Swipe right for these oh-so-shiny trends as they bring costume bling. Let your bauble game be on point with effortless chic.
I have enough jewellery-said no one ever! Jewellery has the power to transform a look, change the vibe of an outfit, and make your ensemble feel uniquely personal. And especially so in the current times where we are mostly leading online lives and waist-up dressing has become a thing. Speaking of the current times, not only do we see a shift in tastes, but there’s also a great deal of concern about affordability and reusability. And that’s why we see the contemporary generation embracing costume jewellery like never before. Here’s tracing the evolution of the space along with trends that will help you stand out through your constant Zoom meetings and weddings alike.
Why Costume Jewellery?
On the space seeing strong engagement amongst younger women, Ankit Khullar of Purab Paschim says, “Jewellery is always taken to be a status symbol but now it has completely evolved into a style statement. And with that, costume jewellery has come into the spotlight. The new generation doesn’t believe in buying and stocking up; they want to restyle what they buy in different ways.” Versatility is what costume jewellery brings to the table and that too in a cost-efficient way, Khullar adds. Highlighting how the ongoing digital revolution is impacting tastes and trends, Akanksha Arora of Tribe Amrapali mentions, “The young consumer today is looking for value for their money. In fact, the process of making and finishing jewellery has evolved to suit the new demand.” Bridal jewellery is a domain in itself, and yet we are seeing an uptick in brides preferring costume jewellery over fine jewellery. What brings us here? “With trends changing so fast, brides want to be a hit on social media and costume jewellery serves that need better,” quips Rahul Luthra of Raabta by Rahul. Khullar highlights, “In a country like India, more is less. With the rise in destination weddings these days, costume jewellery serves aesthetically appealing options that can be easily carried and styled.”
Hearting Trends
From long earrings to big rings, colourful enamel to novelty charms, costume jewellery animates any outfit with its flirtatious bling. What are the styles to watch out for? “Customised jewellery is quite popular these days. Also, daily wear pieces like hoops, signet rings, birthstone bands and enamelled pieces are basic yet very trendy,” says Arora. For Khullar, while polki is evergreen, temple jewellery and boho junk jewellery are also very much in vogue. For brides, Khullar stresses on the ‘art of layering’. “From stacking bangles or creating different layers of choker with rani haars, layering is the new style statement,” he adds. Luthra, on the other hand, picks custom kaleeras with initials or wedding Wdate embedded on them, groom’s name on the nath as trends that brides are crushing on these days. He also feels that versatile and multi-functional jewels provide the new-age bridechillas with various options to reuse their jewels instead of stocking them up in lockers. “A mathapatti can be converted into a necklace. Similarly, a hathphool into a bracelet, a maang tika into a pendant … these fit the bill of both versatility and sustainability.” Luthra adds. As we cater to the changing times and needs, variety and versatility are here to stay. Costume jewellery in that regard is an area that is ever-evolving. Arora summarises it for us, “You can easily experiment with costume jewellery for different occasions at different price points … it certainly has a bright future.”
Text by: Priyanka Swami