Stuller Trend Report: Winter 2023 Edition
From the desks of Stuller’s product design and development team, take a look at the rising trends that are popping up in fashion and in our latest products.
The greatest question on every jeweler’s mind and the one our team gets asked quite often is “What are the latest trends?” It’s a fair question. Consumers are always looking for what’s new, what’s hot, and what they should be buying. To help answer that question, myself and other members of the product design and development team will be sharing our research throughout the year so you always have access to the information you need to make the sale.
My name is Christine Lloyd. As a jewelry designer with more than 30 years of experience and being the creative director of an incredibly talented group of designers, I know the importance of keeping the creative team focused on trends. We do extensive research on what is trending — not only in the jewelry industry but also in the fashion and home décor industries as well.
Our research involves extensive dives into digital and printed articles, imagery, social media, and more. We attend lectures given by trend forecasters, travel to industry trade shows, and visit museum exhibits we know will have an influence on design. These are practices we keep consistent to ensure we always create jewelry that blends modernity with classic beauty to make each design a lasting treasure.
Without further ado, let’s see what consumers are wanting now, what to look out for, and what pieces you should be stocking.
The Evolving, Pervasive Trends
It’s important to differentiate trends from fads. While fads fade out just as quickly as they pop up, trends have potential to maintain their popularity for years. They can evolve and grow to stay interesting.
Here are a couple of trends we’ve noticed for a while that are doing just that.
Celestial Motifs
Celestial fine jewelry is something we at Stuller have promoted for a while. The trend is not exactly new, but it has adapted over time. It’s transformed from a mere fascination with cosmic elements to incorporating meaningful connotations by involving personalization and symbolism. Megan, a member of our team, put it best.
“As far back as Spring 2020, celestial shapes were already appearing on runways and interiors. Sputnik-styled rays and yellow metals, driven by a renewed interest in the Mid-Century Modern aesthetic, made their way from interior design onto other consumer products.
In 2022, celestial motifs collided with two other popular trends that we had been watching: personalization and symbology. With this combination, it pivoted in a more spiritual direction. The zodiac became prominent as customers looked for designs that felt meaningful and unique. However, the basic motifs of stars, moons, and yellow gold stayed strong. The addition of spirituality introduced new symbols such as tarot cards, evil eye, and other mystic talismans.”
In 2022, celestial motifs collided with two other popular trends that we had been watching: personalization and symbology. With this combination, it pivoted in a more spiritual direction. The zodiac became prominent as customers looked for designs that felt meaningful and unique. However, the basic motifs of stars, moons, and yellow gold stayed strong. The addition of spirituality introduced new symbols such as tarot cards, evil eye, and other mystic talismans.”
Megan Tran
Associate Designer
Chain Inspirations
Chain is certainly not a new jewelry item or focus. However, in the last year, chain has made appearances in new and interesting ways. Within fashion, chain is implemented as a decorative element either printed on fabrics or as metal detailing. In interiors, enlarged chain links adorn pendant lights and chandeliers. Finally, in jewelry, we see chain as decorative borders, deconstructed into links, or fused into fixed elements. Permanent jewelry also gives new life to chain, creating a fun and social experience.
We are forecasting an interest in alternative and punk styles that rely heavily on chunky chain and other industrial details. The current manner of layering necklaces and bracelets to create a maximalist look makes us certain that the chain trend will maintain its current uphill momentum.
The Hot, Upcoming Trends
While there are some trends that we follow for a while and see their influence over the years, there are also new trends that we see taking form. These trends can be sparked by a new celebrity movement or perhaps through developing pop culture.
Regardless of where they are coming from, let’s see what’s on the rise in the world of jewelry fashion trends.
Getting Girly
Hear us out! A naturally “girly” aesthetic is taking hold across all industries. We saw the beginning of this trend in 2021 with the renewed interest in Kawaii fashion. In 2022, thanks to Valentino’s Fall/Winter show, hot pink appears seriously as office and evening wear. Television shows such as “Bridgerton” and “The Gilded Age” fantasize over the elegant feminine fashions and romance of previous eras. In interiors, designers use pink and lavender pastels in addition to soft textures, like bouclé, and rounded furniture to create whimsical, purely feminine spaces.
“Getting Girly” is a trend we’ve identified as an umbrella term that incorporates several aesthetics that you may be familiar with. Some of these include Soft Deco, Barbiecore, Pearlcore, and Cottagecore. The connective tissue between all these sub-trends is the focus on motifs that are traditionally considered hyper-feminine, such as lace, pearls, pink, pastel colors, and rounded curves.
However, this trend is not just for female-presenting people. Men have been seen wearing pearls and large, colored gemstones on the sports fields. On the red carpet, many male stars are now wearing just as much jewelry as their feminine counterparts.
This year’s Pantone Color of the Year — Viva Magenta — is also a good indicator. The vibrant hues of this pinkish red bring softness to the masculine and a boldness to the feminine.
The combination of an increase in women’s buying power and representation of feminine voices on social media proves that there is little evidence of this trend slowing down.
Positivity
Positivity is key. Affirmational accessories are an offshoot of the personalization trend. “Good vibes” can be as literal as words of encouragement on pendants or charms, or uplifting symbols that carry a heartfelt meaning for the wearer. We are seeing a lot of retro motifs, like smiley faces, peace signs, and funky scripts that keep things fun and playful.
Looking back on how events around the world have been since 2020, it’s easy to see how we as a world are trying to look onward and upward. After so much time of sadness and negativity, a natural result is the world bringing back an era of happiness, love, and renewal.
Look for emblems that bring a sense of nostalgia and bring people back to a time of the carefree spirit and positive intentions. After the last couple of years, I think we could all use it.
We Are Your Trend Alert
You can trust Stuller to provide you with the latest and greatest in fashionable jewelry. We invest in trends that have staying power and will positively impact your business. Join the conversation and follow us on social media @StullerInc to stay up-to-date on the next hot topic in the jewelry industry.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Christine Lloyd
Creative Director, Product Design & Development
Christine is a fine jewelry designer with 30+ years of experience within the industry. Having worked and travelled extensively all over the world, she enjoys using her experience as she helps design the next generation of cherished treasures.