According to the Queen of retro glamor, Dita Von Teese, “the rule of shopping for me is: If your grandmother would like it, I would like it!” Jewelry designers Kris and Kim Nations couldn’t agree more.
Their latest collection, made from recycled metal and mixed elements, was inspired by their glamorous Granny, a fashion model in the 1940s who, being something of a bon viviant, enjoyed four husbands before finally settling in El Paso with the love of her life. Named “Farrington” – after their grandfather, her fifth and final husband – the collection reflects elements of the vintage Pueblo deco style that so delighted their Grandparents.
The Kris Nations line is known by fashion insiders for being the ultimate source for best friend jewelry gifts (bookmark their site for 2011s special occasions!) for reasonably priced pieces such as their signature cities necklaces and deceptively simple hammered hoops, which perfectly illustrate the line’s handcrafted, filigree aesthetic.
The sisters are based in San Carlos, California and work with local artists in the area to create the one-of-a-kind, handmade limited edition pieces. Using recycled metal and mixed elements such as the 2 pyrite – a.k.a. Fool’s Gold – nuggets and hand dyed silks featured in the Old Town Necklace above. It’s available in unusual color combinations of Navajo coral, turquoise, lemon and slate that reflect the Southwestern style beloved by their Grandmother and Grandfather.
True to Kris Nations easy-to-layer and minimal design, the edgy – but still pretty – line of delicate pieces manage to create a rip-roaring first impression, much as one imagines their gregarious Gran once did. The Electro Social Club earrings, below, made from Hematite beads on a hand shaped and hammered hoop are particularly spiffy standouts, exemplifying the jazz age influence.
After the king of retro-fitting fashion, Marc Jacobs looked to the Jazz Age for his Louis Vuitton pre-fall collection, and with news of Baz Luhrman’s upcoming remake of “The Great Gatsby,” don’t be too surprised if you start feeling a distinctly Deco fashion mood coming on.