Category Archive: Vintage

Heart abstract design brooch pendant. Silver tone, crystal. Xavier Loubens haute couture jewelry

Xavier Loubens haute couture jewelry

Jeweler and designer Xavier Loubens together with d’Eduardo Braza created the Lumen Fashion House in Paris in 1990. At the very beginning of his career, Loubens had an internship at Givenchy Fashion House. Now he collaborates with several leading young French stylists and the largest European fashion houses. In particular, Guy Laroche, Patou, Balenciaga, Rochas, Givenchy, Vionnet, Christian Lacroix, Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent and Dior. All of them consider the style of Xavier Loubens jewelry, accessories and fittings, its designs, the processing methods of metals, crystals and decorative modules – unique. As a result, all these famous fashion houses order from Xavier Loubens prêt-à-porter and haute couture jewelry, buttons, and decorative modules for embroidering fabrics and shoes for their collections.
According to Xavier Loubens, he doesn’t like clear things. He likes to mix precious metals and stones and so called “bad taste” materials: plates of thin brass, rhinestones, plastic and resin. “It is fair, fresh and always unique”.
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Christmas Bell Brooch. Gold tone metal, jewelry enamel, faux pearl. 1995. Olit Jewelry Inc vintage costume jewelry

Olit Jewelry Inc vintage costume jewelry
According to available records, the work of privately held company Olit Jewelry Inc began in 1987. Its address was 38 Lockhart Ave, Warwick, Rhode Island, the US. Categorized under Novelty and Costume Jewelry Manufacturers, the company’s headed by its president Richard Litterio, and employed a staff of approximately 15.
Traditionally, creating their jewelry pieces, the designers used pewter-silver or gold tone metal, lucite, enamel, Swarovski crystals and rhinestones. Also, they marked their jewelry pieces “Olit Inc., ©”, US and the year of production. Noteworthy, most pieces have the markings with the year of production – 1995. Unfortunately, there is not enough information about the company. The last mention of the company dates back to 2002. In addition, the link to the website does not work, and no activity on social networks. Following these observations, I came to the conclusion that the company named Olit Jewelry Inc stopped manufacturing jewelry before 2000 and ceased to exist in the early 2000s.
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Beige enamel faux pearl earrings. Carolina Herrera vintage costume jewelry

Carolina Herrera vintage costume jewelry
Venezuelan-American fashion designer, Carolina Herrera was recognized one of the most stylish women in the world in the 1970s. Aged forty, in 1981 Carolina Herrera, thanks to her own luxurious and impeccable style, as well as friendship with the English Princess Margaret and Vogue Editor-in-Chief Diana Vreeland, she created her own fashion clothing line. Having founded her label Carolina Herrera New York, she dressed Jacqueline Kennedy for the last 12 years of her life. And her jewelry is as elegant and luxurious as her outfits and accessories. This is a new classic, eye-catching, alluring and exquisite, but at the same time without provocations, restrained and adjusted. According to the designer, her eyes see only beautiful things and she successfully implements the beauty in her products.
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Gorgeous brooch with charms – lipstick, nail polish and perfume. Gold tone metal, blue and red cabochon. 6 cm. 1990s. Estee Lauder vintage costume jewelry

Estee Lauder vintage costume jewelry
Founded in 1946, Estee Lauder Corporation is famous for its cutting-edge technology and innovative discoveries, which underpin the creation of exquisite luxury products. The whole world knows the Estee Lauder brand, producing luxurious, unsurpassed in terms of effectiveness skin care products, makeup and perfumes. However, its story about how to make a woman beautiful could not but connected with eponymous jewelry. For example, exquisite jeweled perfume bottles or compacts, as well as costume jewelry. Noteworthy, the design of many of EL jewelry is unique, combining cosmetics and jewelry. In particular, a series of locket pendants, which are multifunctional jeweled pieces. Any woman could wear such a pendant as a jewelry, and also use it as a cosmetic product – perfume or compact powder. Also, the design of many costume brooches included the dominant theme of cosmetics. For example, a brooch with charms in the form of lipstick, nail polish and a bottle of perfume.
Traditionally, EL jewelers used 14 carat gold, alloy of gold and silver tones, glass cabochons, faux pearls, crystals and enamel. All decorations have marking EL, or Estee Lauder.
Produced in the 1980-90s, decorations of this jewelry brand have become desirable for lovers and collectors of vintage costume jewelry.
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Gold branch statement brooch. Lucite, goldtone metal. 10 cm. 1980s. Antigona Paris vintage costume jewelry

Antigona Paris vintage costume jewelry
Registered in 1978, French jewelry brand Antigona Paris produced very stylish statement jewelry for about two decades, till mid-nineties of the last century. Their runway couture pieces were highly popular in the 1980-90s. Sold in boutiques and jewelry departments of prestigious department stores not only in France and Europe. In particular, Selfridges in London. Also, according to the New York Magazine (2 Dec 1991), one of the boutiques in Trump Tower NYC sold Antigona Paris decorations and “unusual jeweled buttons”. Noteworthy, each decoration has the full stamp on the back, which includes “Antigona Made in France” or “Antigona Paris”.
Traditionally abstract or modernist design, the jewelers used textured matte gold or silver tone metal, lucite and enamel. Currently, the products of this French brand are a rare vintage, desired for collectors and connoisseurs of vintage costume jewelry.
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Unique and beautifully made Crocodile on a leaf dress clip. Silver with blackening, copper-colored alligator. 7.5 cm. 1980s. Sylvia Dahl vintage costume jewelry

Sylvia Dahl vintage costume jewelry
Undoubtedly, the design of jewelry marked Dahl cannot be confused with the design of other jewelers. Traditionally, this is a realistic natural design – a butterfly, a frog or a crocodile floating on a large silver-toned leaf. Also, the jeweler and silversmith Dahl usually used silver and copper to create her costume decorations. Thus, it is impossible to talk about the diversity of the plot and the materials used to create these vintage jewelry. However, products marked Silvia Dahl are vintage and have a certain collection value. Unfortunately, there is no detailed information about the designer of these jewelry on the Internet. Perhaps the full name of the designer is Laila Sylvia Dahl (November 7, 1940 – September 2, 2012), born in Brooklyn. After graduating from Brooklyn College, where she studied costume design, she worked as a designer for off-Broadway productions. A gifted artist and designer, she had exceptional talent in various artistic fields, including drawing, painting, quilt, sewing and knitting. According to the memoirs of people who knew her, she had a unique ability to capture ordinary moments and turn them into beautiful works of art.
Nevertheless, I would like to have more accurate information about a talented jeweler. Noteworthy, these naturalistic dress clips or brooches were sold in the 1980s in the jewelry departments of Neiman Marcus department stores.
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Patriotic American flag bow brooch. Enamel, rhinestones. 1940s collectible vintage pin. Louis Stern vintage costume jewelry

Louis Stern vintage costume jewelry

The history of the company began in 1867 when three sons of German Jewish immigrants – Isaac, Louis and Benjamin Stern founded корпорацию Stern’s, or Stern Brothers. Initially, they sold dry goods in Buffalo, New York, gradually becoming an important merchandising family in New York City. In 1868 they moved to New York and opened a store on Sixth Avenue, 367. The whole family worked in this elegant shop, known for its fashionable goods. Ladies from all over New York came here in search of clothes and accessories of Parisian fashions brought by brothers from Europe. This company was distinguished from the others by its elegant gatekeepers in top hats and the generous and friendly service by the owners personally. Later, their business developed until the 60s of the last century.
Meanwhile, Louis Stern, one of the Stern’s brands, began operations in 1871. The company produced silver and bijouterie jewelry until the 1950s. Focusing on elegance and quality, particular attention was paid to the quality of the gold plating of jewelry. The jewelry marking included the symbol L-S Co, 1/20 10 K GF (gold filled). Undoubtedly, all Stern jewelry is a rare vintage of collectible value. Although Louis Stern himself, the founder of the jewelry company, died in 1922 (in Paris, while visiting his daughter), the latest jewelry marked with drugs date back to the 1950s.
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