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Retail
A Charming Story
Charms are personal talismans that hold meaningful messages.
By Amber Michelle
Everybody has a story to tell and it is that tale that makes each of us uniquely who we are. Charms capture those thoughts, feelings, emotions and moments and remind us of what is important about our lives. Storytelling is gaining momentum in all aspects of our current culture and charms express those narratives in a very personal and lasting way. “They are symbols of momentous times in life,” says Julez Bryant DeCosta, designer for Carlsbad, California–based Julez Bryant. “Charms are a tiny piece of magic, a little story in a small charm.”
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For many years charm bracelets were fashionable. Charms were added to a chain link bracelet and collected over time. While bracelets are still worn, they often feature one loose charm, which is more contemporary than multiple charms attached to various links. The more modern take on wearing charms now, however, is the charm necklace, where one or more charms dangle from a chain. “A necklace is an easier purchase, especially if it is a gift,” explains Molinari. “A bracelet takes time to build, but with a necklace you can wear one charm and you’re done, or you can add more. Also, with a bracelet you have to attach the charm, which is harder for the customer.” Necklaces also tend to be more visible since they are closer to the face. “A necklace gets more attention, people will ask about it,” says Streeter. “There are more options. You can layer, you can wear one charm singly or wear multiple charms or you can switch chains, so it’s very versatile.”The neck is white space, adds Woo. “A necklace is close to the heart, you think about it when it is there and it creates a more personal connection.” While necklaces are the newer way to wear charms, bracelets too are being reinvented. Woo has created an innovative take on the modern charm bracelet that allows women to add charms easily. The toggle bracelet features beads that a person can take on or off the chain and add charms or take them off as desired, creating a bracelet that is effortlessly built and rebuilt, depending on what the customer wants to do. “It’s refined, small, discreet and subtle,” Woo points out. Bryant DeCosta has also come up with a new version of the charm bracelet. She has created a bangle with a pin closure and charms dangle from the pin. The charms can easily be changed and the bracelet can feature one or more charms, for the purpose of creating a collection of charms. She also encourages clients to mix shapes and keepsake symbols to commemorate momentous times in their lives.
As events and circumstances happen in life, charms are easily added to a collection. “I encourage customers to mix-and-match charms from other designers,” says Molinari. “My mother always said that if you buy what you love, it will all go together.” According to Haley, charms are very collectible. “You can stack them and then there is a lot of meaning on a bracelet or necklace.” Streeter also finds that her customers like to mix things up, by purchasing charms in different shapes, metals or gems to develop a personal collection. “People who bought ten years ago are still adding to their collection,” she says. “They mix and match; if they are buying in gold, they are buying an heirloom piece, or they may get a child’s name and birth date on a tag and decorate it with diamonds.” Charms are a classic favorite that are easily worn in a number of ways, either as a bracelet or a necklace. But the one thing that will hold true is that any way they are worn, “charms are powerful tokens of communication from one heart to another,” concludes Haley.Article from the Rapaport Magazine - April 2016. To subscribe click here.
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