Naturally one-of-a-kind
During tough economic times, consumers tend to buy less expensive mass-produced items. Tired of cookie-cutter styles, they are drawn to one-of-a-kind and unique pieces. Bench jewellers and artisans can rejoice, as custom jewellery lets women embrace their individuality. Look for perfectly imperfect gemstones—think rutilated quartz and rough diamonds and gemstones—to be the focal point of these custom designs. Baroque pearls’ natural beauty also fit nicely with this trend, as each is seemingly one-of-a-kind. For metal pieces, textured or hand-hammered gold, platinum, and silver will take the place of high-polish finishes. Unique jewellery allowing for personal engraving speaks to individuality and will be sought-after this season.
Royally purple
Get ready to go crazy for purple! Colour forecast firm Pantone Inc., predicts ‘Rhapsody’—a smoky purple colour—to be one of the top hues for fall 2012. We also saw purple tones all over the fall runways. At Bottega Veneta and Gucci, purples were dark, deep shades, while Alberta Ferretti, Louis Vuitton, and Erdem all had lighter, rich shades. Get ready for purple stones like amethyst, chalcedony, and died mother-of-pearl to be the season’s must-haves.
Beautifully bold
Statement pieces will stand out this fall, with scale and colour both playing big roles. Bold, oversized earrings will be called upon to accessorize one of the hottest fashion trends, peplum. Seen on the runways of Dsquared2, Bottega Veneta, Etro, and Moschino, peplum adds an extra short layer of fabric on skirts and dresses, and falls just below the hip. With attention naturally drawn to that area, bold earrings help entice the eyes back up to the face. Besides peplum, high-neck dresses and tops will be popular this season, making room for statement earrings to be the accessory of choice. As for necklaces, bold pieces are one sign that minimalism—a result of a still-uncertain economy—is being left behind. Multi-strand chain necklaces, singular chokers, and oversized gemstone cluster bibs are three standout styles.
