Fashion Week Jewelry

Liv Tyler and Emma Watson at the Burberry Show during London Fashion Week. Liv was one of many spectators who slipped on a wide cuff bracelet for the show, while Emma kept her jewelry simple with a few classic rings (more would have been serious overload against her gold mini dress). Traditional and contemporary cross pendants were popular during the week, on front rows and on the catwalks. Wide cuffs and layered necklaces remained popular, too.

Jeremy Scott was one of several designers who had some fun with accessories at London Fashion Week. His models breezed down the catwalk to the theme of The Flintstones, some wearing off-the-shoulder ensembles like this jagged hem Wilma dress worn by Pixie Geldof. Huge, bone-adorned hair and serious eye makeup were the norm at Scott's show.

Jewelry at New York Fashion Week trended to bold, colorful pieces, with even all-metal styles favoring the goldest-of-gold tones. Mariska Hargitay's necklace is a good example of the chunky, asymmetrical pieces seen on and off the runway. It's fashioned from multiple "donuts," and some are embellished with cord.

London Fashion Week is nearly always packed with fun accessories, and the February, 2009 event was no exception. Hats were everywhere, on the catwalk and at a preview party to launch Hats: An Anthology by Stephen Jones, a new display at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. The two events produced a batch of headgear around the city, from subdued to vintage-look to funky.

Kati Stern accessorized her models with high-end jewelry before sending them down the runway, and Jason Wu and Charlotte Ronson both used chunky modular pieces, combining them in a variety of ways to suit fall ensembles.

Marc Jacobs, Artistic Director at Louis Vuitton, helped close out Paris Fashion Week with a fashion show on Sunday, where models carrying colorful bags on arms stacked with lush bangles were a catwalk highlight. Bold tassels, many made from feathers, were used on most bags as either zipper pulls or at the ends of bead-strung chunky cords. Bangle materials varied (wood, resin, metal, glass) but they all worked with the bags and most were either multicolored (earthtones to bright) or highly textured.

Watching the guests seated in the front rows of fashion shows in Bryant Park is an excellent way to get a jewelry fix. Attendees fall into all age ranges, and that means you'll see a wide array of jewelry styles.

When it's time to prepare for the Runway Rocks event, Swarovski commissions designers from around the world, challenging them to create the ultimate catwalk jewelry in a way that showcases the company's products.

Designers used all sorts of jewelry to accessorize models during the spring, 2007 Rosemount Australian Fashion Week. Some jewelry was the real thing and some of it was fashioned from oversize baubles. More than a few models had rhinestones applied to their hair and faces before they headed down the catwalk.

You usually see more jewelry when you're roaming around the tents at Fashion Week than you do when you watch the runway, but this year there are some good examples in both categories.

Models on the catwalk at London Fashion Week are sometimes dressed more whimsically than their counterparts in New York City. I love that quite a few designers who show up in London accessorize their models, instead of leaving that element of an ensemble to our imaginations.

Designers for Darfur was founded by Malcolm Harris, of Mal Sirrah, Inc., and model Lydia Hearst-Shaw. I had a chance to attend their 2007 fashion show, where top designers donated ensembles in the traditional African colors of red, yellow, green or black for a Darfur fund raiser. Steve Madden helped make the event happen, providing money, people-power and shoes for the event. Models, makeup artists and stylists also donated their time and talents for the show.