Parents, be careful how you raise your kids. Rebellion can bring about the opposite result.
Take Michal Negrin. The Israeli designer grew up on an Israeli kibbutz, a collective community based on agriculture and stressing group conformity.
"She had to dress plainly. Everybody dressed the same and there was no jewelry, so this is sort of her reaction to that," said Maya Ben-Dor, owner of the new Michal Negrin boutique in Ala Moana Center, speaking about Negrin’s eclectic, antique- and vintage-inspired jewelry designs, and Swarovski crystal-embellished apparel.
It’s a place where holiday shoppers can find sparkling additions to any party ensemble, or to fill Christmas stockings.
Because of the varied inspirations, Ben-Dor said customers find the jewelry hard to define. "They always ask, ‘Is it French, is it Italian?’ It’s a little Victorian, a little Edwardian, a little 1920s, and even 1960s. It’s very fusion."
Add elements of the Belle Epoque and Art Nouveau, and it all comes together in one romantic whole. Stepping into the shop has the feel of entering a Victorian paper-doll house, with its sepia colors, chandelier and floral decor.
Negrin got her start in 1988, selling her crystal-embellished lace jewelry in an open-air market in Tel Aviv. Today, there are more than 65 Michal Negrin stores around the world, with U.S. locations in New York, Boston and Los Angeles. According to Ben-Dor, the company is the largest user of Swarovski crystals, behind Swarovski itself.
Pieces start at $25 for earrings, while lace necklaces handmade in Israel can fetch up to $980. Each piece is signed and carries a lifetime warranty. Similarly, clothing here is individually printed with floral and lace designs, and cut individually, making each piece unique. Although they appear dressy, many of the pieces are made from a Lycra "chiffon" that’s comfortable and travels well.
"If you have a lot of sparkling people on your gift list, there’s something to suit all ages and all demographics," Ben-Dor said.
Another way to bring sparkle to your holiday style
Mary Whitworth was accustomed to printing on clothing and other accessories through her custom apparel store, EmbroidMe. But when her daughter Cassie, a member of the Hawaii Air National Guard, returned from six years of active duty in the Air Force wearing temporary metallic tattoos, they decided to work together to create their own imprint for the body.
“She liked how they looked and that they were easy to put on, and whenever she went out, they brought her a lot of attention. People kept asking, ‘What is it?’”
With the rising trend in the temporary body art, they decided to design their own collection of Hawaiian-themed metallic jewelry, under the name Beach Blingo.
Designed by Whitworth’s son Christopher, the collection of 35 temporary jewelry pieces sells for $20 ($23 online), and includes necklace, bracelet (or anklet) and armband designs featuring sand dollars, seashells and waves, as well as five 2-by-2-inch standalone “tattoos.”
The temporary art goes on with a damp paper towel and sets in 20 to 30 seconds. It lasts three to five days, although Whitworth said: “I’m wearing some that I’ve had on for 10 days. It depends on how you treat them.”
She said they are ideal for active individuals who wouldn’t want to wear their good gold and silver jewelry while in the outdoors or at the beach, and she said they hold up to swimming and surfing.
By night, she said, “They really sparkle. From a distance they look like real jewelry.”
Find Beach Blingo online at www.beachblingo.com or at EmbroidMe, 677 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 110. Call 566-6561.
