RAPAPORT... One-of-a-kind…unique…the adjectives that describe antique jewelry just as easily fill the bill when discussing Hollywood’s reigning stars. So it’s no wonder that when these VIP celebrities take to the red carpet, they often choose to deck themselves out in vintage jewelry. Neil Lane, the Beverly Hills jeweler whose clientele includes many of Hollywood’s famous, sums up the appeal: “Wearing vintage has many pluses to it. You know it’s unique, it’s gorgeous and rare, it’s kind of elevating.”
“Vintage jewelry is popular today,” points out Marion Fasel, jewelry historian and co-author with Penny Proddow and Debra Healy of Hollywood Jewels: Movies, Jewelry, Stars, “as it has been for over a decade. It’s really strong on the red carpet because it gives celebrities a one-of-a-kind look that other people won’t have.
And then they enjoy it for the reasons we all enjoy vintage jewelry, because it’s just so beautiful and they can choose from so many styles, from Art Deco to something from the 1940s or a Victorian piece or Edwardian.” Vintage gems offer bling that’s not so “in your face,” explains Fasel. “I think people who prefer estate jewelry are looking for something that is more of an artistic statement.”
Hollywood has always had a love affair with everything vintage, agrees Larry Platt, co-owner with his sister Natasha Tsimmerman of Platt Boutique Jewelry in Los Angeles. Their jewelry has graced celebrities such as Jada Pinkett-Smith, Katie Holmes Cruise and Rihanna. “The idea of owning or wearing a piece of jewelry that you won’t see on anyone else is the key element. It all comes down to rarity and history, and the celebrities love playing on the idea of old Hollywood glam,” says Platt. It’s also, says Tsimmerman, a matter of craftsmanship, the way the pieces are made and the designs that provide that special something.
Once you’re introduced to vintage jewelry, says Rebecca Selva, public relations manager for jeweler Fred Leighton, whose extensive collection of antique and estate jewelry has adorned many celebrities, “you become enamored with it. There is such a diversity of looks to discover. Most of the pieces we sell are one-of-a-kinds. And that, in itself, is a very attractive thing, and the fact that it has history.”
It’s the range of styles, says Lane, that makes antique jewelry work so well with contemporary fashions. “Today, there are multitudes of designers on the red carpet and they each have a different point of view. And a lot of their designs are influenced by the Edwardian period, by the Retro period, the Hollywood glamour period, the twenties. So it’s only natural to have period jewels to complement those looks.”
Timely AppealThe current state of the economy is also a factor in what bling, and how much, is worn. Says Fasel, “I think we’re almost in an interim period, where it seems that Hollywood can’t quite decide. Some are going for all-out glamour, doing for the public what celebrities did in the 1930s, where they really ‘put on the Ritz’ as a form of escapism for the rest of us, wearing something very beautiful while the country was in an economic crisis. But others are toning it down a bit. So I don’t think we’ve quite come to see what trends we’re going to have going forward.”
Platt agrees that “the state of the economy will definitely have an effect on what we will be seeing on the red carpet. ‘Less is more’ will definitely be the motto. I think one strong diamond necklace from the Victorian or Deco period or a strong pair of earrings paired with a great bracelet will be enough. Vintage gold jewelry in bold shapes and colors will remain a hot trend. It adds an element of fun and keeps things toned down.”
Red-carpet trends“There are always going to be the showstoppers, the big vintage diamond necklace,” Lane says. And, he adds, one thing that’s “always a standard” is wearing some sparkle by your ear. “Whether it’s short, long or dangling earrings, you always need diamonds; you need sparkle by your face. There’s no outfit that’s complete without it.”
In terms of specific red-carpet trends, Tsimmerman cites wearing lots of Art Deco bracelets, “piled up.” And, she adds, “Lately, we’ve seen a return of unusual cuffs and sixties and seventies jewelry, big, bold unique pieces.”
“The Deco period has always been a favorite of Hollywood A-listers and I don’t see that trend disappearing anytime soon,” concurs Platt. “The bold geometric shapes and modern look of many Deco pieces pair so well with the dresses being created by today’s top designers. The platinum and diamond material used for most Art Deco jewelry is ideal for red-carpet glitz.”
Platt also cites vintage yellow gold jewelry as “one of the hottest trends that has definitely come back into vogue. Pieces from the Retro 1940s to the bold ’70s have made it onto countless red carpets. Oversized cuffs accented with diamonds and colored stones, big door-knocker style earrings and large cocktail rings set with diamonds and semiprecious stones have added an element of color and fun.”
Adds Selva, “You can expect a statement piece, you can expect things to be combined in very interesting ways.” One example she says Fred Leighton has been at the forefront with is jewels worn in the hair, such as the diamond tiara Scarlett Johansson wore at the 2005 Oscars or a diamond headband worn by Natalie Portman.
Another trend, Selva points out, “popular for awhile now,” is mixing periods, such as nineteenth-century and 1940s jewels. “It’s all about the shapes and the looks speaking to one another and working beautifully. They don’t become 1920s ladies walking down the carpet; they’re modern women who have chosen a beautiful Art Deco bracelet but they might be wearing a contemporary earring. So they’re mixing things up.”
There is an interest in wearing a statement piece rather than matching earrings, necklace, bracelet, says Selva, “whether it’s a necklace or a phenomenal bracelet that has a story or a beautiful brooch. At this year’s Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards, Kyra Sedgwick wore a vintage Chanel gown with our long, beautiful, nineteenth-century amethyst and diamond necklace. It made quite an impact. It was perfect and it looked fresh.”
“People are trying to emulate Marilyn Monroe, Ava Gardner — they’re trying to emulate the great moments in Hollywood,” says Lane. “You have to go back to go forward.”
Article from the Rapaport Magazine - March 2009. To subscribe click here.