Look Book

58 www.thejewelrybook.com Trend Report 2 0 15 T R E N D R E P O R T This time of year, we're all hop- ing to predict the colors, silhou- ettes and materials that will drive sales for the next selling season. Pantone has given us pinks and purples, the runways favored 70's- inspired looks and we've seen the clear resurgence of yellow gold. But lately I've been thinking how, in the digital age of fast fashion, hashtags and binge watching, trends feel more and more micro than macro. These concepts come and go so quickly, burning out before they've barely taken hold. To complicate things further, the concept of "personal style" has become a critical component of what we consider fashionable – so much so that many fashion houses mention street style as their collec- tion inspiration. That means you can wear your 70's fl ares one day, and your skinny jeans the next, but it also means that the juggernaut NBT (Next Big Thing) doesn't really exist the way it used to. We can no longer count on identify- ing that one perfect storm trend, and then counting on it to drive the majority of sales for the coming year. So… should the fi ne jewelry industry be getting so caught up in the color of the moment, or rather, should we be focusing on long-term societal shifts that give us big picture trends that last for more than a season? I'm leaning towards the latter, and was further inspired by a presentation given by Britt Bivens at the WJA In The Know Conference in March. Bivens spoke about a range of themes that she predicts will be gathering steam, from Sentiment to Wanderlust and Fast – and each were illustrated with compelling examples of jewelry and runway looks that truly felt 21st Century, rather than just of the moment. I'd like to focus on a trend that she called Ancient, because I feel that it refl ects values that are really defi ning our decade: Inspiration for this theme draws from the growing mindfulness trend and its deepening interest in know- ing and understanding more about who we are as humans and beyond. Looking to the ancient past rather than the past century, at Monks, Oracles and others respected for their Style Direction for 2015 and Onward... 18K Gold and Ruby Ring, Amrapali. Bangle bracelets with pave diamonds in 18K Yellow or Rose Gold, Palladium and Sterling Silver with black, white or autumn brilliant cut diamonds, Todd Reed. - Handmade Sterling Silver and 18K Gold Scarab Ring, Featherstone Design. ALLYSON BAINBRIDGE RICCARDI

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