Linda Murphy —
When one thinks of brides and jewelry the first image that comes to mind is most likely the engagement ring and then the wedding band. And now, there’s the bangle.
Wedding creative director Chad Michael Peters, of Fairhaven, who made his mark in the world of weddings as a floral designer in the 2008 season of the reality TV show “Hitched or Ditched,” is fueling a new wedding industry trend with bangles marketed specifically for brides.
The line of silver and gold verme bangles that Peters designed for the eco-friendly jewelry company Alex and Ani made its runway debut last month at the Grace Ormond Grand Bridal Show and Peters said the response was tremendous.
“People went crazy for them,” he said. “Brides love being fashionable — I don’t think any bride wants to walk down the aisle looking like her mother. When they walk down the aisle they want that couture look. ”
Peters said the public’s fascination with celebrities’ style has opened up the world of fashion to the everyday woman and that’s particularly true on their wedding day, which is fueling the trend for more creative products for brides like Peter’s jewelry. “Every aspect of the wedding world is getting more creative and expansive compared to just 10 or 15 years ago,” he said. “We’ve gone miles and miles in doing completely customized weddings.”
As the creative director of weddings, Peters stages the ultimate fashion show for the bride and groom complete with fashion magazine style photo layouts, which he chronicles on his digital style blog along with his floral arrangements, artwork, photography and interior designs.
Designed to be sophisticated and unique to every bride, the mix-and-match bangles adorned with grey Tahitian pearls, charms and Swarovski crystals were shown on the runway as an elegant cuff with a mix of the glittery bracelets.
“They’re completely customized and unique to each bride to tell the story of her wedding day in a fashionable way,” he said. “I wanted a cutting-edge fashion accessory for brides.”
Retail prices for the bangles start at about $21 and the whole look as Peters envisions it, with an assortment of bangles, costs about $300 or $400. “That’s not that expensive for jewelry for a wedding day compared to some of the expensive jewelry out there,” he said.
The fashion jewelry company, which already had its own line of bangles that have been featured in Oprah and other fashion magazines sought out Peters when they were interested in expanding into the bridal market, he said. The bangles are sold at its retail store at 1 Bowen’s Wharf in Newport, R.I., and in stores across the country that also sell the Alex and Ani line.
Peters, who frequently visits India and Nepal, said he infused a Buddhist/spiritual inspiration in the bangle designs and drew upon those countries’ cultural jewelry traditions of wearing layers of bangles.
“I think there’s a huge global market for these,” he said. “It’s a really worldly collection with the idea of being very fashionable and hip: it’s touched on a nerve and created a wildfire.” |
