Since 2004, the Eliza Page boutique in downtown Austin, Texas, has been a mecca for jewelry lovers, thanks to its stylish mix of design-forward jewelry and nontraditional engagement rings. In fact, JCK was so impressed with the store that in 2010, we featured founder and CEO Elizabeth Gibson (pictured) in one of our earliest Store We Adore columns.
So when we ran into Gibson at JCK Las Vegas in June, we knew she’d be a great resource for info on all the latest trends. After the trade show dust settled, JCK caught up with her on the phone to talk all things fall fashion, with an emphasis on trends she shopped and spotted during Las Vegas Jewelry Week. It was her first time in Sin City since before the pandemic, and she relished the chance to connect with friends and vendors IRL.
“Since COVID, we’ve been reordering somewhat virtually and somewhat at smaller shows, but it’s always great to see these collections in person, and be face-to-face with people,” says Gibson. “We’re a retailer, and those face-to-face relationships are really important to us.”
Below, Gibson talks about the 2022 trends she believes have staying power, what she’s banking on for fall, and which decade reigns supreme in terms of contemporary style.
Did you come to Vegas with a specific shopping list? If so, what was on it?
We were looking for chains, chains, chains, and anything in that tennis rivière necklace style. Plus, the ear stack is huge, so we were looking for any way, shape, or form to keep that creative. We’re seeing the ear climber come back, jackets come back, dangles come back and, in general, that ’80s ’90s glam look, which is really fun: the bulbous chain, the hoop, the thicker ring, the thicker cuffs, big and bold, kind of a like a preppy Dynasty look. All the stuff we grew up with.
Which designers and/or trends caught your eye at the shows?
Having worked with Zoë Chicco for so long, I know she’s always on the cutting edge, and her price points are so approachable.
We’ve worked with Dilamani for years, and their fashion jewelry is really great. And we met with Doves for the first time, and I was really impressed with their collection; it’s beautiful but also really trendy.
For me, as a designer-focused store, some of these luxury factory brands are doing such a better job of being on trend and/or ahead of the trends—Midas, for example. We also buy a lot from Facet.
We’re also seeing animals coming back: butterflies, snakes, lions, cougars, and ladybugs. Hearts are back too—that sweet feminine look. And, of course, bright enamels.
Which trends are your clients most excited about at the moment?
Those ’80s-style chunky chains and, for sure, the ear stack is huge. We do piercings in our store and have appointments every day, and people are really excited to decorate their ear. It’s really fun to curate with people. You’re almost putting an outfit together, but it’s jewelry—we’re helping them mix and match and share what might work best, be it multiple hoops or differently shaped studs. And people on my team have multiple piercings, so it’s really fun for them to share their experiences.
Which trends are you banking on for fall?
For fall, we move into bridal, which is obviously pretty strong the last quarter of the year. People are going bigger and bolder, and I think that’s an Instagram thing—what they see online is what they want on their finger. Emerald cuts and thicker rings in general, medallions, chunky chains, curated multiple piercings. All these trends are ongoing.
Did you notice any new trends or themes at the shows?
Something we’ve seen just a little bit of was the toi et moi two-stone ring trend. We’ve created that for clients on a custom level, but we started to see it actually produced. I don’t know how long it will last, but it’s really fun. White gold is coming back. We’re primarily a yellow gold store, but we’re definitely seeing white gold done really well, and mixing that with yellow.
Overall, how are you feeling about business, circa 2022? Do you think we’ll see sustained demand for jewelry this fall?
We have seen our customer behavior return to normal, or pre-pandemic, levels. A lot of people are out of town for the summer, which they used to do pre-pandemic. That hasn’t created a change in revenue, but the way people are shopping seems back to normal. I pay attention to the economic news, and I am cautiously optimistic. We have all learned a lot as business owners. Jewelry is uniquely positioned as a handmade product, and I feel really good about my ability to deliver what people need and want to buy for Christmas. I feel like we’ll have a really good selection going into the last part of the year. And I feel good about things for the rest of 2022.
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