Jasele Oita's Blog A weblog about everything

Our favorite vintage and estate jewellery retailer, Cynthia Findlay Antiques, has added a new category to its website shopping catalog, making it possible for just about anyone to purchase decorator-quality jewellery, décor and dining. Now, when clients want to browse Cynthia Findlay Antiques online, they can view items by the category “decorator picks.” This new category features hand-picked pieces chosen by leading decorators and magazines in Canada and around the world. As of now, the magazines include Chatelaine, Toronto Life, Globe and Mail, Elle Canada, and House and Home.

While the projects and articles range in subject matter, one thing’s for certain: Cynthia Findlay’s Antiques steal the show! For example, the April 2012 edition of Chatelaine magazine features Cynthia Findlay’s unique napkin rings. But instead of using them to tie napkins, the magazine repurposed the napkin rings as cute egg cups, a great example of how you can purchase museum-quality items and repurpose them to create one-of-a-kind home décor pieces.

And like so many of her customers, the magazines and decorators who have rented Cynthia’s vintage items and vintage rings have come back for more. For example, Toronto Life magazine has featured Cynthia Findlay’s items three different times, while Globe and Mail have used items from the retailer for seven photographs, six of which were part of a spread capturing Art Deco interiors.

Please visit Cynthia Findlay Antiques to view the Decorator Picks, including Art Deco rings.

When it comes to designer jewelry, most people are used to seeing precious gemstones such as diamonds being used. But if Catherine Malandrino’s recent showcase at the 2009 New York Fashion Week is any indication, there might be a new material being used that could create quite a stir within the industry: wood.

The Watertown Daily Times reports that as part of her tribal, African-themed collection, many of Malandrino’s models wore wooden fashion jewelry to go along with tribal pants. But Malandrino was not alone in looking to Africa for inspiration: many other top designers went with a safari theme for their looks, including Chris Benz, who showcased a “safari-ready” silk dress at his event.

This is not entirely surprising, as anyone who has shopped at a fashion jewelry online store like Rilee & Lo recently has seen that many leading jewelry designers have been turning to global inspirations in recent years, including African designs.