Jewellery World Layering Jewellery

Jewellery World - Australia October 2019

Article By Stefan Juengling

Featuring Steven Sher - The Online Jewellery Company

LATE 2010S TRENDS:
From Layering to Long Drop Earrings

Overall current trends

Our respondents were divided about this year’s current and emerging trends. Founder of online personalised jewellery brand Belle Fever Sarah Summers said her company has seen the trend moving towards increased personalisation: customers wanting pieces that they can personalise completely.

Founder of The Online Jewellery Company Steven Sher is seeing a definite move away from rose gold and towards all yellow. “With the layer/stacking trend still lingering this results in quite an eclectic look,” he said.
“The favourite rose gold piece is now being worn with the new yellow gold piece, which is not as delicate, and then another piece is added just to polish it off.”

early days. “Quite a few brands have released their own hair clips which are While jewellery fashion trends may not match seasonal runway trends in the same way as ready-to-wear clothes, it’s undoubtedly the case that on-trend looks and
styling ideas do define the times, if not the era (think strings of pearls in the 50s, textured gold in the 60s, bold costume-jewellery in the 80s, and Carriestyle name plate necklaces in the noughties). So here, we closely examine
the iconic jewellery styles we’ll remember ten years from now as being “emblematic of the late 2010s”. increasing in popularity,” he said. The company director went on to talk about consumer behaviour, where he’s seeing customers shopping
smaller boutique brands they resonate with. “…this can be with the brand itself, the cause they represent or the niche style they have,” he said. “The beauty of eCommerce is that borders have been broken and you no longer need to shop at a
big brand to get a great product or greatexperience.” He said this has resulted in new brands and new styles emerging so that everyone can shop around at home and create their own unique, personalstyle.

Layering and elegant excessAccording to an article recently published in Grazia Australia, the common theme among many jewellery micro-trends at the moment is elegant excess: layering/stacking, mixed metals and maximalism in a delicate way.
When probed on this trend, Simon echoed similar views as above: having little personal experience of this trend within his company, but being aware of other jewellers pushing it. He also repeated his sense of customers’ penchant for seeking out brands which cater to
their needs. “The customers who want to layer, mix and maximalise will find the brands that allow them to do that in the style they like,” he said.

Conversely, both Steven and Sarah have seen layering continue apace, with Steven seeing layering and stacking progress, mixing metals as relatively new, but contested the concept of maximalism.
“Each piece has a contemporary look and feel and is quite elegant, it ends up more carefree, non-conforming and an expression of their individuality,” he said.
He added that despite the layering trend, there is still a place for that one beautiful piece that can stand all alone.
“It has that Bondi feel about it, wear what you feel like and not be judged,” he said.

Sarah said that Belle Fever has had more requests for multiple little pendants used as charms worn either on one chain or layered in different lengths of chain.
“(While) bangles seem to be more popular stacked in the past for us, necklaces and rings seem to be the more popular alternative at the moment,” she said.
How women adorn their ears In that Grazia article, the writer stated that “long drop earrings are having a moment, with chains hanging to chin-length being subtle enough to wear day and night.” Simon
concurred that lobe chains are prominent, but that nobody strays too far from the classics. “They may fade in and out of popularity, but over time the classic hoop and the classic studs are always popular,” he said.

Sarah also attested to the timeless love for classic hoops, but is also seeing a trend towards personalised studs.
“We have kept up with the trends to offer our sparkling and mixed tones with new earring designs,” she said.

Steven gave a contrary view, having not seen any specific earring trend, with studs, midlength drops and long drops all selling equally well.

Trends for the men
While men traditionally stick to the big three: wedding bands, watches and cufflinks, we sought to see if the market is seeing men expand their jewellery
repertoire beyond those staples.

Simon conceded that men’s jewellery is a tough one because of their preference for the classics.
“A few brands are trying to release men’s jewellery ranges in the form of bracelets and chains,” he said. “Men are difficult (and I’m speaking as a man) because men shop infrequently so if you try to
chase a male trend, by the time the men come to shop, the trend could have moved on.”

Steven echoed similar views and said that the question on men’s jewellery is difficult to answer due to the lack of gent’s jewellery in the market to encourage them to expand their
repertoire. “I feel that there is a market for it but it is a struggle to find an appropriate range,” he said. However, Sarah is seeing male customers of Belle Fever start to expand into bracelets and personalised charms.
“This was a very surprising find and something that we are working towards growing,” she said Personalised jewellery isn't just jewellery that looks nice, but jewellery that
means something, that has a sentimental meaning to the person who wears it

Advice for the trend-chasing jeweller
Simon admitted that while jewellery trends may come and go, the brands he has seen prevail are the ones which don’t chase a fad, but rather stay true to their style and their customer.
“If they have a customer base and have a following, they have that for a reason,” he said. “They create pieces that speak to their customer and over time, their customer base grows full of similar-minded
individuals who love the jewellery that the brand produces.”
Being at the forefront of personalised jewellery, Sarah sees the trend moving towards the meaning attached to jewellery rather than just the look.
“Personalised jewellery isn't just jewellery that looks nice, but jewellery that means something, that has a sentimental meaning to the person who wears it,” shesaid.
“It has been a way for people to say what's in their heart when words are not enough.”
Steven reflected on the importance of customers above all else.
“Don’t make customers conform to you,” he said. “As retailers, we need to conform to them, to each and every one with their own unique personality and style.
“Interact with them, create relationships with them, this is the key.”