Amidst the dreary February weather (and especially the tyrant of Storm Dennis in the UK), there is an undulating rhythmic beat of steps, of models taking to the runway to show the old and new talent. The gentle hum of celebrities, fashion insiders and journalists fill the room with shared talk of ‘I like your outfit’ and perambulations about the weather, traffic and local news, all falling to silence when the music starts. All individual in outfit choices, there is shared anticipation about who will be wearing the clothes, what will they look like, and will this make an impact on what people will be wearing in the months and years to come.
The mirrored sea of smartphones will catch the light, fingers performing a balletic par de bourree, poised and jumping upon the shutters of their phone camera. Over in minutes, the rustle of fabric and squeak of shoes fill and haunt the room as attendees rush for the next show, post the next Instagram, call fellow buyers or grab a brief bite to eat.
Fashion month has arrived; a bi-annual event that shapes the calendar of clothes, and trends. Despite this regimented orchestration, fashion and design itself are not, a complete paradox to the strict time-keeping that enshrouds the shows, but akin to the rush and chaos, the hecticness of models behind the scenes, designer’s anxieties, the bustle of the press.
Each show proves that fashion and jewellery is anything but linear. Crossing chronologies, you often see designers using and interpreting shapes and styles of the past, whether that’s the 60’s, 70s, 80s and 90s (no matter the century), then fragmented features of archival looks, that under a new guise look crisp and fresh.
As a leading antique jewellery company, we decided to take a closer look at the jewellery trends we have noted from the current A/W 2020 fashion week shows, and how these designers have taken inspiration from jewellery creations of the past.
Pearls
Whether you gravitate towards baroque, seed or cultured pearls, there is no denying that these beauties from the sea are no longer the gem du jour of the ladies who lunch, they are now the ‘it’ girl accessory.
At Shrimps, single strands of pearls were delicately worn close to the neck, whereas, at Simone Rocha, Pearls were fashioned into brooches and earring clusters, sitting pretty with Diamantes’. Simone Rocha’s collection itself looked as if the Pre-Raphaelite brotherhood paintings had come to life, with blazing hair, embroidered and painted roses and anatomical hearts, studded tweed mary janes and beautiful foiled eye makeup.
Pearls weren’t just taking centre stage at London Fashion Week, they also appeared in Marc Jacobs collection in New York. A sense of modish sixties pervaded this collection, from the shift dresses to the swing coats, the models looked as if they would step off the catwalk to go for afternoon tea.
It is no secret that Pearls feature excessively in antique jewellery. Quintessentially ethereal, the Georgians, Victorians and Edwardians were all obsessed, endlessly creating elegant pieces that were worthy of mermaids and princesses.
Bedazzled Maximalism
We loved that fashion week proved that maximalism is coming back, bigger and bolder than ever before. Noted across a large variety of shows, vibrant, noisy and sparkling pieces of jewellery were the finishing touches to collections. We felt this most fervently at Richard Quinn, where bejewelled halo feathered headdresses crowned the model’s faces, and voluminous Beauty and the Beast red roses bloomed from silk gowns.
It is no secret that maximalism is good friends with Ashish Gupta, whose eponymous label celebrates sequins, glitter and sparkle in all of its entirety. At the LFW A/W 20 show, ASHISH was a spellbinding display of animal print, 70’s silhouettes and feathers. Alongside these vivacious outfits were equally vibrant pieces of jewellery. Candy coloured gems were suspended in glorious girandole and pendeloque style earrings framing bold eye makeup.
Simone Rocha placed maximalist faceted lilac, garnet-red and peridot-green chandelier earrings alongside the model’s untamed manes, and studded its knits, tulle and coats entirely with gems. This aesthetic of encrusted bejewelled clothing was also heavily prevalent in David Koma. One of the themes that tied the collection together was jewels, from accentuated glittering necklines to sparkling over-the-elbow gloves.
The NFW shows of Area, Oscar de la Renta and Georgio Armani also celebrated this shift in aesthetic, indulging in glamour and excess rather than shying away from it. Heavily beaded tops and dresses, bejewelled knits and costume jewellery was paramount, designed to catch attention and exult confidence.
The Bigger the Earrings, the Better
Similarly to an overt display of maximalism, we noticed that big, obnoxious, hyperbolic, superlative earrings are back. From the dangling shoulder-length Pearl earrings at Simone Rocha to antique style pendeloque paste earrings, and starburst shapes at Erdem, there was a clear presence of in-your-face sparkle (quite literally).
If sparkle didn’t accord with the brand’s identity and current aesthetic, many brands still exhibited large statement earrings. At Brandon Maxwell large geometric resin earrings graced collarbones, and large hoops with leather pillows swung against the cheekbones and jawlines of models at Roksanda.
Big Chains
Here at Lillicoco, we know a thing or two about big weighty chains (especially those of the antique variety). It is no secret that we see the high street currently exploding with large rectangular links, t-bars, and oversized bolt rings. Quintessentially modern and chic, we were excited to see that these were embraced in shows such as Rejina Pyo, Marques Almeida and Proenza Schouler.
The boxy necklaces perfectly complemented the sharp tailoring and subdued melting palette of similar shades. From caramels and coffee tones at Rejina Pyo to silken tie-dye at Marques Almeida. Big chunky chains can be worn with everything, adding a touch of edgy sophistication to work and everyday wear.
Longchamp, a designer imbued with heritage-inspired collections, also accessorised their models with Gold and Silver Albert chains. Albert chains, curb chains, book chains and belcher chains were in abundance at Victorian jewellers, goldsmiths and silversmiths. Transcending time, their timeless urban elegance still resonates with designers and buyers today.
Brooches
Brooches have been gracing lapels, shirts, coats and jackets for centuries. Abundant in traditional connotations, and perhaps associated with the older generations, it will be surprising that brooches are having a millennial moment. Rouland Mouret, Simona Rocha, Matty Bovan and Regina Pyo all showcased brooches on their models, yet each were starkly different.
Interestingly, we were most drawn towards the brooch and pin designs of Roland Mouret, a designer that champions sustainability, pieces of driftwood are studded with pearls and surrealist designs of ears and broken faces, akin to marble sculptures, pin dresses, coats and capes together. The breathtaking designs are soft, sturdy and abstract with almost surgical precision.
At the time of writing, Paris fashion week has yet to begin, yet we are intrigued by these brooches on the Dior website, a clear sign that this once dusty pompous display of wealth is now rejuvenated for new, exciting buyers. Plus, these brooches are incredibly Edwardian too! Our breath is bated until we see their glorious A/W20 collection soon!
Gothic
When thinking of Gothic, your mind may instantly jump to kitsch Halloween-esque occasions. From cobwebs and spiders, to dark haunted mansions and skeletons, these may be associated with the spookiest day of the year, but not instantly come to mind when thinking of A/W 20 fashion, no matter how idiosyncratic. Yet, we noticed that in quite a few designer collections, Halloween has become haute. At Victoria Beckham, metal bony hand belts cinched in model’s waists, reminding us of Victorian Irish claddagh rings and figa pendants.
At Simone Rocha and Rodarte, Gothic and romantic influences, both in themselves polarising and similar, were intertwined further. At Rodarte, models stomped in NYC wearing Georgian style pendeloque earrings, big spider brooches, and dark florals.
At Anna Sui, collar and black ribbon chokers clasped model’s throats, necklaces were threaded with dark red and black beads, suspending downwards to ornate cross and chatelaine style pendants. Eclectic and eccentric, you can easily recreate these looks with glittering Victorian and Georgian jewellery.
Paris and Milan fashion weeks are just around the corner, and we cannot wait to see what their designers have in store!
Ciao for now,
Love Lillicoco xoxo