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| December 2004
Trend Spotting Brazil's Jewelry Gives Hints for 2005 Styles will range from cool and icy to warm and romantic Brazilian culture is influencing fashion, design and entertainment in places as far flung as Japan, France, England and the U.S., according to Newsweek International. Brazilian ambassadors bring a message of joy with their music, art and national drink, a lime-infused confection called a caipirinha. “Brazil has glamour, but also grittiness,” says James Bidwell, marketing manager for London department store Selfridges. The chic retailer turned over its entire building to Brazilian food, fashion, music and art this past spring. Luckily for the U.S., Brazilians have increasingly carried their jewelry worldwide too. They will show their latest at summer shows in Las Vegas and New York in 2005. Where it Starts Each year in August, Feninjer, the Brazilian Gems and Jewelry Show in São Paolo, gets a chance to showcase homegrown talent on its own turf and to predict trends for the coming year. More and more of these styles will likely be seen in the U.S. in 2005. Brazilian jewelry exports have grown 50% since 2000 and today account for 20% of domestic production. “Fresh designs and uncommon materials are attracting foreign consumers at a moment when Brazilian fashion, music and art are also big hits abroad,” Hécliton Santini Henriques, president of IBGM – Brazilian Gems and Jewelry Trade Association – said at this year’s Feninjer. “Brazilian jewels combine energy and design to evoke happiness, an attribute the world seems to be looking for at a time of uncertainties and social instability.” Jewels in Fashion The strong bond between jewelry and fashion was the theme of a talk fashion consultant Glória Kalil gave at Feninjer. With styling by Dudu Bertholini, 10 looks were composed to include fashion’s and jewelry’s main trends for the 2005 spring/summer collections. The consultant also stressed the need to focus on design and on a continued marketing strategy. “If we close our eyes, we can all remember a jewel from Tiffany,” she said. “But few are the companies that possess such strong characteristics, and that’s what we [all] should go after.” Cidda Siqueira and Regina Machado, two trendwatchers who prepared IBGM’s Jewelry Trends 2005 guidebook, also gave a presentation at the show detailing the two overall themes they see in jewelry for 2005: Crystal and Flame. The two themes are meant to call to mind classical and romantic styles, respectively, both of which are being seen in fashion right now. “One of them has to do with the intellect, the other with imagination. One is clear and transparent while the other is intense and passionate,” say the authors. With typical Brazilian panache, Siqueira and Machado declare “the Crystal is the bossa nova style, and the Flame is Carnivale!” All companies featured in this report export their jewelry and many exhibit at U.S. trade shows. Contact each company for details. – by Peggy Jo Donahue Crystal Inspirations From the glamour of Hollywood divas to the sophistication of Art Deco, jewelry in this category is often icy, futuristic, abstract and geometric. Stark single-color pieces or contrasting shades such as black and white also symbolize this trend. Colored metals enhance the tonal look of many gem-intensive pieces. But the influence of the goddess continues to fascinate designers, as do lunar motifs.
Fanning the Flame Spiritual and nature themes abound in the Flame category; emotion, warmth and the sun are influences also. Romantic details such as bows abound, while red, pink, purple and golden colored gems dominate, sometimes in chromatic combinations.
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