classic.

 PEARL DIVING:  Pearls were originally very rare and costly.  Pearl divers used to actually dive into the sea trying to find a clam containing a pearl.  It was not until a little over 100 years ago in Japan that Kokichi Mikimoto invented the technique of inserting an irritant small bead in an oyster that would, over several years, result in a perfectly round, lustrous pearl.   These cultured pearls have the equation of one oyster, one pearl.  Very exclusive and expensive.

 The fascinating aspect of Freshwater pearls is that each one of the bi-valve freshwater mollusks that produce them can be “impregnated” to produce not one, but as many as 36 acceptable pearls apiece.  This profusion results in a great variety of shapes and sizes.   These cultured pearls are prized for their warm luster as well as the stunning range of vibrant colors they present naturally (or through a dyeing process).  Freshwater pearls often take on unusual shapes, inspiring craftsmen to feature them in unique jewelry designs.  And the size?  All the way from tiny seed pearls, up the scale to 15 mm. or slightly larger.

Small wonder freshwater pearls are the dominant type of pearl in fashion jewelry – genuine pearls, marvelous colors, glowing luster, pick-your-size assortments, and affordability!  Whew!

BRIDES’ CHOICE:  Freshwater pearls are the treasure of many bridal collections.  Every bride feels beautiful and quintessentially feminine when wearing authentic freshwater pearl single or double strand necklaces, often with earrings and bracelet further enhanced with CZ diamond sparkle.  Tiaras and veil headpieces combine patterns of freshwater pearls and pave rhinestones in queenly mode.  New Y-necklace designs not only flatter, but add a young, exciting dazzle to the total effect.  Freshwater pearl jewelry is also a prized, traditional gift for female bridal attendants.  So, remember, while the bride is of course shopping for herself, she has a group of close friends she needs to reward on her day.

At the darker end of the social spectrum, freshwater pearls can be grey, naturally, or dyed to look like expensive Tahitian black pearls.   Along blackened heavy silver chain, these pearls capture the midnight moodiness of current Goth fashion-they look fab against black leather, dark vinyls and the strange juxtapositions that make up this original but stark look.  Punk, heavy metal stuff?  Pearls still apply.

 EVERYDAY GLAM:  Bling fashion crafters simply insert this magnificent pearl amid the lavishness of their jewelry mix, to soften the hard angles of faceted multicolor beads and crystals and provide that upper-crust element.  Works in every piece-necks, earrings, bracelets, rings.   Grace nestled amid the loud sparkle. Everything comes together as super-chic!

And, because of the lower cost, many designers use these pearls lavishly, in many, many strands, twisted to form an elegant neck choker, or cascading down the upper torso in some grand and luxe assembly.  But whether used in the manner of Chanel (who adored pearls and had a huge personal collection) or the Duchess of Windsor (you remember her aristocratic flair), it’s difficult to ever surpass a simple single strand of creamy freshwater pearls. These could be possibly graduated, or short and sweet to command an open neckline, or in a more assertive “knock ‘em dead” pearl size and length. 

THE REAL THING:  The point is, freshwater pearls are an authentic pillar of beautiful fashion jewelry.  Nothing faux about them-they’re the real thing.  As such, freshwater pieces are a source of abiding owner pride.  The lovely luster lasts and lasts-freshwater pearls are pure nacre (layers of calcium carbonate, thanks to that mollusk) and extremely resistant to chipping or marring while being worn or stored.  They last a lifetime – and add so much to the pleasure and personal confidence of dress-up.