One of the most buzzed about events to take place during New York Fashion Week was the opening of “Set in Style: The Jewelry of Van Cleef & Arpels” at the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum (2 East 91st St., NYC). No surprise there…I mean who wouldn’t want to spend an afternoon looking at some serious bling (I sent my boyfriend a picture of a ring telling him that I wanted it to which he replied “Ya we could get that…or a condo.”). The exhibition features more than 350 works including jewels, timepieces, fashion accessories, and objets d’art by Van Cleef & Arpels, drawn from numerous private collections, institutions, and the Van Cleef & Arpels’ museum collection. The objects are organized by theme (Innovation, Transformation, Nature, Exoticism, Fashion, and Personalities), and are supplemented with design drawings, commission books, fabrication cards, and imagery.
The stand-outs include their minaudières and the “Bronx Cocktail” bracelet, which contains charms of all the ingredients used for the drink. The exhibit is on view through June 5, 2011. Click here for additional information. It’s worth the trip!
