Tough love; Curated by: Julia Restoin Roitfeld; Animal instinct; Inside track
Pretty accoutrements are benched this season. Chokers and chains are the new stars. By Jen Nurick.
COULD IT BE that Anne Boleyn weighed on Demna Gvasalia’s mind when he designed Balenciaga’s autumn/winter ’19/’20 collection? Sending super-tailored working women and men down the runway, Gvasalia teamed blazer dresses and Dracula-esque leather collars with chokers that sat loosely on the neck. Chains pooled at a B for Balenciaga pendant, nodding to the necklaces worn by the 16th-century Queen of England.
While Gvasalia may have gained an appreciation of the style from the portraits of the royal and of Alexandra of Denmark (who famously stacked her pearl chokers to hide a scar), their introduction in fashion predates British monarchy. Harking back to Ancient Egypt, when gilded versions believed to contain healing powers were worn, periodic revisions of the choker and the chain (take the colliers de chien of the 20s; the grunge plastic ‘tattoo’ version of the 90s) have proven the recurrent staying power of tough metals, prophesying their return.
For autumn/winter ’19/’20, some designers constrained their accessories to sterling silver (see Saint Laurent and Tod’s) while others played with gold’s kitsch potential (Bottega Veneta and Miu Miu), plucking punk out of the corner to make it relevant again. At Alexander McQueen, hoop-stacked ears laid the groundwork for asymmetrical body chains to drape the torso. Call it top-down accessorising.
Elsewhere, thick chokers softened with skin-flashing slits humanised the industrial style. At Marni, Francesco Risso found common ground with Anthony Vaccarello at Saint Laurent, opting for classic chokers and chains to gesture to their timeless appeal.
“Bulkier jewellery has made a comeback because it feels inclusive,” explains Brooklyn-based jewellery designer Martine Ali, who specialises in sterling silver. “It’s about pricepoint and accessibility – you don’t have to be covered in diamonds to feel expensive; it’s about feeling cool.”
For Ophidian Guild founder Kelsea Gustavson, who hand-makes chainmail and leather-work out of Philadelphia in the US, the rise of metal jewellery parallels renewed consumer interest in local craftsmanship and slow fashion. As she explains: “This is where chainmail and leather-work take the lead, because the process is intimate, unique and labourintensive … [and] cannot be found in factory production.”
Chicago-native Matthew Williams, who helms luxury streetwear label Alyx, echoes a similar sentiment. “Blending Alyx’s signature hardware with traditional chains and bracelets has offered something brand-new to the market … [Chains and chokers] are simple layers that can complement any outfit.”
For examples, look to Tom Ford, who deployed oversized chains in place of o straps to emphasise their utility and harden super-feminine silhouettes. These outlined the suitability of tough metals for evening, reiterating Ali’s suggestion to pair bulkier jewellery with unlikely styles: “The right collargrazing necklace can appear quite elegant with an evening look and even feels more fresh than traditional jewellery.” For a novel approach, heed Ali’s advice to mix metals. “Or try wearing a piece somewhere else: on your bag, on your ankle, or on your waist as a belt,” she adds.
When styling, Gustavson notes that the weight of the piece should be paid due attention. But it all boils down to how you feel. “There is no right or wrong way to incorporate jewellery,” reflects Williams. “It just depends on the individual’s style.”