Slightly muddy and sand-coated, charmingly cracked, chipped, and broken-in vintage surfboards hand-painted by Sam Brigham hung from the high ceilings in the sunny room where the Lulu Frost Spring 2012 "Endless Summer" Presentation was held. Models, meanwhile, donned '60s-esque, pin-up worthy swimsuits while showcasing the stunning necklaces, earrings, bracelets, and anklets Lulu Frost designer Lisa Salzer crafted for her beach-inspired collection.
Raised near the sandy Long Island coast, Salzer reminisced about summer outings to Montauk, then incorporated elements from the classic 1966 film Endless Summer, in which two avid surfers from California traveled the world in the search of the perfect wave, and interpreted all these elements into a free-spirited but elegant jewelry collection that conveyed the idea of an eternal beach-trotting lifestyle.
To convey an appreciation for the beautiful treasures that can be found in the depths of the ocean and the natural wonders that can be unearthed from the sand, Salzer incorporated raw-cut natural stones like chrysophase, green amethyst, rhodochrosite, clear quartz, gold pearls, and chalcedony into her pieces. Vintage Czechoslovakian glass stones were also utilized in statement necklaces and dramatic, shoulder-grazing earrings, as well as lime, turquoise, and lemon yellow suede strands knotted into chain link brass bracelets.
The brass in the pieces was hand-shaped into bead shapes, molded to mimic the undulating motion of ocean waves, flattened into leaf-like shapes, and sculpted into fin-like forms.
Though all the jewelry offerings showcased were breathtaking, Salzer was particularly proud of the Hundred Year Necklace (pictured seventh from top, on the model with the strapless, mint green swimsuit). This statement piece incorporated beads, charms, metal, and stones dating back to 1860 all the way through 1960. In this piece, jade-colored, textured, sand dollar-shaped charms were juxtaposed against soft yellow daisy-shaped details from vintage costume pieces; spiraling pumpkin-colored beads resembling hermit crab shells; Czechoslovakian glass stones placed in spiraling shapes; and triangle-shaped brass details, some boasting slightly tribal-looking hammered details.
Another standout was a bib necklace with panther link chain strands, brass bead strands, and a virtual treasure tove of oval-shaped, pink chalcedony stones, each adorned with three elongated brass strips along their bottom ridges arranged in a fan-like formation to resemble fins (as shown last above).
More images after the jump!
