The inspiration for this collection was diamonds—old, new, antique, interesting cuts, new shapes. This was our first ever all-white diamond collection and it was exciting to play with an isolated color palette of just diamonds and gold to put the focus back on the stones. I love the variety of rose cut diamonds with their 24 facets playing off of a round brilliant cut or antique pear. All these elements worked together to create our new collection, Retro Grade.
With 21 brand new pieces to shoot, I wanted to find a space that felt like a throwback in time, but with a modern twist to mimic and support the collection. That juxtaposition of old and new, timeless and modern, is a continual overarching theme in my design aesthetic and something I love playing with.
A dear friend of mine knew of a house in Palm Springs designed and owned by renowned architect and interior designer, Arthur Elrod, aka “Design King of the Desert,” that was featured in Architectural Digest in 1962 and has been completely preserved. It was one of his best-known properties and we can see why. Everything is unreal, from the brass inlay pieces to the mod wallpaper and 30-foot wrap around sofa. It’s seriously insane! If you love mid-century, you have to stay there. HERE’S the link.
For the shoot, we partnered with some of our MF favorites, like Hailley Howard who shot digital and super 8. She also used hive lights that were incredible to light the space. From her phone, she could change the color from hot pink to blue to a subtle warm flash.
KC Witkamp ran HMU and I love the looks she created, like the freckled faces and bold brows. And of course, the monochromatic eyes, which were just gorgeous. Sarah with Modern Boheme styled the shoot with a mix of vintage and LPA fall looks. I think the babydoll dress was one of my favorites from the day.
And we brought back some beautiful familiar faces, Colleen Heidemann and Rachel Ford. You’ll also see two newcomers, Riley Rasmussen and Jazzerine Noroña who are both stunning and down for anything. The vibe on set was energetic and lively, with Jazzerine jumping in and out of the pool and Riley and Rachel entangled in a human pretzel while everyone else was running to prep the next look. It was a wonderful whirlwind.
It’s hard to choose my favorite pieces from the collection, it’s kind of like playing favorites with your kids. But, I do have to say, I’m really excited about the August Rose Band, and I haven’t taken the ear cuff off. Plus, the Woven Cluster Studs are so insanely sparkly and gorgeous.
Since we’re known for our ring stacks, I wanted to play with that concept for your ear so you’ll see more earrings options in this collection. The Everyday Baguette Band is already a hit as we’ve been previewing it to showroom clients. For ladies who love art deco and our Emerald City Band, this is another option for you.
I hope you love this new line as much as I do! Months of sketching, prototyping, and ideating have all come together to bring Retro Grade to you. Enjoy!
XX,
Jillian
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