You may recall reading about Jacquie Aiche about a year ago, when I posted an article about her here on the blog. I was eager to visit her at Couture this year to see her latest and greatest, and she did not disappoint!
Before I could start looking around, I had to first inspect what she, herself, was wearing!
Did she really bling out an antique watch? Yes…she did!
Jacquie showing me her new amethyst crystal necklaces
Her crystal necklaces wrapped in diamonds are dreamy–shown in the bottom two necklaces in the photo below. Yes, please!
The necklace on the bottom is now on my jewelry lust list!
These carved agate arrowheads with diamonds are unique and versatile.
And how about these sugilite earrings?? (Yep…another gem I had never heard of before!)
The way Jacquie took hoop earrings to the next level is awesome.
Her booth was filled with a riot of color, and I couldn’t resist trying on a few rings.
Though spring in San Francisco currently seems to be colder than our winter, my eye is still being caught by the ever-popular insect motif in jewelry. As I was walking up Sutter Street the other day, this little Victorian beauty buzzed my name from the front window of Lang Antique & Estate Jewelry.
While so beautiful, this intricate piece is certainly an investment for most people. It got me thinking about how this pin would be on the catwalk at Fashion Week. But how to translate this to the street? Or as often dubbed, “Runway to Realway.” I took a look around and compiled a collection of ideas. Here they are, in no particular order.
Tomorrow, as I head out for the day, I’m going to see how many of these winged creatures I see, both in reality and in the form of jewelry. I hope you have a lovely spring day!
It’s amazing to me how some people have a gift of knowing something is hot, even before the rest of the world is in on the secret. This is one of the many talents that jewelry designer Jacquie Aiche possesses. Back in 2009, Jacquie made her first finger bracelet, with a singular diamond. 5 years later, this is a full-fledged trend here in the US, and Jacquie was most definitely ahead of the curve. She now has multiple versions, such as this one with 13 diamonds.
This bohemian goddess is the mother of two, and began designing on the side about 15 years ago. She knew she was on to something when business just flowed in, and pretty soon her entire garage turned into her jewelry studio.
She was showing some stunning knuckle rings which span a few fingers. I tried on a labradorite one — amaze-balls!
Here’s a display from her case at the Couture show, which has one in shades of green.
It’s really hard to describe the instant bond I felt with Jacquie, but it was as if I’d known her for ages. She is one of those people who glows with happiness from the inside, and I truly believe she sees the beauty in everything, from each and every stone she hand-selects for her pieces to the flowers in her garden. Life just makes her happy!
Body chains are another of Jacquie’s specialties, and she described them to me as, “..modern day lingerie. They can be worn under your bra, just for you, your boyfriend, husband, whatever..”
No longer a solo operation in her garage, Jacquie is now so grateful to have 12 people on her team, and each piece is still made right in Los Angeles. One of the items she spent quite a bit of time introducing me to are her Blesslev amulets. When she met with a spiritual mystic 5 years ago, they were inspired by the concept, “When you concentrate on the core of who you are, and the true blessings you’ve been given, finding your inner joy and peace comes easy.” So these special amulets house a gratitude list and a Kabbalistic mantra in a beautiful shagreen pouch.
While also famous for her ear jackets, where part of the earring is suspended below your earlobe, she’s also now focusing on adorning the feet. If you want to see more, you can find some of her line, many items at lower price points, on Shopbop, in addition to the retail portion of her website.
Basically, when I left Jacquie’s booth, I felt like I had just taken a trip to a bejeweled, inner realm of happiness and optimism. While I don’t necessarily look like the woman in the photo below, it’s how I felt in my heart. Many thanks for the time you spent with me, Jacquie.
“Spring trends?? Aren’t we still in winter?” Well, yes, but in the world of fashion things definitely move ahead of the actual calendar, so spring clothes and jewelry are beginning to grace the pages of the magazines and are slowly appearing in the stores. This is a very fun time of year for me, as I anticipate the trends for the coming season by analyzing what I’m seeing.
I stopped by one of my favorite boutiques in Palo Alto the other day and struck up a conversation with the manager. She had just been shopping on Hayes Street in San Francisco (definitely a street with some cool, edgy stores), and she wanted to talk jewelry. She had noticed that delicate necklaces were definitely being spotted again, and I had to agree. BUT, instead of just wearing one at a time, as we did back in the early 90’s, this time they’re being layered in all sorts of interesting ways. (Sidebar: if you have a minimalist personal style, then wearing just one at a time is just right for you!) Now this isn’t to say that bold, statement necklaces are “out.” (Though I would store away jeweled collars for now, a trend that had a rather short shelf life.) My larger scale necklaces are definitely still in rotation. Rather, this is just another option in the world of necklaces, and I think it pairs nicely with my new obsession, stacking skinny rings.
Take a look at this combination by Jacquie Aiche, where gold and some bling are a unifying theme.
Here’s another lovely example of gold layers. I like how the three chains are different textures, yet they blend beautifully.
If silver is more your thing, then you might like this combo with quartz pendants.
It’s easy to incorporate color into your layers as well, as shown in these necklaces by Kei jewelry.
Celebs are also in on the trend (shocker!). Here’s Kourtney Kardashian in a casual chic look with two necklaces. The sideways rose gold cross is by Sugar Bean Jewelry.
Kristin Cavallari has left The Hills and gone jewelry designer (who knew?!) — here’s her Pyramidia layered necklace, which looks like three different chains, but it’s actually all one necklace! That makes is pretty darn easy to get the look without having to think too much.
And just for one more look, I love the romantic feel of these necklaces by Rust Jewellery from England.
I don’t know about you, but I’m going to take a tour through my jewelry box and see what combinations I can create. I’m going to mix metals, use different lengths, and I’ll be sure to let you know what I come up with. I hope you share your stylish mixes with me as well!
