Will fashion finally enter the jewelry world?

08 April 2014 | Esther Ligthart | 2014

Although fashion and jewelry meet each other ever more, it’s not difficult to see that the jewelry world has still a long way to go. If fashionistas and bloggers have taken a very serious role in the fashion industry, the phenomenon remains rather new and slightly scaring in the jewelry business.

Social media changed how we are influenced

And yes, this is not so difficult to understand. Fashion plays a major role in people’s life today. We have to get dressed and there are many stores, magazines and celebrities’ telling us daily what is hot and what is not. Youtube, bloggers, Pinterest, Instagram, all major social media marketing where *normal* people took over the role classically fulfilled mainly by marketing people and fashion magazine editors do the rest. This is a huge change in how we are influenced today. And may help us when we decide what to buy! (there are mirrors in shop that connect to your Twitter or Facebook account, so you can immediately show your outfit and share it with friends or get their opinions. Love it!)

Fashion brands that do jewelry, not always a fashionable idea

Jewelry seems not always to fit the idea of fashion. Even if many people in the industry think it does. What we mainly see is however marketing products being pushed forward as fashion items. I refer to companies like Pandora, Ti Sento, Zinzi , Endless and many of the fashion brands that developed an additional jewelry line, Calvin Klein, Michael Kors, Tommy Hillfiger etc. It is a good thing that they have put jewelry much more in the minds of people as part of fashion. But to me, those companies are much more marketing products than jewelry. It is the whole buzz around the product that creates desire, but the product itself is often not so exciting at all. Many times they are just copies of classic jewelry. They are missing what fashion may also define, like originality and design. (Sorry guys!)

Get out of the old fashioned corner

It is time to pull out jewelry of that very exclusive and I am sorry to say, but often a bit old fashioned corner, and put it out loud there in the open. Because jewelry brands, like fashion brands, do think of seasons, of trends, they often excel in originality and many in masters of design. They develop ever more exciting combinations or refer to history in a modern sense. And the jewelry world has a lot much more exciting story and history to tell than fashion will ever have. J Think about symbolism, about ancient art of goldsmiths, stones and metals referring to myths and powers.

Haute Couture will remain

Having said that, there will always remain a part of jewelry brands that are so exclusive, but you should see them like the haute couture. For a select group of people and very inspiring to all the companies as they often inherited a long and rich history.

Big hope on young jewelry designers

My hope is set on the young designers. My hope is also set on custom jewelry with balls. The ones that dare something different. The ones that know how to appeal to people and enables people to express themselves more and more also through jewelry. Just as people experience this with fashion and with tattoos for example.

I understand completely that jewelry of a certain price makes it difficult to play with it, like you would with clothes. But mix and mingle. I never ever wear just gold or silver. I always love to combine gold, silver and custom jewelry. And how many wear a Gucci belt (not really cheap) with a H&M shirt and Levi’s jeans. (There you have your gold, your custom jewelry and your silver :-))

Ok, so will there be ever jewelistas?

Maybe yes. Maybe the guys and girls out on the street in certain cities are already inspiring bloggers like me to turn their head towards a new way of thinking about jewelry. I do like to know opinions and new ways to think about this jewelry world. And will always love the artisans and wonderful designers that work in this industry. But let us keep an eye on the future, with one foot in the beautiful history of goldsmiths, stories, myths and so on. I will embrace changes and as a blogger and as a lover of jewelry.

You have strong feelings about this too? Come on! Share them with me, either here or by e-mail!