An ’80s Jewellery Revival Is Upon Us – Just In Time For The Return Of Rivals

Perhaps it’s the return of Versace to the fashion news cycle. Or perhaps it’s the imminent return of Rivals, the TV romp based on Jilly Cooper’s best-selling bonkbusters, this month. Whatever the reason, in jewellery, a revival of 1980s shapes, colours and material blends is well underway.
Power cuffs suddenly feel right. A new My Dior cuff is assembled from clashing yellow and white gold and sits large on the wrist. Ali Khalil, of Antwerp based brand Levuma, shapes his L’Armure cuffs from midnight blue titanium or yellow gold that is then brushed to achieve a tactile finish. Both are hand-set with white diamonds. A third option comes from Place Vendôme maison Chaumet, where a Bee de Chaumet cuff in rose gold is dotted with brilliant-cut diamonds.
Large statement earrings also make a return. From Graff: a pair of high jewellery earrings with two seven carat Colombian emeralds, round emeralds and many white diamonds. The bold, geometric design is one part Memphis Group – the Milanese design collective founded by Ettore Sottsass in 1980 – and one part Dynasty. At Repossi, it’s all about bejewelled bracelets. This year, the brand is marking its 40th anniversary at 6, Place Vendôme by revisiting the Monogram Birth Bracelet that Alberto Repossi first conceived of in 1986.
“The ’80s influence my work through the use of gemstones and statement designs,” says Ananya Malhotra. “I am particularly inspired by the era’s bold silhouettes, architectural forms and glamorous elements.” Malhotra, who trained at London’s Central Saint Martins and established her business in 2017, creates pieces such as her Chakra Twin beaded choker. The design’s rainbow moonstone and crystal quartz beads are a new take on princessy rows of pearls. Isabel Delgado and Anita Ko are two more independent designers nodding to an ’80s design vocabulary.