Designer Jewellery and The Rise of ‘Self Gifting’
- Written by The Times
‘Diamonds are a girl's best friend’ sang Marilyn Monroe in 1953, in the 71 years since women’s worlds have shifted significantly: including their relationship with designer jewellery. Most recently in the post-pandemic world, we have seen the rise of ‘Self Gifting’. Our grandmothers lived in a time when fine jewellery was something women were given, often by men for special occasions: today jewellery is purchased by women themselves as displays of independence and self-love. Miley Cyrus lyrics “I can buy myself flowers” has seen her win her first two Grammys, it may be more accurate for Miley to have changed ‘flowers’ to ‘designer jewellery’. 2023 statistics show that around 80 per cent of our sales are women buying designer jewellery for themselves.
Women Designing For Women: The Designer Jewellery World Is Shifting
Many of the most popular brands for self-gifting – including Louis Vuitton, Suzanne Kalan, and Carolina Bucci – are women designing for women, possessing that intrinsic knowledge of what women want for themselves. Always one step ahead, Louis Vuitton named Francesca Amfitheatrof as its new Artistic Director Watches and Jewellery in 2018. Francesca Amfitheatrof has built her legacy by rewriting the rules of jewellery-wearing, especially for women. Francesca has had a sparkling career, previously in 2013 she became the first woman to lead the jewellery design team at Tiffany. Francesca spoke with Elle magazine saying, “I feel like women are looking for more meaning in what they wear. These pieces are going to last a lot longer than any of us. As the artistic director of Louis Vuitton, she has released a mind-blowing beautiful collection of designer jewellery into a very hungry market.
Buy What You Want, and When You Want
Elizabeth von der Goltz, NET-A-PORTER’s Global Buying Director, is quoted saying, “Our customer buys what she wants, and when she wants.”, and the Australian designer jewellery market listened, as did Louis Vuitton. There is no time like now to join the movement of women empowered, buying for themselves, with their own style and identity. ‘Self Gifting’ is here for the future.
