SICKA THAN AVERAGE

Some Highlights From Kendra Scott's Fall 2010 Collection

From the Feather Collection:

 

 

 

 

From the Morocco Collection:

 

 

  

   

 

   

 

If you adore jewelry pieces with oversize stones that practically exalt Mother Earth's innate beauty, while referencing the aesthetic values of various African, Middle Eastern, and Latin American cultures, designer Kendra Scott will take you on a mystical, magic carpet ride through the global bazaar of style. For Fall 2010, Scott is introducing an array of breathtaking pieces (including twelve new colors of her must-have Danielle earrings), which span from gypsy gorgeous, with feather motifs imbued with a sense of movement and texture, to Scheherazade stunning, with asymmetrical stones, mosaic-like settings, and tiny, spidery gold ball details.

Pictured above are highlights from two sections of Scott's fall offerings: the "Feather" collection and the "Morocco" collection. The Feather collection includes the showstopping Ignacia necklace (pictured above in tiger's eye, smoky quartz, and malachite), which features inverted, elongated feathers with minuscule ridges that seem to writhe as if dancing in a delicate breeze, as well as oversize, slightly faceted accent stones in square-ish shapes. The Celeste cuff, meanwhile, features a domed center stone with a claw-like, prong setting, as well as two metal strips along each side, carved to resemble feathers and curving inward as they move outward from the center, so that they practically hug the wearer's wrists.

The "Morocco" collection, meanwhile, boasts such wonders as the Ramsee rings, which feature magnesite turquoise, malachite, goldstone, blue onyx,or black onyx stones measuring 2" in length and 1" in width and adorned with miniature gold ball studs all along their perimeter. Another highlight is the Abena cuff, which features bright center stones and whimsical gold studding that recalls a belly dancer's coquettish wardrobe. And, of course, there's the magnificent Ava necklace (pictured above in Basil and Pepper), which features a string of oversize stones in quirky near-oval and near-rectangular shapes, as well as caterpillar-esque stone settings that add to the piece's exotic vibe. Forget being a snake charmer — with these, you can lure, seduce, and charm any person or creature in your path!

Look out for these pieces at KendraScott.com

Shell Shocked -- Michal Yakar Resort Collection Necklace

 

In the past, I've raved about Michal Yakar's statement-making necklaces, hand-crafted using natural stones arranged to create free-flowing but simple and clean silhouettes. For summer 2010, the oh-so-talented Michal Yakar has created a handful of necklaces befitting of a real-life Yemayá.

The Resort Collection necklace pictured above boasts a simple V-style construction, with a 14K gold vermeil medallion-like ring featuring a teardrop-shaped, inverted mother of pearl seashell at its center. Another shimmering mother of pearl seashell (this one facing the opposite way) hangs directly beneath the hollow golden ring, so that when you look at the two seashells stacked up above one another, they almost create an hourglass shape. Two additional seashells are strung together with the 14k gold chain, which is decorated with dainty a fresh water pearls in a warm champagne color, as well as white topaz beads, for a truly feminine feel. 

The final result is a piece worthy of the nascent goddess in Botticelli's "The Birth of Venus."

Michal Yakar Resort Collection Necklace, $195. Visit MichalYakar.com for details on how to order.

Gemma Redux "Jac" Necklace As Seen On Emmy Rossum

 

For the Autumn/Winter 2010 season, Gemma Redux designer Rachel Dooley reinvented her popular "Jac" necklace style, a best-selling number that features twisted, industrial-style chains of varying types and widths, along with bold, faceted, vibrant stones positioned at the side of the necklace, operating as a urban tastemaker's alternative to retro accent brooches (take that, Stepford wives!).

Already available with stones ranging from clear quartz to lemon jade, black agate, lime howlite, and raspberry jade, as well as with gold, sterling silver, gunmetal, or mixed metal chains, the "Jac" is now venturing into an even more free-spirited realm thanks to the bib-like manner in which the mixed metal chains are layered. Rather than the usual chunky shape, which fits close to the neck, the style pictured above features multiple chain strands staggered in dangling rows.

Actress Emmy Rossum was recently spotted wearing the necklace while having lunch at Beverly Hills' Jack & Jill restaurant. With its faceted, natural-looking, kelly green accent stone and its mixture of gold, sterling silver and gunmetal rolo and cable chain strands, the necklace stole the show from the scene stealer herself.

I'll be hitting the road with Jac this fall!

Gemma Redux Jac Necklace, $398. Will be available at GemmaRedux.com

Introducing Carol Marie Designs -- Jewelry With A "Pimpin' All Over The World" Feel

 

 

 

   

Working at fashion magazines doesn't always entail nightmarish ordeals like those captured, however hyperbolically, in The Devil Wears Prada. Just ask Jennifer Carol Kramer and Heather Marie White, who first met while working at W magazine back in 2006 and became fast friends, eventually deciding to launch their Carol Marie Designs jewelry line for Fall 2010. Their trained editorial eye, attention to detail, and appreciation for vintage and flea market trinkets are manifested in their debut collection, which has a globe-trotting, ethnic appeal, with glass stones that nod to Venice, multi-strand necklaces with a Saharan vibe, gold disc details that recall ancient Roman culture, and Bohemian-flavored, Czech-style chains and beads. Add a rock-'n'-roll soundtrack to this global bazaar of trinkets, and you'll get a sense of the line's overall feel.

Pictured above are some of my favorite pieces. At top, you'll find the Jewel and Multi-Chain Necklace, featuring a single row of rectangular glass stones on either side of the deep, low-hanging necklace, with brass-colored, vintage-looking, thin rope chains then draping from one side to the next along the bottom of the piece, creating a slouchy, bib-like effect. The piece reminds me of Fiona Paxton's Sylvie necklace in terms of its silhouette, but this one stands alone due to the unique use of glass stones, which adds a colorful and precious component, as if you'd dug up a treasure belonging to a former Egyptian empress.

Other standout pieces include the Triple Strand Jewel Bracelet (pictured second from top), which features three rows of prong-set, faceted glass stones, with slim gold-toned bars on either side and a dainty slide clasp. There's also the Triple Jewel Earrings, a simple design that packs a mighty punch with its exposed chain loops and prong-set stones, and the Jewel Oval Web Necklace, featuring five prong-set oval stones woven together with brass-toned chain strands.

Carol Marie Jewel and Multi-Chain Necklace, $375; Triple Strand Jewel Bracelet, $335; Triple Jewel Earrings, $75; and Jewel Oval Web Necklace, $175. Available at CarolMarieDesign.com

Bing Bang by Anna Sheffield x Timo Weiland Collaboration -- All The Bows And Whistles

 

   

 
For their first collaborative effort, jewelry designer Anna Sheffield and fashion designer Timo Weiland seem to have aimed for a preppy aesthetic with just a hint of edge, all informed by a vintage, Mad Men-era vibe. It's a decidedly New York-flavored collection though certain pieces do nod to the prim sophistication of the Edwardian era (aka La Belle Epoque).

Fans of Joan Holloway (Christina Hendricks' bodacious character on Mad Men) will swoon over the Whistle Necklace, which features a tubular brass whistle measuring 2.5" hanging from a silk ribbon strand (you can choose between a black ribbon or a grayish lavender ribbon with white polka dots).

For a more regal, vintage look, there's the Bow Fob Necklace (pictured last, above), which features a brass medallion-like pendant with a thin bow sitting atop of its frame. The fob reference, of course, alludes to the ornaments that were once threaded through the ribbons or chains of pocket watches (and which were de rigueur in London and France during the Edwardian and Victorian eras).

One of my favorite pieces is the Bow Chain Belt (pictured below), a multi-chain brass belt that hangs at the hips and boasts a cheeky bow with a lavender with white polka dots print. And, of course, I'm swooning over the most audacious piece in the collection: the Bow Web-Chain Necklace (pictured at top). This exaggerated necklace features strips of black leather molded to resemble an oversize bow, with mixed brass chains dangling along the center of each leather strip in such a way as to accentuate its curves and ridges. Obviously, this is the type of piece you need to wear with an extremely simple top (a skin-tight, adornment-free black or white top, for example), and you've got to have beaucoup attitude to pull it off but, if you've got the guts, you'll get the style gusto.

Bing Bang x Timo Weiland Bow Web-Chain Necklace, $225; Whistle Necklace, $105; Bow Fob Necklace, $125; Bow Chain Belt, $125; and Whistle Necklace, $105. All available at Shop.BingBangNYC.com

 

 

Padma by Padma Lakshmi Earrings Seen On Kyra Sedgwick

 

When she arrived at the Ed Sullivan Theater in NYC yesterday to film a Late Show With David Letterman segment, actress Kyra Sedgwick (star of TNT's The Closer) wore a sculptural, cap sleeve dress with an inverted keyhole shape neckline in a molten silver and aquamarine hue. To show off her neck and decolletage, Segwick wore her hair in a messy updo and adorned her lobes with these dangling Padma by Padma Lakshmi earrings.

The yellow gold drop earrings feature long stems with clusters of tiny pyrite beads arranged so as to resemble the leaves in a climbing vine, culminating in teardrop-shaped aquamarine stones with a lustrous sheen at the bottom tip of each piece.

Padma by Padma Laskshmi earrings with Pyrite and Moss Aquamarine, $1250. Available at Bergdorf Goodman.

Discover Homegrown Talent At New Social Site And Marketpace, Sense Of Fashion

   

 
 

When I first stumbled upon Etsy.com, I wound up spending three hours browsing through different categories and salivating over the work of various artisans from all over the world. Within a few weeks, I morphed into a compulsive Etsy shopper, buying everything from belt buckles to earrings, necklaces, hats, and all-natural body butters on the popular online marketplace. Whenever I discovered a new handmade good, I felt as if I'd unearthed some mythical buried treasure, and it added to the overall thrill of the experience. Of course, once my pockets started to take a lickin', I had to wean myself off of Etsy. Whenever I did log on after that point, I doubtless found some remarkable pieces — and yet, by this point, the site had grown so tremendously that shopping involved sifting through countless lackluster offerings and wading through the clutter to finally spot the crown jewels.

As a former Etsy addict, then, my eyes widened in childlike excitement when I first visited SenseOfashion.com, an online destination for fashion lovers that includes an Etsy-like marketplace but also features a social media component, allowing fashion photographers, stylists, and models to showcase their portfolios, network with one another and seek out exciting opportunities. Created by Israeli-designer-cum-entrepreneur Daria Shualy, the site also offers a section where bloggers can promote their sites and where fashionistas can upload pics of their latest looks and await feedback from other style hounds. There's even a blog dedicated to providing informative content for up-and-coming designers, bloggers, makeup artists, and stylists: from announcements about beauty and fashion competitions to member spotlights and tips on business topics (such as a recent entry about how to go about launching a brand internationally).

Though Sense of Fashion is still in its infancy, visitors will already find a dynamic array of designers and style movers-and-shakers. As a shopper, I loved that most of the designers on Sense of Fashion possess a youthful aesthetic and an urban sensibility. Featured here are pieces from three of my favorite designers on the site. At top, you'll find some rocker-meets-gypsy jewelry from LA-based designer Liz Larios, with many fusing the mysticism of smoky and clear quartz stones with the bold flavor of 18k gold plated, hematite and sterling silver chain strands. I'm loving the Quartz Drop Hoop Earrings (pictured second from top), which feature 18k gold plated, flattened rings with hollow interiors, adorned with spear-shaped clear quartz stones with faceted sides, tiny smoked topaz and black tourmaline beads, black and gold toned chain strand, and, for added spunk, a single golden box chain strand.

If you're a handbag hound (and who isn't, right?), check out the handmade pieces created by Israeli designer Jenny Weinstein (who goes by "Jennybags"). Infused with a tough biker sensibility but softened through the usage of vibrant colors and supple materials, these handmade handbags feature exciting details ranging from detailed stitching to zipper accents, snap buttons and intricate, origami-esque folds. My favorite piece is, of course, the Biker Bag (pictured below), a roomy shoulder bag with slightly curved top ridges, rows of stitching that follow the natural contours and folds of the silhouette, and exterior zippers that create pocket-like spaces. Though it's pictured in a cyan color below, this style is available in a bevvy of colors including coral pink, basic black, and a cerulean-esque blue.

Lastly, I included two eco-chic jewelry pieces from fashion and jewelry brand PopLove: a necklace made of an antique key covered in colorful Swarovski crystals, forming a heart shape along the top, and a ring made using an upcycled earring wrapped in colorful turquoise and silver wire strands and adorned with Swarovski crystals along the center so as to create a flower-like shape.

Pictured at top: Liz Larios Zeitgeist Pendant Necklace, currently sold out; Liz Larios Gold Quartz Drop Hoop Earrings, $50;  Liz Larios Quartz Bib Spike Necklace, $152. Available at Senseofashion.com/LizLarios

Pictured below: Jenny Weinstein Mint Bikers Bag, $120; Jenny Weinstein Rough Vintage Handbag, $100; and Jenny Weinstein On The Road bag. Available at Senseofashion.com/JennyBags

Pictured last (bottom two): PopLove Sparkly Swarovski Keuareart Upcycled Necklace, $40; and PopLove Sparkly Swarovski Mystic Blue Upcycled Ring, $40. Available at Senseofashion.com/PopLove

 
 

 

 

    

 

 

Bitten By Demitasse Jewelry's The Vampire Chronicles Collection

 

 
 

Love bites — whether it's in the Def Leppard, love begs-love-pleads way or in the more literal, blood-sucking capacity. And, based on the seemingly endless lines of anxious moviegoers gathered outside theaters last night for the opening of The Twilight Saga: The Eclipse, it's the latter form of goth romanticism that's enticing the masses.

In the spirit of the current vampire mania, Demitasse Jewelry designer Rachael White created the Vampire Chronicles collection, which features pieces alluding to sorcerer mythology. There's the Demivamp necklace (pictured at top and, again, third from top), which boasts a 30" cable chain in either vintage brass, gunmetal-y silver, or rose gold shades, which features a hollow metal ring pendant with fang details along the lower arch (so that, if you set the ring atop a table, you'll get a clear view of the spiked incisors) and a bullet tip charm dangling inside the center. For a more stylish take on this concept, Modern Day Elviras can choose the Beaded Demifangs necklace (pictured second from top), which trades in the cable chain in favor of faceted, midnight blue, glass rosary beads. The coolest part: you can string one of these around your neck and then loop the ring over one of your fingers to strike a sinister seductress pose.

If the fang motifs are a bit too morbid or creepy for you, check out the Demibullets, which boast 30" chains with hollowpoint bullet pendants measuring 3" in length. Pick your vessel and vamp it up!

Just remember: no real-life biting allowed!

Demitasse Demivamp necklace, $45; Beaded Demifangs necklace, $98; and Demibullets necklace, $55. Available at DemitasseJewelry.com

Miyeon's Lee Little M Jewelry Has Major Mojo

 

   

   

New York City-based Korean artist Miyeon Lee's oil paintings feel like minimalist explorations of color — vibrant and enticing yet free of pretense and excess ornamentation. Similarly, the pieces in her jewelry line, Little M, manage to make powerful statements using the simplest of materials like: silk and grosgrain ribbons, knit braid trim, rayon twist cord, metallic scroll trim, shoelace-like strips, and more. By intertwining these materials and juxtaposing various colors and textures, Lee created the illusion of movement, of strands writhing and undulating against the skin.

Though many of her pieces, such as the untitled piece pictured at top, feature Carnival-ready hues, there's also a disarming innocence to them (check out the Rainbow Trail bracelet pictured second from top). In a way, they recall a simpler time when we were wide-eyed little girls who swapped handmade friendship bracelets and wove ribbons into our hair. Featuring an assortment of ribbon and fabric trims and 14k gold filled chains and plated parts, the Little M pieces are currently available at Artware Editions.

The necklace pictured at top feels like a jewelry piñata — just as festive and full of surprises. It effortlessly fuses together zig-zagging, Rasta-colored trim with nautical-favored, blue-and-white cord, as well as vibrant fuchsia and electric blue cord, shoelace-like white ribbon, bits of gold fringe tassel, and more. 

Common threads have never looked quite as uncommon.

Little M Untitled 2010 Necklace, $230, and Little M Rainbow Bracelets, $125 each. Available at Artware Editions in NYC. Call 212.463.7490 for more details.

Kim Kaufman Designs "Kiss Of Venus" Locket Worn By Sarah McLachlan

 

If you're a big fan of singer Sarah McLachlan, you might have caught her during a promotional tour in NYC, when she was publicizing the release of her new Laws of Illusion album. And if you were watching closely, you might have noticed the locket she wore while performing on  David Letterman and Jimmy Fallon. Designed by Kim Kaufman, the talisman-like "Kiss of Venus" 18k gold locket boasts a 1.5" diameter and features five pear-shaped diamonds arranged in a circle form along the center of the piece, totaling 0.25 cts.

The locket features an engraved image of four eight-year cycles of Venus' orbit between the Earth and the sun. The astrological-themed piece alludes to Venus "kissing" us every 584 days, as the planet passes between Earth and the sun. Adding to the locket's mystical vibe, it hangs from a Bohemian-flavored, rope-like black leather cord adorned with a wine-colored tassel.

Kiss of Venus locket by Kim Kaufman Designs, $26,000. Available at Bergdorf Goodman in NYC. Visit KimKaufmanDesigns.com for more information.