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Since the late 1950s, fashion has moved from the music world into the mainstream. The heavy chains that the rappers made popular in the 1980s came back in 2007 when a younger generation of hip-hop artists resurrected them.Then this year, in a sort of side-step, bold chains evolved yet again, this time as high fashion accessories.
David Yurman designs jewels so sumptuous, they look as if they might have belonged to the wives of Henry VIII. Yurman tends to favor bold elegant settings and brilliant colored stones. But recently he' s been showing thick, gorgeous chains in both sterling silver and 18K gold. One of his most striking ads is a black-and-white shot of the model Kate Moss, opening a black coat to reveal bare shoulders and a stunning curb chain. The curb chain is usually worn by men (think ID bracelets) because it uses large, heavy links. It' s the contrast and element of surprise-the delicate Kate Moss wearing what' s traditionally aman' s chain—that somehow transforms Yurman' s thick gold collar into a dramatic piece of jewelry, the masculine style emphasizing the woman' s femininity.
Donna Karan has resurrected the sautoir in a number of recent ads. Karan likes to mix and match her chains. In one, she shows a model wearing a two chains that look as if they' re made of blackened gold. Though the chains are of slightly different length and design, they' re both of a similar medium-size link. In another ad Karan shows a model in a royal blue silk tank top, a short, black skirt and a 6-tier chain necklace made of small-link chains strung at varying lengths, the longest loop falling beneath the hips. Interestingly, each tier seems to fasten with a wishbone-shaped clasp, worn in the front.
Who would drape two slender, slinky gold chains over a military-style dress? Gucci does and lends the casual but elegant dress a sparkling, slightly rebellious air. In the same spread Gucci shows a choker of big golden links and a bracelet of much thicker gold links again dressing up casual clothes.
Lilly Pulitzer, whose bright summery clothing always looks as if it were designed for lounging around after a long day on the beach, shows one of her models in a pink, green, and white dress topped by a chain of big, open round tortoiseshell links. It' s the kind of jewelry you wear to dress up when you' ve deliberately dressed down. |
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