«Bling, Bling!»

Earrings, necklace, brooch, or belt buckle — there are myriad ways to show off with striking accessories. While Art Nouveau still worked mainly with precious metals cast into motifs from the realms of flora and fauna, the 1960s went all out for flashy rhinestones and faceted glass beads, combined to marvelous effect in the creations of Cristobal Balenciaga and Yves Saint Laurent. There are virtually no limits to the materials that can be used in jewelry design: from animal bones to human hair, from flat patterns crafted in melamine in Art Deco baubles to plastic dowels and bicycle tubes: with a touch of creativity, any of these adornments can make for a fabulous look!