Like I said yesterday, summer is over. Done. Finito. And with that I'm so happy to welcome fall into my life.  But fall is also the beginning of my busiest and most exciting time of the year, and this present trip to Ecuador marks the start of it. In the next couple of months I have so much going on, new collection, traveling trunk shows, holiday season, the cover of Fucsia magazine to name a few.  Let me share with you a behind the scenes picture of me getting ready for the photo shoot for the cover of Fucsia.


Anyway I'm so happy to be working in my hometown of Guayaquil at the moment, savoring the beautiful scenery and reveling in my family and friends.  (Thank you all by the way), but I'm also excited to return to Miami and get back to my new fall collection, which I will be premiering here on Dani K Style very, very soon. Stay tuned!

Cheers!
Dani K

Sadly Summer is over, but as we move into fall, I wanted to leave you with some inspiration pictures I took while traveling.  I love the sea, with it's serene blues and salty air.  I also love seashells because they can really show one of my favorite design elements: texture.







You can see from the picture above that all surfaces have texture.  Often this term is misused to refer only to rough surfaces, but texture can range from polished to very rough.  Texture can make a piece more interesting and change the look of a particular gemstone.  Texture affects people in unique ways, so as as designer I have to keep this in mind when I'm getting ready to create a a new piece of jewelry.  Here are some examples of different textures.

A beautiful and textural statement: Amethyst, rose quartz and diamond bracelet in 18kt white gold.

The cool sapphires and diamonds offer the perfect texture for these fabulous chandelier style earrings.

The smooth and round white agatha is a great contrast  for the sparkly and angular diamonds in this fabulous 18kt white gold ring.

What an amazing mixture of texture! Silky black onyx vs. textured blue sapphires equals wearable perfection in 18 kt gold.

The roughness of diamonds brings out the loveliness of the milky quartz.  Gorgeous ring in mint quartz, diamonds and 18kt yellow gold. To die for!

They say the pearl is the queen of the gems and the gem of the queens.  I happen to agree with this saying and love to use pearls in my jewelry designs. They are so versatile and timeless that I chose them to design this special piece.



The pearl necklace above is one of my all time favorite pieces.   I designed it with a very special purpose in mind.  I didn't just want this to be a beautiful necklace;  I wanted this piece to have multiple uses, so that it would not be limited in itself to a certain occasion or outfit.  I wanted form to follow function, and I wanted to be innovative, chic and elegant at the same time.

Like I said before, pearls were the perfect starting point.  Two perfect strands of white South Sea pearls to be exact.  Then I chose diamonds of course, as they are, and will always be a girls' best friend.  The last "ingredient" to my perfect piece was  beautiful, polished rock crystal.   What could be better than such clean, and crisp raw materials?  Well the actual design of the pieces!  Inspired by such beautiful things, I designed these three components for my multi-use necklace, my perfect piece.


So above are the three components of the necklace, which can be worn three different ways.  There is the pearl strand, the "diamond pearl" and the diamond and rock crystal accessory.   First, it can be worn as a single strand of pearls. Classic!


Second, It can be worn as a strand of pearls with a "diamond pearl" for added chicness an elegance.  All the wearer would have to do is find the place where the pearls are bound together in a screw-like system, handmade of course in 18kt gold.  Once the pearl necklace is separated it looks like this.



After a little work, Voila!. The end result is a stunning pearl necklace with a "diamond pearl" accent for a different, yet still very elegant look.


The third way to wear this necklace is by adding the actual piece de resistance, the diamond and rock crystal eternity circle, making it an extra stylish piece to wear on a fun evening out.  This design, the eternity circle and the bursts of diamonds, was inspired by the Art Deco movement.  I actually wore this version of the necklace while out dancing in Capri on my birthday.  This extra piece is also added using the unique system above.




Look at the end result.  Isn't it stunning?  I absolutely adore this necklace, and I do consider it a perfect piece.  The harmony of the classic materials, the modern design and its many useful and stylish ways make it something worth admiring and sharing with you.  Until next time!

Cheers!
Dani K

Stunning citrine, champagne diamond, tsavorite, and diamond earrings, handcrafted in 18kt white gold

Fit for a queen! Elegant and chic; oval shaped pink tourmaline cabochon surrounded by diamonds, and four pink sapphires set in 18kt white and rose gold.

Like the first lady herself, this piece is a natural beauty. Golden and white South Sea pearls, flanked by black Tahitian pearls, all surrounded by a lovely diamond ribbon.  In 18kt white gold.

Everyone of you have already figured out that I love to work very, very hard, and of course I play hard as well. France is a very important place for me because that is where I went to school.  I have wonderful memories of that country, so I go back often.  One of my favorite places for this, especially in the summer, is the idyllic beach resort St. Tropez.   And one of my favorite hotels here is Le Yaca.


Le Yaca is a beautiful place, full of old world charm and tranquility.  The food is divine and the staff is so friendly it makes you wan to live there.  But the hotel is not the only place that is amazing.  So many other things make St. Tropez a fabulous place to take a break.  Here my top 5.

1. Spoon at the Byblos Hotel:  The floating glass spoons are just the beginning. Alain Ducasse 's fun establishment has satisfying food and stiff drinks.  Perfect for people watching, celebrities abound here, an apres plage snack, and chit chatting with the locals.


 2. Le Club 55:  If you like champagne, lounging in the sun and a long relaxed lunch, then this is the place; I love this beach club.  Like Spoon, its a great place for people watching (I once saw P Diddy there), and in my case jewelry watching.  I have never seen so many beautiful jewelry outside a museum or gallery as I did at Le Club!  It was epic.  The crowd is very tan and very chic, very St. Trop, casual and extravagant at the same time.  Hint: if you go, make a reservation and dress the part.  I would wear a colorful sarong, straw hat and some serious jewelry like the pieces below.  Its a very popular place and a very chic scene so it might be difficult to get a reservation without some months in advance.

Gorgeous and fabulous pink sapphire ring and diamond ring, in 18kt white gold.

3. L'Annonciade Museum.  St Tropez does not have a lot of culture like other places like Paris or Rome, but what it does not have in quantity it has in quality.  My favorite little museum to visit there is the L'Annociade Museum.  With great displays of art from the region of Provence and the French Riviera, you can find here works from french masters such as Matisse, Braque, Seurat, Bonnard, etc..  I find it a necessary stop to balance all the glitz and glamour of the St Trop scene.



4.  Maison des Papillons:  This smaller and quainter museum, is set up in a charming old house, and holds a collection of beautifully preserved butterfly species.  My favorite display is the collection of butterfly themed jewelry that they exhibit.  Butterflies have long been a theme in jewelry design, and their delicate wings and feminine attributes are always a great inspiration of mine, as you can see in my piece below, which I even wore to visit this great place.  Very inspiring indeed.

St Trop inspired! J'adore this fantastic papillon statement ring in sliced cut diamonds, orange and yellow sapphires and 18kt gold.

5.  The Citadel:  For a beautiful and historical view of the coast, the Citadel is the perfect place.  An hexagonal structure, with a huge interior courtyard, this ancient structure is truly a thing of beauty. If it's not too crowded it can be very peaceful. An added bonus are the beautiful trees that flank its gardens.

St Tropez is a wonderful place, however if you are looking for a low profile vacation, this isn't it.  It's a scene, a very elegant and glamourous scene that recalls sexy women like Brigitte Bardot,  Penelope Cruz and Kate Moss.  When I'm visiting I always dress to the nines and accesorize to the max.  In my own jewelry of course.  I would recommend pieces with lots of colorful gems and nature motifs, like the Papillon ring above or the Fleur necklace and the graphic bracelet below.

I adore this graphic bracelet reminiscent of the impressionist painters I saw at L'Annonciade. My version of Matisse is in black quartz, navy blue quartz, and purple amethyst, finished in diamonds and 18kt white gold.

Purple reigns! Flower are everywhere in St Trop, so naturally I chose to wear pieces reflective of my surroundings.  This beautiful fleur necklace is lovingly made in18kt white gold, with hand carved amethyst and orange sapphire petals, yellow sapphires, diamonds and rock crystal.

Funky and fab. Lanvin bag and Metier hat.

They say two great minds think alike and that there is no new idea under the sun.  I don't know if I necessarily believe it, but what happened recently makes me think.  It's definitely one of those things that makes you go "huh."  Let me explain.

Remember when I did my post on St Barth's?  Well for that wedding I attended during that trip, I styled my dear friend Carolina F (or Caro) in a beautiful turquoise  Chanel dress and these magnificent earrings. Keep in mind this was in May.

Here is the picture of Caro and me in St Barths.  She is of course wearing the infamous Chanel dress and  turquoise flower earrings from my collection.

The wedding came and went and she was very happy with her look at the event.  And  then here's the interesting part.  Months later, in July, Prince Albert of Monaco and Charlene Whittstock celebrated their nuptials, and as I was looking at the coverage in Harper's Bazaar I see this picture in the best dressed list:


It was the turquoise Chanel Dress, also styled with very similar (I think they are Van Cleef) turquoise clover earrings!  Princes Caroline went with different shoes and a hat, but I think the pictures speak for themselves.

I always knew my friend Caro had amazing style, and now she can say she's fit for royalty.  Do you think Princess Caroline read our blog or is this just a coincidence?

Cheers!

Dani K

A couple of weeks ago I was asked by ABC's local affiliate in Miami to speak on camera about the new trends in jewelry for the coming season.  Here is the video and the link to the Facebook page. Enjoy!



http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10150451363603065

XOXO Dani K

I'm sad that summer is almost over, but work-wise I'm excited to announce that the Fall 2011 collection is here!  In the coming weeks, I will be posting a few special pieces here and there.  One of my new favorites  is the Isabella ring below.




If you are looking for a way to make a statement, well look no further.  This gorgeous jade and diamond piece is the perfect transition ring.  From day to night, from summer to fall, this precious beauty can do it all.

Can you dream it?

Love,
Dani K