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| U.S. Costume Jewelry |
Costume jewelry has had a long and illustrious history in the United States
fashion industry. Though often seen as merely cheap imitation jewelry, costume
jewelry has its own story to tell and fanbase to admire it.
Early Developments
The origins of costume jewelry in the U.S. can be traced back to the 1920s,
when the country was experiencing a post-World War I economic boom.
Simultaneously, gold prices were skyrocketing due to the ongoing Gold Standard.
This combination of factors made precious gemstone and metal jewelry out of
reach for many average Americans. It was in this environment that savvy
designers saw an opportunity to create colorful, fun fashion accessories at
affordable prices using base metals, plastics, and synthetic stones. Some of
the early pioneers who helped establish the market included Trifari Krussman
& Fishel and Hattie Carnegie. Their whimsical, Art Deco-inspired pieces
were a hit with fashionable flappers of the Jazz Age era.
The Golden Age
The years following World War II marked the true Golden Age of costume jewelry.
As more women entered the workforce during and after the war, there was demand
for professional yet playful accessories that didn't break the bank. Leading
designers like Kendra, Rubin & Chapal, Andrew Geller, and Coro delivered on
this with spirited brooches, bracelets, necklaces and earrings featuring
vibrant colors, exotic motifs and unique materials like beads, wood, and
plexiglass. Simultaneously, Hollywood costumers were creating over-the-top fake
gem ensembles for movies and red carpets, further fueling America's appetite
for glitzy illusions. By mid-century, costume jewelry had well and truly
established itself as a mainstream American fashion staple.
Post-Golden Age Developments
In the 1960s and beyond, trends in U.S.
Costume Jewelry evolved alongside changes in broader style. Designers
incorporated new synthetic materials like plastic and focused on youthful,
whimsical styles reflecting the flower power era. In the disco decade of the
1970s, sequined and beaded pieces glamorized the dancefloor. The 1980s brought
back bolder, more statement jewelry with clasped chains, oversized beads, and
colorful stones. Simultaneously, vintage costume jewelry from previous eras
gained a new popularity with collectors and emerged as a growing market
category.
Contemporary Role and Trends
While fine jewelry certainly remains popular, costume jewelry is still going
strong in America, both on the runway and the high street. Designers continue
creating new synthetic materials and production techniques enabling intricate,
durable designs at accessible price points. Brands like Alex and Ani have built
a highly engaged audience. Meanwhile, resurgence in retro and vintage style has
made thrift store browsing for period costume pieces a key American pastime.
Ecommerce has only boosted the category's ubiquity. Today's costume jewelry is
as vibrant, creative and diverse as ever—a testament to the sector's resilience
and importance to American trends over the decades.
Materials and manufacturing
A variety of materials have been used in the manufacturing of costume jewelry
over the years in order to achieve desirable aesthetics while keeping costs
low. Some of the key materials include:
- Base metals: inexpensive metals like nickel silver, brass and copper have
long been common materials used as a cheap alternative to silver and gold. They
allow for intricate detailing and polishing to high shine.
-Plastics: Since emerging in the mid-20th century, plastics like lucite,
plexiglass and rhinestone have become hugely popular materials for necklaces,
brooches, bracelets due to their vibrant colors, ability to be molded
intricately and durability.
-Crystals and beads: Rhinestones, crystals, Czech glass, pearls and beads of
wood, plastic and metal have adorned countless costume jewelry pieces over the
decades. They catch the light beautifully and enable unique layered or chain
designs.
-Resins: Jewelry makers experiment constantly with new resin compositions,
allowing for realistic synthetic gems, detailed carvings, two-tone effects and
more. Resins preserve their shape and sheen meticulously.
-New technology: 3D printing, computer-aided design and new plastics enable
exquisitely detailed, intricately engineered costume jewelry pieces today
easier and cheaper than ever before.
While materials have evolved, creativity and skilled hands-on labor have
remained central to the unique bespoke creations that keep costume jewelry such
a specialty design sector in the US.
The Legacy and Future of Costume Jewelry
Since first emerging as a solution to the inaccessibility of fine gems in the
1920s, costume or fashion jewelry has cemented its place in American fashion
history and culture. Though its primary function has been expressing identity
and personal style through affordable self-expression, it has also documented
changing trends and social movements over the 20th century.
As appreciation grows for vintage and antique costume jewelry through
television shows, online collecting communities and thrift store browsing, this
niche design sector looks set to thrive. Meanwhile, contemporary brands
continue innovating with design-driven, subculture-inspired pieces that engage
younger crowds.
The future remains bright. As fine gems may persist as symbols of wealth or
occasion, costume jewelry fulfills the everyday desire in all Americans to feel
colorful, whimsical or empowered through accessible accessories. Its story of
empowerment through imagination, utility and craft will surely continue
inspiring designers and customers alike for generations to come. After nearly a
century of growth in the US market, where costume jewelry heads next is set to
be just as boundary-pushing and expressive as ever before.
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Costume Jewelry Market