Paris Kain

Alexander Wang

>> IN PRODUCTION —Will Alexander Wang's non-earring earring collaboration with Paris Kain of AbraxasRex be this season's Jil Sander-Damiani earrings?  Both are non-traditional approaches to ear decoration and can be worn in one ear alone.  Let's just hope that the Wang version — which wraps completely around the top of the ear and ends on a point at the neck with four sets of curved spines sticking out — rings up at a price substantially less than the $4,500-$10,000 Jil Sanders (they should).

>> IN PRODUCTION —Will Alexander Wang's non-earring earring collaboration with Paris Kain of AbraxasRex be this season's Jil Sander-Damiani earrings?  Both are non-traditional approaches to ear decoration and can be worn in one ear alone.  Let's just hope that the Wang version — which wraps completely around the top of the ear and ends on a point at the neck with four sets of curved spines sticking out — rings up at a price substantially less than the $4,500-$10,000 Jil Sanders (they should).


*image: source

Alexander Wang

Fall 2009 Fashion Week: Baubles, Baubles, Baubles

>> Fall 2009 is jewelry's time to shine, judging by all of the collaborations debuting during Fashion Week.  Besides Alexander Wang working with Paris Kain of AbraxasRex on "industrial," "animalistic" pieces, Bensoni commissioned Bing Bang's Anna Sheffield to do candy heart necklaces with pyramid pendants, Jason Wu enlisted Philip Crangi to add a "tough element" to his collection, Gilles Mendel and Subversive's Justin Giunta teamed up for chains and jewels to will appear on and worked into the J.Mendel collection, Eddie Borgo channeled his triangle obsession for Jen Kao, producing a sharp set of baubles — and he also working with Joseph Altuzarra.  Not to mention a variety of other partners in jeweldom: Hervé Van der Straeten and Ruffian, Thakoon and Fenton's Dana Lorenz, DanniJo and Trovata, Roxanne Assouline and Brian Reyes .
Hervé Van der Straeten for Ruffian

>> Fall 2009 is jewelry's time to shine, judging by all of the collaborations debuting during Fashion Week.  Besides Alexander Wang working with Paris Kain of AbraxasRex on "industrial," "animalistic" pieces, Bensoni commissioned Bing Bang's Anna Sheffield to do candy heart necklaces with pyramid pendants, Jason Wu enlisted Philip Crangi to add a "tough element" to his collection, Gilles Mendel and Subversive's Justin Giunta teamed up for chains and jewels to will appear on and worked into the J.Mendel collection, Eddie Borgo channeled his triangle obsession for Jen Kao, producing a sharp set of baubles — and he also working with Joseph Altuzarra.  Not to mention a variety of other partners in jeweldom: Hervé Van der Straeten and Ruffian, Thakoon and Fenton's Dana Lorenz, DanniJo and Trovata, Roxanne Assouline and Brian Reyes . . .

Needless to say, the bijoux will be aplenty this season — especially because those partnerships are a good way to for jewelry designers get pieces out there without spending money — "You'll see a lot of collaborations going on with designers — like Irene Neuwirth is doing jewelry for Richard Chai — so you can see the talent at the same time," says CFDA executive director Steven Kolb.
*image: source, source, source

Alexander Wang

Alexander Wang Fall 2009: Sleek and Streamlined, with Jewelry

>> Last season brought shoes and a diffusion line, and for Fall 2009, Alexander Wang is branching out into jewelry as part of a collaboration with Brooklyn-based designer Paris Kain of AbraxasRex, who worked with Francisco Costa of Calvin Klein in the past.The collection is small — four pieces — and includes silver cuffs and earrings that Alex says are neither worn pierced nor clipped on.

>> Last season brought shoes and a diffusion line, and for Fall 2009, Alexander Wang is branching out into jewelry as part of a collaboration with Brooklyn-based designer Paris Kain of AbraxasRex, who worked with Francisco Costa of Calvin Klein in the past.

The collection is small — four pieces — and includes silver cuffs and earrings that Alex says are neither worn pierced nor clipped on. "We’re working with ways of wearing earrings that aren’t typical.  How they work on your body, how they hang."

The vibe of Wang's Fall 2009 collection as a whole is a departure from his past work — more sleek and streamlined, more constructed and tailored, less "throw-on slouchy."  But it will still be pure Alex.  His after party may be canceled, but he plans on bringing the spirit to the runway with a Belvedere-sponsored open bar before the show and "the most theatrical beginning we’ve ever done."

Same goes for the jewelry's appearance — pure Alex.  “I wanted something very industrial," he elaborates. “But also animalistic. [The inspiration] started with the idea of Tina Turner in ‘Mad Max.’”  Pieces will wholesale $350 to $975, partially due to the tiny diamonds Paris Kain worked into the designs — it's his trademark.
*image: source