“There is huge growth potential in this [fashion] category,” says Bridget Cosgrave, buying and fashion director at London boutique Matches, who is aiming her fashion house jewellery ranges at both regular clothes-buying customers and a new fashion jewellery collector who will pay thousands for the newest costume pieces. These include Lanvin’s “Pom Pom” necklace, made with ragged coral grosgrain ribbon and artificial pearls and coming in at a not insignificant £545. According to Cosgrave, sales of jewellery at Matches have grown 50 per cent in the past two years, and jewellery now accounts for 20 per cent of the company’s total sales. Investment potential and sales could, she says, rise to the same level as bags and shoes in coming months.

Fashion jewellery is one of online retailer Net-a-Porter’s fastest-growing categories; new ranges from Donna Karan, Versace and Isabel Marant are launching this month and will sit alongside pieces from Marni, Oscar de la Renta and Stella McCartney. Browns boutique now differentiates its fine and fashion jewellery offering on its retail website, with Alexander Wang, and two of London’s rising design stars, Holly Fulton and Mary Katrantzou, recently launching statement jewellery collections.
François Curiel, Christies’ international head of jewellery, says: “Whereas 15 or 20 years ago the fashion houses were doing fashion, now they’re doing jewellery too”. The jewellery business is worth something like $10bn a year – before you factor in diamonds – so I guess, yes, they’d like a little bit of that. But also, a fan of Dior feels more comfortable buying a Dior necklace than going through the door of a jewellery house where she doesn’t know anyone and doesn’t feel comfortable.”
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