Style Truth Is Pretty Black And White With C.Viviani’s New Jewelry Collection
Monochromatic fashions never really go out of style. A few seasons might pass before a fashion magazine once again proclaims that black-and-white accessories and apparel will be de rigueur but, really, this color combination is too classic to ever go into retirement. Sure, you might see more or less of the yin-yang color contrast depending on how many designers were inspired by it, but it’s perennially chic. This season, numerous couture houses found creative inspiration in the most dramatic of hue pairings — during Givenchy’s Spring 2010 Ready-To-Wear show in Paris, for example, models strutted down the runway sporting white jackets with strong shoulders and geometric black stripes, while at YSL’s runway show, we saw elaborate white dresses cinched with black belts, tuxedo-style black shorts paired with black vests and white sleeveless turtleneck blouses, and more. For her Spring 2010 collection, jewelry designer Christina Viviani was also inspired by the stark, sleek, modern contrast created by simply juxtaposing black and white materials.
If you look at the pieces here, you’ll get a better feel of her C.Viviani line, which has a youthful, rock-n-roll twist to it (especially thanks to the usage of pyramid-shaped motifs and bold oxidized silver chains) but also nods to the Art Deco movement of the 1920s, which relied on color dualities, clean geometric lines, and symmetrical shapes.
A Detroit native, Viviani graduated from New York City’s Fashion Institute of Technology and went on to work as a fabric designer and colorist for Donna Karan, as well as for a company that produces jewelry pieces sold at mass retailers like Urban Outfitters. Citing inspirations ranging from Yves Saint Laurent to Jack White and Polaroid photos, Viviani has created a jewelry line that seeks to convey both strength and femininity, courage and sensuality.
I love the fact that these pieces are made from rubber and oxidized silver — neither of which sounds particularly glam, and yet Viviani has manipulated them in a way that creates a sense of elegance.
The pieces are currently available at The Future Perfect in NY (55 Great Jones Street, 212.473.2500) and The Future Perfect in Brooklyn (115 North 6th Street, 877.389.7373) and a few select items should be available at Shopbop.com in the near future
