Givenchy, Anne Klein, 80s Monet

Happy Tuesday!

Today three entries for Chapter Three, Part I were added: Givenchy, Anne Klein, and 80s Monet. I worked simultaneously on these three brands because they share many mid-1980s recognizable traits. These shared traits define the 1980s jewelry aesthetic.

Jewelry designs from the 80s – 90s are often chunky pieces with distinctive gold plating. They incorporate unusual materials and they “play” with size, texture, and symmetry. However, the most consistent and recognizable trait is the way the 1980s designs reinvent shapes.

All three of the above examples reinvent shape. The Givenchy set combines Lucite with metal in an interesting adaptation of the classic tear-drop shape. The gold plating is the distinctive 80s color.

The Anne Klein necklace features half-sphere links with indentions altering the pure sphere shape. The plating color is distinctive and part of the 80s aesthetic.

The Monet set features unusual textures, unusual plating, and difficult to categorize shapes.

Shape is a hugely valuable design tool, which is why Chapter One begins with shape and offers so many examples of shape in jewelry. Of course, we all studied shapes in pre-school; however, it is interesting to train the “jewelry eye” to see shapes and recognize the limitless ways jewelry designers use shapes in their designs – even to the point of defining an era.

Well-made jewelry from this time period is gaining in popularity and in value. These recognizable traits, especially unusual shapes, is helping jewelry from the mid-1980s to carve a permanent place in jewelry design history.

Thank you for visiting my site and happy collecting,

Love,

Julie