Fashion designers can be called art folk. In handling rolls of fabric, they imagine in fine details the finished outfit, in the very same way that jewellers, having picked up only a handful of gemstones, manage to dream up a unique piece of jewellery. Many fashion gurus admit that the material sometimes becomes the source of inspiration for the entire collection. And this in vogue trend for lace inspired me to make a selection of jewels for this gallery which displays how fashion trends are reflected in the art of jewellery.
Could a subtle, almost aerial view of a fabric be encapsulated in metal? Well, to achieve the affect of a visual lightness, jewellery designers have adopted various techniques, starting with perforating the surface of gold for ornamentation, as with the Carrera Y Carrera earrings, or laser cut gold, as done by Alia Mouzannar for earrings, as well as the filigrée finishing technique that the Eleuterio brand specialises in. The Russian brand Alexander Arne launched a jewellery collection in which the pieces resemble bejewelled lace. The items are made of a variety of elements – butterflies, snowflakes and brand logos, that are linked together and all encrusted with diamonds. No matter the method used to achieve the desired effect on the jewellery, the end result of all the brands has been similar: they created delicate and romantic jewels.
