Kenneth Lane Huge diamond drop earrings
About the Item
- Creator:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1980's
- Condition:Excellent.
- Seller Location:New York, NY
- Reference Number:1stDibs: AU120224247586
Kenneth Jay Lane
The father of so-called “fabulous fakes,” Kenneth Jay Lane was a spirited innovator within the jewelry industry, designing elegant and luxurious pieces without the use of real jewels. And while Lane aspired to create classic designs for earrings, bracelets and necklaces intended for everyday wear, his pieces caught the attention of celebrities, royalty and socialites.
From a young age, the Detroit, Michigan-born Lane was a lover of fashion. He studied at the Rhode Island School of Design and the University of Michigan. He pursued a design career in New York City, and a failed start in the art department of Vogue magazine led to a decade of designing shoes for the likes of Delman and Christian Dior.
Lane would occasionally develop shoe designs for friends he had in the fashion world such as Bill Blass and Arnold Scaasi. A show for the latter afforded him the opportunity to beautify shoes with rhinestones and create bangles and earrings to pair with the footwear — he found plastic bracelets at discount variety store and had them embellished by craftspeople at a shoe factory.
A love for costume jewelry design emerged thereafter. Lane created his own collection and admirers such as Jackie Kennedy and Elizabeth Taylor showered him with praise. A pearl necklace he designed was worn by Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s. In the early 1960s, ready-to-wear pioneer Hattie Carnegie purchased Lane’s jewelry line. Lane was given the position of design director for Carnegie but he soon changed course, moving instead into a small studio and pursuing his own path.
Lane worked with milk glass, gilded silver hardware, faux coral and other materials, and sold pendant necklaces, dangle earrings and modern bracelets to private customers. He was fond of renowned fine jewelry houses Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels and designers such as Jean Schlumberger, and cited having found inspiration in Egyptian and Indian jewelry over the years as well as Art Deco jewelry. Lane’s designs, which he called “faque” and “junque,” became well-known for their distinctive color combinations and clever characteristics such as embroidery. By the time he purchased a small jewelry factory in Providence, Rhode Island, where his accessories would be made during the 1960s, Lane had secured relationships with top Manhattan boutiques and his work had caught the attention of fashion magazines.
Directed by the filmmaker Gisèle Roman, a 2018 documentary about Lane’s life and work called Fabulously Fake: The Real Life of Kenneth Jay Lane features interviews with legendary fashion designers Carolina Herrera, Tory Burch and Diane von Furstenberg.
On 1stDibs, find a collection of vintage Kenneth Jay Lane brooches, rings and other accessories.
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: New York, NY
- Return PolicyThis item cannot be returned.
- Signed Terika Blake Sterling and poured glass clip-on earringsBy Terika BlakeLocated in New York, NYTerika Blake Sterling Silver clip-on earrings with poured-glass set in deep hues of iridescence colors of the spectrum. The earrings are signed with the jeweler's name written in ful...Category
1990s American Clip-on Earrings
MaterialsSterling Silver
- Clip-on earrings in gold with coral and pearl accentsLocated in New York, NYGilded gold hardware clip-on earrings are accented with faux coral and pearl accents, giving a very polished appearance. The length measures 2 1/4", 1" in width, 3/4" in depth.Category
Vintage 1980s Unknown Clip-on Earrings
- Guy Laroche deep navy & gold earrings & tack-pin setBy Guy LarocheLocated in New York, NYGuy Laroche gilded yellow gold clip-on earrings with matching tack pin are centered with deep-navy colored baked enamel. The clip-on earrings measures 1 1/2" in height, 1 1/2"...Category
Vintage 1980s French Clip-on Earrings
- Clip-on earrings in gold with turquoise and pearl accentsLocated in New York, NYThese clip-on earrings in gilded gold hardware with faux turquoise andfaux pearl accents lents a air of elegant in appearance. The earrings measures 2 1/4" in height, 1" in wid...Category
Vintage 1980s Unknown Chandelier Earrings
- Lucite with emerald set clip-on earringsLocated in New York, NYThese simple yet elegant clip-on earrings are in lucite with an faux emerald setting with a gold hardware border. Earrings measures 1 1/2" in length, 1 1/8" in width, 1/2" in depth.Category
Vintage 1980s Unknown Clip-on Earrings
- Huge "Heart" Ear ClipsLocated in New York, NYThis wonderfully wicked '80s "Heart" Ear clips measures 1 1/8" in width, 1 1/8" in height and 1/2" in depth.Category
Vintage 1980s Italian Clip-on Earrings
- 12.50 Carat Yellow Sapphire Rhodolite White Diamond Yellow Gold Clip-On EarringsBy Luigi FerraraLocated in Naples, ITThese Earrings are made of 14K Yellow Gold with 18K Yellow Gold Clips. These Earrings have 0.14 Carats of White Diamonds. These Earrings have 12.50 Carats of Yellow Sapphires. These ...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Renaissance Clip-on Earrings
MaterialsDiamond, White Diamond, Garnet, Sapphire, Yellow Sapphire, 14k Gold, 18k...
- 1.40 Carat White Rose Cut Diamond Enamel Yellow Gold Clip-On Flowers EarringsBy Luigi FerraraLocated in Naples, ITThese Earrings are made of 9K Yellow Gold and Sterling Silver. These Earrings have 1.40 Carats of White Rose Cut Diamonds. These Earrings have also Black Enamel. All our Earrings ha...Category
Late 20th Century Italian Art Nouveau Clip-on Earrings
MaterialsDiamond, White Diamond, Yellow Gold, Enamel, 9k Gold, Sterling Silver
- Art Deco Style White Diamond Yellow Sapphire Lapis Yellow Gold Clip-On EarringsBy Luigi FerraraLocated in Naples, ITThese Earrings are made of 14K Yellow Gold. These Earrings have 2.90 Carats of White Brilliant Cut and Baguette Cut Diamonds. These Earrings have 14.00 Carats of Yellow Emerald Cut S...Category
Late 20th Century Italian Art Deco Clip-on Earrings
MaterialsDiamond, White Diamond, Lapis Lazuli, Sapphire, Yellow Sapphire, 14k Gol...
- Art Deco Style White Diamond Chrysoprase Onyx Yellow Gold Clip-On EarringsBy Luigi FerraraLocated in Naples, ITFor any problems related to some materials contained in the items that do not allow shipping and require specific documents that require a particular period, please contact the selle...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Art Deco Clip-on Earrings
MaterialsWhite Diamond, Chrysophrase, Diamond, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
- Art Deco Style Mediterranean Red Coral White Diamond Onyx White Gold EarringsBy Luigi FerraraLocated in Naples, ITFor any problems related to some materials contained in the items that do not allow shipping, please contact the seller with a private message to solve the problem. We can ship every...Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Art Deco Clip-on Earrings
MaterialsCoral, Diamond, White Diamond, Onyx, 14k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
- Art Nouveau Style White Diamond Emerald Pearl Yellow Gold Clip-On EarringsBy Luigi FerraraLocated in Naples, ITFor any problems related to some materials contained in the items that do not allow shipping, please contact the seller with a private message to solve the problem. We can ship every...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Art Nouveau Drop Earrings
MaterialsDiamond, White Diamond, Emerald, Pearl, Cultured Pearl, South Sea Pearl,...