RAPAPORT... Contemporary art is the main influence in fine jewelry design for 2009. This burgeoning relationship between art and jewelry promotes new visions for design by encouraging dreams, fantasy and freedom of expression through the gems and the jewelry itself, reports Gem Visions, a global trend and design service by Enlightened™ Swarovski Elements. According to Gem Visions 2009, this exploration of contemporary art and fine jewelry elevates the jewel to a new level as a true art form.
Drawing upon fashion and lifestyle trends, the international team of expert researchers for Gem Visions 2009 identified four design directions that will prevail throughout the year: GEMetic, D. Fraction, Precious Me and HyperNature. Each of the four design trends as defined by Gem Visions 2009 is underscored by the emotional impact of contemporary art. The trendcast notes that every jewel has a soul, from the gem itself to the creative and cultural processes of the design and the crafting of each piece.
GEMeticA progressive, contemporary and organic jewelINFLUENCES: Science, biology and biotechnology are the dominant influences in this design direction. Patterns and textures used in this jewelry are inspired by cellular forms, and the clusters and colonies found in those forms. The balance between gems and metals is harmonious, as metals appear to grow over the gems.
MARKET: Edgy and contemporary, these designs are sculptural and body conscious. Jewels are large and unexpected. They hold a special appeal to fashion intellectuals, art collectors and eco-conscious consumers.
COLORS: Neutrals in cool, creamy shades with a clinical undertone are serene and relaxing for these designs, which also emphasize a color palette of pale greens and subtle yellows.
THREE KEY CONCEPTS:
Invisible Depth reveals a new light and airy microworld, alive with clusters and colonies of gems and metalwork.
Elemental Purity uses waters as its main inspiration, highlighting fluidity of movement and the play of light on water contrasted with the stillness of earth.
Sublime Biology celebrates the poetry and mystery of life, focusing on the scientific influences of this trend.
D. Fraction
An active and spectral jewel
INFLUENCES: This theme focuses on the architectural element of design, drawing inspiration from our urban environment by focusing on light diffraction that reveals underlying structures and complex grids and shows off a new industrial glamour.
MARKET: Strong and modern, this jewelry appeals to a confident, young, professional, urban client, who is interested in art and architecture.
COLORS: A rainbow that contrasts dark shades with brighter pastels accented by pure whites.
THREE KEY CONCEPTS:
Light Explosion examines the pure energy of light and its relationship to the gemstone that create prisms, kaleidoscopes and rainbows. This concept is captured in multicolored, multigem pieces and the patterns they create.
Massive Attack focuses on gold, its power and the strong emotions it evokes when used in jewelry. The pieces tend to be oversized and armor-like.
Neocomplexity is identified by slices of light that are transformed into origami-inspired masterpieces, with sharp pleats, tucks and folds, as well as repetitive shapes. These designs are generally three-dimensional and pavéd in jewels.
Precious Me
A sensual, ultrapersonal jewelINFLUENCES: Art is the strongest inspiration in this trend. It goes back to the deepest meanings of gemstones and their role in history. Precious Me takes its cue from various eras, cultures and civilizations, particularly the Baroque and Rococo design movements, as well as the opulence of the Maharajahs. Rich in cultural heritage and filled with references to the past, the Precious Me design direction reflects a need for escapism and fantasy. This jewelry is very personal; it tells a story that is, perhaps, filled with magic and spirituality.
HyperNatureA neonatural and powerful jewelINFLUENCES: The preoccupation with the natural world and the survival of the planet drive this trend. Nature is closely observed in an unsentimental way, from its beauty to its brutality. The textures and surfaces of nature are important, as are exotic blooms and underwater life, in designs inspired by HyperNature.
MARKET: An eco-conscious customer is most interested in jewelry from the HyperNature design direction. Jewels defining this trend are statement-makers, with a sculptural element and message of core values and beliefs.
COLORS: Energetic and vibrant, bright, strong hues are used in multicolor pieces or alone and may be accented with whites for a modern appeal.
THREE KEY CONCEPTS:
Living Sculptures distills the patterns of vegetation and florals to their purest, most linear forms to create a new minimalism. Twigs, seeds, nuts or roots are stylized into sculptural forms.
MegaBlooms examines nature in its most minute detail. It is a hyperrealistic view that gives way from beauty and romance to the predatory and dangerous.
Strange Abyss looks to the depths of the ocean landscape to draw upon creatures so unusual they seem almost unnatural. Motifs
are inspired by the shapes and beauty of marine life.
MARKET: This jewelry is for customers who are moving away from generic or traditional branded jewelry. It is for someone who understands jewelry and its qualities as an amulet. This is a look for a person who wants jewelry as a conversation piece.
COLORS: Rich, antique-inspired colors and tone-on-tone effects that coordinate with burnished gold and bronze are the signature of Precious Me.
THREE KEY CONCEPTS:
Woven Gems fuses the worlds of gems and fabrics and the craftsmanship that has made jewelry more fluid and flexible.
Fragments of Time is jewelry centered on relics from the past: coins, medals or objects that have a time-weathered look. Motifs are mystical, dreamlike or demonic.
Gold Fetish is comprised of amulets with a surrealistic feel filled with wit, whimsy and poetry, often with a Victorian or Goth theme. Key to this look is to wear several pieces at once to create a personal look that preserves memories and provides the wearer with the protection of the amulets.
Article from the Rapaport Magazine - September 2008. To subscribe click here.