Big Statement

As the a/w '07-'08 shows drew to a close in February, the one thing uniting the seemingly disparate collections was their shared focus on bold, unexpected accessories — from metal corset-belts at Dolce & Gabbana and ethnic-printed scarves at Balenciaga to '40s-style, color-blocked hats from Marc Jacobs. Given that the accessories trade is booming, with the market for handbags alone reaching an estimated $5 billion in the US, this focus on the extras isn't really surprising. However, as "It"-bag fatigue begins to grow, certain labels are redefining the statement accessory: resurrecting outdated accoutrements, creating entirely new ones, and designing them so boldly that their wearers can't help but stand out from the Paddington-toting crowd.

A prime example is the resurgence of spats, an accessory not widely worn since the '40s. LA label Posso the Spat has been instrumental in the comeback, crafting spats in luxurious Italian leather with malleable wire architecture. Posso's unisex spats range from croc-embossed patent knee-highs to a futuristic silver ankle-length variety, and have already found favor with Lindsay Lohan. Across the Atlantic, designer Elizabeth Melinek serves a European clientele with her London-based label, Strumpets. Inspired by a photo of her grandfather wearing spats in the '20s, Melinek's versions combine romantic pleating and ruffles with sharp craftsmanship.

Though hats were once as integral to an outfit as shoes or a watch, formal millinery has been on the decline since the '50s — but that, too, may be about to change. Japanese label CA4LA is at the forefront of this movement, reviving the hat as an essential accessory in the West with an affordable new London emporium. Swedish knitwear prodigy Sandra Backlund has also introduced surrealist-inspired hats and hoods in her latest collection, Ink Blot Test, in bizarre shapes determined by handmade ink blots. Stateside, Victor Osborne Headwear creates pieces inspired by both classic hat styles and modern New York street trends. Founders Victor Osborne and Zachary Barnett assemble their trademark straw fedoras and leather flatcaps in an open storefront in Brooklyn, giving the public a glimpse of a bygone era's millinery techniques.

Jewelry, too, is being re-imagined, with everyday necklaces transformed into large, ornate neck-pieces. "I've been thinking that there should be a new kind of neckwear, beyond just necklaces and brooches," says accessories designer Bea Valdes, who we featured a few issues back. Her collection includes a crystal-and-leather garland of "fractal flowers" designed to perch on the wearer's shoulder, and a hybrid necklace-scarf made from crystal and silver, inspired by religious attire and traditional Filipino filigree techniques. Disaya is taking the statement accessory in a decidedly pop direction, with a fall collection that recalls the diamante-encrusted costume jewelry of years past. Incorporating fanciful animal motifs and outsized colored gemstones, Disaya's pieces wouldn't be out of place at an estate sale, but their luxury credentials set them apart from the cheap-and-cheerful costume jewelry of yesteryear. Michelle Irwin's line literally makes a statement, using the nameplate jewelry of '80s hip-hop to express one's innermost thoughts (e.g. "Shove the job up your arse," "Don't blame me if you're lonely").

Handbags have seen a vivid re-imagining as well. Belarusian designer Alexandra Kolos' new label, A.K.A., is a nostalgic vision of the past. Items from our collective memory — a father's briefcase handles, bonbon candies — are identifiable elements in her latest bag collection. Shana London is also attracting much attention for its high-luxe collection of clutches. Rendered in sumptuous materials, from python and silk to leather and metal, the bags evoke a sense of old-Hollywood glamour with a disco twist.

Perhaps the most extreme interpreter of the statement accessory is William Vinicombe, whose collections introduce a whole new form of ornamentation: large-scale "body jewelry," influenced by French Rococo-era furniture design. Hand-crafted from luxurious materials such as carved walnut wood, gold leaf, onyx, and even horsehair, Vinicombe's pieces ooze stately refinement. "I am drawn to the fantasy and mysticism of elaborate historical furniture," explains Vinicombe. "Not only for the huge amount of time and skill used to create it, but also the way a piece of furniture can evoke a way of life or a specific character from the past."

Vinicombe's sentiment suggests a common thread among the designers of new statement accessories. This desire to return to a time when thoughtfully crafted accessories added a sense of character and individuality to their wearers' wardrobes is one that today's "It" items couldn't possibly fulfill.

-Erin Magner

Photos:

CA4LA s/s '08
Bea Valdes s/s '08
Sandra Backlund s/s '08
Victor Osborne Headwear s/s '08
William Vinicombe s/s '08
Posso the Spat s/s '08