Fashion + Jewelry: CFDA + Philip Crangi

Jewelry designer Philip Crangi
Photo: Ben Watts

On Monday, June 2, the Council of Fashion Designers of America awarded the prestigious Swarovski Award for Emerging Talent Accessory Design to jeweler Philip Crangi. Fellow nominees in the category were Justin Giunta of Subversive Jewelry and handbag/shoe creator Joy Gryson.

Crangi, a goldsmithing graduate from the Rhode Island School of Design, established his eponymous line in 2001 with partner and sister Courtney. He has distinguished himself with gold, wrought-iron, and steel creations rooted in history (the Greco-Roman era, Baroque ironwork, and Japanese armor). Indeed, you only have to walk through the main floor of the Metropolitan Museum of Art to realize these influences.

Philip Crangi cuff

Photo via CFDA.com

Crangi is notable to me for his men’s line—whenever I enter the hip men’s floor of Bloomingdale’s from the subway, I pause at the PC display before the escalator. It’s tough, masculine, and edgy without going too far.

Philip Crangi anchor necklace

Photo via ThePerfectCloset.com

Witness too, Crangi’s more affordable (mostly costume and sterling silver) collaboration with sister Giles, Giles & Brother, available at Barneys. On other diversification fronts, Crangi partnered with The Gap earlier this year in their second annual Design Editions white-blouse makeover; Crangi supplied a complementary rugged brass and metal chain and bolt necklace. And back in February, Crangi teamed with Vera Wang to create jewelry “on steroids,” as Wang told W magazine, for her runway collection.