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There are many ways to make a statement with your accessories. But of them, few are as noticeable as light-up jewelry; yes, real, illuminated pieces! Designer Diana Caldarescu creates chandelier ear accessories that are their own light source. With a battery pack that stays hidden behind the earlobe, the pieces are made with brass, dollhouse lighting fixtures, and Swarovski teardrop crystals. They attach to ear wraps—not your typical earrings—and fit over your ear as a cuff. This ensures that the mini chandeliers will be comfortable to wear and will never feel too heavy.
Moviegoing inspired Caldarescu’s designs. “I grew up in Los Angeles and now have my studio near New York,” she tells My Modern Met, “and what inspired me most is the thriving and eclectic moviegoing scene in both cities. So many big and little independent theatres just become second homes to people, and guests like myself often dressed to see old movies like they were going to a vintage-themed party or gala! As a fashion lover, I absolutely lived for it, both the people watching and seeing all these fabulous moments in fashion history on the silver screen instead of a phone screen.”
The experience changed with the onset of the pandemic, and it threatened the future of many of these special places. It also affected Caldarescu too. “They were places I could spend all of my weekend in and come out of that weekend with so much energy and inspiration, and they were places I could always express myself and truly feel like myself.”
With the theaters shuttered, Caldarescu began making the type of jewelry she’d like to wear once they were open again. “Something that was not just inspired by vintage style,” she explains, “but really felt as novel as it would've then, and turned you into someone in one of those movies! I love the Art Deco glamour of the silent film years, and I also really love the mod-meets-disco fashions of Andy Warhol's Factory, and those are two eras I really draw from the most when making these light-up pieces.”
To channel Edie Sedgwick, shop these stunning statement makers in Caldarescu’s Etsy shop.
Diana Caldarescu: Website | Etsy | Instagram
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