LIVE from COUTURE 2021: 5 Must-See Designers
All of the designers presenting at the COUTURE jewelry show in Las Vegas make imaginative and modern diamond jewelry.
In jewellery we don’t have the equivalent of seasonal fashion weeks. There are just two major events where the jewellery flock fly in to see what’s new. One is the High Jewellery collections presented in Paris in July at the same time as the haute couture fashion shows. And the other is the equivalent of ready-to-wear, designer collections presented at the COUTURE jewellery show in Las Vegas. It has no relation to the Paris event, but it is seriously stylish and finally happening after a year and a half delay due to the pandemic.
As you might imagine all of us jewellery enthusiasts are eager to see new collections after such a long hiatus and report on them for you. Designers from around the world show at the COUTURE jewellery show in Vegas. Inevitably it is where editors see the pieces that will be sported by celebrities on the red carpet not to mention well-dressed women everywhere.
While the COUTURE jewellery show is going to be smaller than normal this year, there are still hundreds of collections being shown at the event. It is hard to pick just five, because I could go on-and-on with many who are among the best and brightest in various areas. I narrowed the list down by selecting innovative designers who set natural diamonds in a modern way.
Find out about them below and follow the @onlynaturaldiamonds_in on Instagram for live updates from the COUTURE jewellery show this week.
NIKOS KOULIS
The great Greek designer Nikos Koulis is the kind of super talent who delivers a new collection every year that leaves you in awe of his imagination and ideas. Just when you think he can’t top himself he does. And he does it using his favorite materials—diamonds, white gold and black enamel. Circles and squares, tassels and arrows are among Koulis’s motifs that reflect his passion for timeless Art Deco creations. The designer has long been a celebrity favorite. Amanda Gorman, Oprah, Scarlett Johansson and Reese Witherspoon are just a few of the countless celebrities who have worn his jewels over the years.
HARWELL GODFREY
Lauren Harwell Godfrey, founder and designer of the California-based Harwell Godfrey, will be debuting her dreamy Stardust collection at COUTURE. It features round and baguette diamonds on large stud earrings, cigar bands and pendants set in sunny 18K gold. The jewels are the kind of easy-breezy yet jaw dropping pieces you could wear every day and straight into the night. Considering the designer’s success over the last year, when she catapulted to fame as high-profile women of style and substance wore her pieces such as Vice President Kamala Harris and artist Ashley Longshore, I think it’s a sure bet Stardust will resonate with her fans.
VRAM
Vram Minassian of the eponymous collection Vram is as much an artist and philosopher as he is a designer and master jeweler. In 2016 after years of working for others from his Los Angeles atelier, he launched his own collection and focused on making things that look unlike anything else in the jewellery world. The pieces are sculptural and organic. The diamonds in his designs are a cohesive part of the forms, rimming edges and alternating with precious metal balls. As for the philosopher part, you can find his pearls of wisdom on Instagram such as “Stuff your eyes with wonder.”
MOKSH
Jaw-droppingly gorgeous, the hero pieces in the Moksh jewellery collection pay tribute to the silhouettes found in 17th century Mughal Indian styles and the geometry of the Art Deco era. The new spin on the age-old looks are the combination of baguette cut diamonds and seed pearls that cover the jewels. The gems link back to the family history of Milan Tanvir Chokshi, the founder of Moksh, who is a fourth-generation jeweler. Chokshi’s family and his company, who are based in Bombay, have worked in the jewellery world with various materials for over half a century. Moksh jewels are bohemian glamour at its very best.
SHIHARA
Delicate and artistic, the Shihara collection is making its COUTURE jewellery show debut this year, but is already well-known in Japan where the company is based and has boutiques in Osaka and Harajuku. Designer Yutu Ishihara has a contemplative and thoughtful approach to his work. The tone is captured in a statement on the About page of the designer’s website, “We know there’s nothing logical about attaching an object onto your body, but we also know that seemingly meaningless detours can bring us joy.” Clean lines and delicate chains of gold feature diamonds as end points and fairy dust accents. Shihara’s eye-catching alternative engagement rings center on unusual geometric shaped diamonds.