Aurelie Bidermann jewelry line inspired by Southern California scene
The mix of casual and glam is what has made Paris-based jewelry designer Aurélie Bidermann a fashion world favorite. She’s made modern-day heirlooms out of one-of-a-kind pieces of vintage cotton lace, dipping them into 18-karat gold, and molding them into cuffs with a weathered patina. And she’s elevated the humble friendship bracelet to must-have status, using gold hardware to anchor the braided threads and give the pieces strength and permanence.
“The idea is to make pieces not too delicate, but strong and easy to wear from day to night,†says the designer, who has a background in art, and launched her line nearly 10 years ago.
Past collections have been influenced by pre-Columbian art, Brazilian handicrafts, Santa Fe style and the architecture of Miami Beach.
But for spring 2013, Bidermann was inspired by Southern California, where she has traveled often, both physically and through film, books and photography.
As the designer explains, “It’s all of my memories and experiences mixed together.â€
The collection, which is available at Barneys New York, combines the natural beauty of sacred surfing spots with the chic decadence of Hollywood.
The “Surfing Mimosa†earrings, necklace and bracelet feature organic-looking gold leaves and floral clusters inspired by mimosa trees, and the undulating waves on the gold “Hermosa Beach†cuff are modeled after ocean swells. The braided gold “Sunset†bracelet has an oblong turquoise stone in the center that calls to mind a mythical evil eye, while the multi-strand gold rope sautoir necklace, named “Miki Dora†after the SoCal surfing legend, looks like liquidy sunshine.
The Aurelie Bidermann collection, $400 to $2,200, is available at Barneys New York.
