With all the celebrities designing jewelry, it’s easier to list those who haven’t thrown their name in the hat that those who have. Among the glitterati designing the glitter are: Alicia Keyes for The Barber’s Daughter, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt for Asprey, Nicole Richie for Bebe, and Sharon Stone for Dimiani. Now I did hear rumors mentioning a Bebe/Lindsay Lohan collaoration, which is surprising after the harshly received Ungaro show, but hey, I guess even bad press passes for good news in marketing these days. As Shakespeare had Juliet declare,

“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet.”

Or would it? Many commercial endeavors, either the big box stores, home shopping channels, or houses who cater to the impetuous consumer, are offering pretty stinky stuff. Trendy bells and whistles done on the cheap is the oldest retail trick in the book. Don’t always believe what you are viewing is quality — most of the time, it’s not, ie, inexpensive stones, sloppy craftsmanship, etc. I was surfing the websites of a few high-profile, high-rent, NYC stores with a profusion of jewelry selections that were not only poorly edited but also costly (how many choices in diamond hoop and circle motif earrings does one woman need?). Moreover, when you squint, it all looks the same! Distinction is the better part of jewelry design). Low-value gemstones set into a stratospherically-priced ring, necklace, or pair of earrings is no better than deception theft (it used to be called the “old switcheroo”). Big-ticket doo-dads with merely the allusion to fine jewelry will never improve with age. They will remain doo-dads that you may enjoy wearing –which is absolutely fine — I just wouldn’t want to see anyone blow their holiday bonus on them. Shop around a little, then make your decision. The dollars you save may serve you better, economic downturn or not.

Why has there has yet to be a jewelry collaboration that has reached a Kate Moss/Topshop level of success? Because in order for a jewelry collection to achieve that kind of status, it has to be both accessible and offer something unique to the market. Otherwise, it all begins to blend into the landscape. If we are speaking strictly about successful, high-profile designer-ships, I would suggest that DVF for H Stern has several great concepts that are eminently wearable and can be worn singly or with other pieces from the collection. Without over embellishing, DVF seems to understand the need for important, everyday jewelry.

Jumping into jewelry design, by those famous, and/or hopefully, inspired, can be influential, even philanthropic. Both Jolie’s and Stone’s collaborations will benefit those in need. Buying from either of these collections not only highlights these worthy causes, it helps to justify (at least in part) the cost of the purchase. Is there evidence, though, that people are then all the more motivated to buy these pieces? The response is an optimistic one, however, the answer doesn’t speak directly to the talents of the designer, does it? For the sale of jewelry, where a portion of the proceeds benefit, as Eleanor Roosevelt put it, “Those less fortunate than ourselves,” this doesn’t matter. Otherwise, I’m afraid it does.