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American Costume Jewellery
Costume jewellery, as we know it, is a work of art...
When describing the semiprecious stones, prised metals and unbelievable craftsmanship, writer Sonia Hudson had only one thing to say about costume jewellery - “If it’s good enough for Jacqueline Kennedy…” American costume jewellery has been around for a whole century, and its history is as interesting as the personalities that wear it. Many people don’t know that Jacqueline Kennedy’s triple strand pearl necklace, worn throughout John Kennedy’s presidency, was actually an immaculate costume piece designed by Kenneth Jay Lane.
Costume jewellery, as we know it, is a work of art - wearable beautiful pieces created by skilful designers in limited quantities, adorned all around the world for their beauty and craftsmanship. These pieces are contemporary symbols that lead the fashion world today, with a rich, vintage history.
Towards the end of the first World War, the focus in fashion shifted to accessories, especially jewellery.
Alexis Bittar
Initially, costume jewellery was intended to simply imitate fine jewellery. Beginning in the late 1910s, evening’s bare arms and décolleté called for an array of shimmering jewellery, and costume jewellers eagerly catered to this new demand. New innovations, including paste, a highly reflective, leaded glass stone, and pinchbeck, an alloy of copper and zinc that was an alternative to gold, better simulated the look of fine jewellery.
With the loss of base metal during the war, the vast majority of costume jewellery was created in sterling and plated in either gold or rhodium, which simulated the look of platinum. However, companies also produced lower end jewellery using new and inexpensive materials, including wood, plastic, ceramic, and textile. Innovative designs employing these non-traditional materials were some of the most aesthetically appealing designs in costume jewellery history - these are the pieces that today are avidly sought by collectors and command top prices.
While costume jewellery was first introduced in couture collections in the 1920s by the magnificent Parisian couturiers such as Coco Chanel and Elsa Schiaparelli, costume jewellery wouldn’t be where it is today without Hollywood and its endless glamour!
The Hollywood film industry greatly grew and influenced fashion and costume jewellery. Fabulous actresses such as Audrey Hepburn, Catherine Deneuve and Elizabeth Taylor recognised and showcased the beauty, elegance and glamour of costume jewellery in its vintage years. It then didn’t take long for members of the royal and elite like Jacqueline Kennedy, Princess Diana, Queen Sophia of Spain and the Duchess of Windsor to fall in love with their charm!
Thanks to the exposure from Hollywood film to written press, such as the legendary Vogue, costume jewellery has grown so much so that it created an empire of magnificent vintage costume designers over they years. Amongst these were Stanley Hagler, Miriam Haskell, Kenneth Jay Lane, Eisenberg, Joseff of Hollywood, Judith Lieber, Napier and many more, all creating masterpieces that have inspired a new generation of leading American costume designers.
Moans Couture, Lawrence Vrba, Robert Sorell, Kenneth Jay Lane, Iradj Moini and many more...
What was once termed gaudy, cheap, or fake is now sought after...
Thanks to the exposure from Hollywood film to written press, such as the legendary Vogue, costume jewellery has grown so much so that it created an empire of magnificent vintage costume designers over they years. Amongst these were Stanley Hagler, Miriam Haskell, Kenneth Jay Lane, Eisenberg, Joseff of Hollywood, Judith Lieber, Napier and many more, all creating masterpieces that have inspired a new generation of leading American costume designers. Christopher Crouch and his jewellery for a legendary Broadway musical ‘Alladin’ under the Moans Couture label, Lawrence Vrba’s pieces for Victoria Secret’s Fashion Show, Robert Sorrell’s pieces of art for Cirque De Soleil shows and Alexis Bittar’s jewellery featured in the iconic ‘Sex and The City’ television series are some of those leading American costume designers, to name a few.
Today, vintage designer costume jewellery is collected throughout America and Europe for its ‘built to last’ high quality. What was once termed gaudy, cheap, or fake is now sought after, with pieces by the biggest names garnering hundreds, or even thousands, of dollars. These pieces are an investment that you can enjoy wearing as they increase in value, unlike the mass produced jewellery of today. Know that when you wear a signed piece of couture designer vintage jewellery, you are wearing a piece of art and history that has been built to last!