Monthly Archives: August 2024

…………………….As a designer I had the GREAT LUXURY of working for a company that had many licensees…….To be able to create custom accessories like jewelry and custom shoes that not only worked with the clothes….but were also available to buy by the customers was very special.  Not all designers had this luxury…..Only those with large companies behind them with many licensees could have this…….Christy is wearing an A-Line dress in the black and white abstract animal print with cut in armholes and band pockets…….With it she is wearing a magnificent necklace in the black faceted jet stones, baroque pearls mixed in, and large hanging pearl drops….Her clip on earrings were a cluster of jets, pearls and the pearl drops…….The stores loved my Couture jewelry and had cases of just Anne Klein Couture jewelry which was a huge get!…..They would only devote such space to lines that sold well…..and the success of the AK Couture line kept growing season after season….Sometimes you can find some of the Couture pieces on Ebay or other on line sellers, but I rarely see any of these pieces for sale…..They have become true collectors pieces and have quadrupled in price for the most extreme pieces…….but…beware…..many on line vendors claim they are selling real AK Couture pieces, but they aren’t. Each real Couture piece has a tiny metal oval tag that is inscribed AK COUTURE!…..and they usually have hefty prices!

………………….Okay…..so they aren’t real diamonds…..but…..They are REAL DIAMONIQUE STONES….which are the next best thing!……From left to right……A WAVE LEAF BRACELET….J409140….with a single paved larger leaf….It also is inscribed on the back of each leaf…. “LOVE MAKES THE WORLD GO ROUND”…..It is avail in….STERLING SILVER…..STERLING with 18 KARAT GOLD plate…..and 18 KARAT ROSE GOLD plate……..The WAVE LEAF EARRING…..J408499…….is completed paved in Diamonique Stones. It too is avail in different metal color choices……The last piece at the right is the WAVE LEAF NECKLACE……J408497…….It also has a single larger leaf paved in the Diamonique stones……All pieces are available on my LINEA JEWELRY SITE on QVC….Also, you can always wear the necklace and bracelet on the REVERSE SIDE if you don’t want the stones to show for a more casual look…..TWO FOR ONE……Of Course I LOVE diamonds with T Shirts and jeans!…….Diamonds….ARE…..a girls BEST FRIEND!

………………..For this Fall 1991 Couture Collection….”DIAMONDS”……..were a major theme of the evening portion of the collection…….Of course they weren’t diamonds, but I used Swarovski crystals, which next to real diamonds, are the most expensive stones a designer can use on garments. The long sleeve band collar long gown was the most expensive garment I ever made for Anne Klein. It was completely covered with hand sewn crystals…Yasmeen is also wearing high heel pumps completely covered in matching Swarovski stones…They were sold by my AK shoe licensee…..The SAMPLE price to make the dress alone was over $20,000!!!!…The embroiders always charge more for a sample then for any production…..The PTB [powers that be] were not happy went the bills for the embroideries came in, and these are just some of the samples I made!!!….We sold the sample during a trunk show to some mega wealthy woman who wanted a one of a kind Couture dress….She said she had spent far more for French Couture dresses! I’m sure she did. The price of the dress [can’t remember what we sold it for] was nothing to her. I believe she was a Neiman’s customer in Texas……My boss was happy they could recoup some $$$……..Jac wore it in the show as the Finale dress, and she wore it for the Met Gala before I had to part with it……The dress on Yasmeen was done in a “SWIRL” pattern. It too was completely hand sewn embroidered with Swarovski crystals and jet stones……Elaine at the upper right is wearing a silk and rayon black velvet square neck fitted long jacket with crystal buttons. She is wearing a pencil skirt covered in hand sewn Swarovski crystals…….Yasmeen at the lower right. Is wearing a silk and rayon black velvet dress with large Swarovski stones scattered all over…….Each outfit was drop dead gorgeous!………DIAMOND ARE A GIRLS BEST FRIEND!

…………………….J427319……is my AFRICAN INSPIRIED HOOP EARRING……The shape, and the artisan hammered effect was inspired by earrings African women from different areas still wear………It is a Bronze earring that comes in STERLING SILVER  or 18 KARAT GOLD PLATE….beautifully MADE IN ITALY…..It is avail at my LINEA JEWELRY site at QVC……..If you love different hoops that will definitely get noticed because of their uniqueness…….this IS THE HOOP!

………………….”THE PANT BOOT”……was an accessory/garment that I used through out the Fall 1991 collection in different fabrics, colors, heel heights and even embroidered…….Here is the STRETCH VELVET Pant Boot……It was a full legging and shoe all in one, and was actually made in a shoe factory…….The fabric covered the shoe, and it was all one piece with the legging. Then the sole and heel were added. I did them with low GOLD METALLIC LEATHER HEELS……and Black Patent heels on black pant boots, which were made in a matte black knit with a high percentage of lycra…..I also did black velvet pant boots with rhinestones all over them……..Needless to say the models LOVED THEM, and they all wanted a pair…..Iris Apfel owned the color velvet pant boots with the low gold heel in a few colors…..Her bright green ones were shown in the exhibit of her clothing at the Metropolitan Museum. The green boot was paired with a short, brightly colored brocade tunic jacket…….Jac had three pair…. A low gold heel, a high black patent heel….and a pair of rhinestone studded ones…..all in her favorite color BLACK!…….She loved wearing them, and looked incredible in them!!!…..It never failed to get her lots of admiring comments!