As jewelry designers, you always want to make sure you are on top of all the latest trends and styles, as your customers always want to feel both fashionable and stylish. With the latest trends taking over most of the high street shops, you never want to be left behind with last year's designs.
After we have seen and enjoyed all of the SS2016 fashion shows, we would to present you with the hottest jewelry trends for spring & summer of 2016. We know how important jewelry is, especially as it can set the entire tone: we all know how a new pair of earrings or statement necklace can transform your outfit from simple to amazing!
Here are 6 popular trends for 2016, that are very easy to create:
Folklore chic
Colorful and bold prints are sure to catch your attention this season. By working with various materials, eye catching colors and simple techniques you too can create stunning folklore style jewelry and it has never been easier than it is this year.
Folklore chic may not be a new trend, but it has changed very much since SS 2015. With a tribal feeling at the Valentino, Derek Lam and Junya Watanabe shows, and a tropical element in the Tommy Hilfiger, Chloé and Dsquared shows, we have a feeling you have never quite seen folklore chic like you will this SS 2016.
You can use wood elements, tassels and suede leather strips create light and flowing jewelry pieces. Long necklaces and big, bold earrings are very popular features in this trend, as well as leather knots, cotton strings and colorful beads.
Choker necklaces
The chokers are kicking back into high gear this year, outlining one of the biggest jewelry trends for 2016. These elegant and lovely pieces come in many different styles, with embellishments or without. Since a choker can flatter any outfit, they have become a popular weapon for many fashion designers this year.
Some designers went for silk/fabric chokers or tiny tender chokers, embellished with botanical motifs. Others chose bronze chokers with tribal face pendants in the center, chokers decorated with metal and pearls and even golden chokers. Belt like chokers with buckles, flowers and bejeweled ones with a bow were also seen.
You too can easily create these stunning looks! It is important to stick in your design with the current trends, but to also create a comfortable to wear piece. Therefore, some of the recommended materials to make them in are silk, ribbons, leather, plastic or delicate chains that sits comfortably on the base of the neck to create a fresh and young summer look.
Pearls
The use of pearls in jewelry is a classic trend that will probably never go out of fashion. The idea is to use the pearls in new exciting design, and to separate this year's jewelry from the well know and classic ones.
Timeless and never boring, pearls were perfectly styled onto the Massaï-style statement chokers at the "Chanel Airlines" show this year. Pearls have the capability to blur all boundaries between elegance and a casual outfit. At Alexander McQueen for example, we saw metallic bejeweled drop earrings, mixed with elegant white pearls.
Your customers will be happy to buy jewelry with pearls, but would probably prefer something new and different than anything they already own. These pieces are gentle and are best suited for women who prefer the "safe" look. You can use Big sizes of pearls to make them send out, or emphasize the white and clean color of the pearls in a more urban looking pieces of jewelry.
Tiaras
Giving a very regal finish to every look in the show, the tiara made a big comeback to the runway this year. We are guessing this will be next summer’s hottest accessory, and a must have item in every young woman's jewelry box.
Tiaras can come in various shapes, sizes and styles and they all give a nice feminine look that goes perfectly with the grunge trend! This trend is probably more suitable for your younger clientele. Some girls will fall in love with the innocent vibe a tiara can give and will go for the princess look, whilst others may go for the grungier urban fashion look.
You can design delicate tiaras plated in gold and embedded with sparkling Swarovski crystals, or use a black plated metal base with metallic color crystals that will create a more sophisticated look.
Big bold earrings
This year's trend is going for the bigger the better - Graphic fashion earrings popped up all over the runways of this year coming Spring Summer season. We saw very sharp necklines with detailed high collars and the perfect accessory for will be a pair of big bold hanging earrings.
We saw drop earrings formed by flower-shaped detailing and tub shaped earrings in red and navy blue and Bakelite lacquered hoops at Céline. The mirror-effect and lacquered feathers appeared at the Proenza Schouler show.
Big earrings need to be made of lightweight materials - such as plastic elements, laser cut metal elements, delicate chains, leather, tassels and beads. You can literally go crazy with the designs for this trend as anything goes - bigger and bolder, the better! Use bright and happy colors for those hot summer days. You can also design minimalist earrings, adorned with simple but sharp cut lines and shapes - squares, circles or straight lines for example.
Ankle bracelets
It will soon be hot again and will be changing our closed up boots for open flip flops and summer shoes. What better way to complement a pair of shoes than with a stunning ankle bracelet!? You can for either delicate or layered anklets that go perfectly with any spring or summer outfit. This is a classic item every woman needs in her wardrobe.
Anklets used to be so popular in the Western culture back in the 20th century and this year, they are making a big comeback into our everyday life. Tiny golden anklets were spotted at the Chloe, matched with colorful flip-flops, while Marc Jacobs was more extravagant and paired pointy-toe pumps with two layered beaded and pearlescent anklets.
You can create a beautiful ankle bracelet with thin gold chains, add a few Swarovski crystals and metal charms, maybe even a small bell or two! Just make sure they are extra durable as your ankles are not as delicate as your wrists are.
Each and every trend is a new inspiration and motivation to create stunning jewelry pieces for you and your customers to enjoy. So choose your favorite trend, get your jewelry making supplies ready and start working on your very own SS 2016 collection today!