Christian Lacroix 1990s Necklace

At a time when sharp padded shoulders and crisp lines were trending, Christian Lacroix created venturesome clothing that was bubbly, flirtatious and exuberant.

The iconic French fashion designer, whose body of work includes handbags and purses, evening dresses, jackets and lots more, has always favored theater over fashion. He has long integrated corsets and bustles into his work, drawing on diverse cultures and citing epic historical dramas as inspirations. Today he is creating opera costumes, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that his colorful and voluminous garments captured the excesses and defined the extravagant frivolity of the 1980s as well as the sensuality and boldness of the 1990s.

Lacroix studied art history at the University of Montpellier and museum studies at École du Louvre and the Sorbonne in Paris. He aspired to become a museum curator or costume designer but instead entered the world of fashion, specifically haute couture, with the support of his now-wife Françoise Rosenthiel, who helped get his sketches to Hermès. Lacroix was offered an assistant job at the legendary luxury brand and later worked as a designer at the House of Patou in 1981.

Lacroix’s career flourished and his profile soared from then on, as he established his own label in 1987, using layers of fabric and consistently clashing prints in his designs for opulent pouf skirts, vibrant floral maxi day dresses as well as jewelry and watches that commanded attention. He created a ready-to-wear line for Italian manufacturer Genny and dressed dancers at the American Ballet Theatre company.

Lacroix became the artistic director of Italian fashion house Emilio Pucci in 2002, and, over time, he continued to secure work in the fields of theater, opera and other performance art, designing costumes for a range of stage productions. Alongside designs by Stella McCartney, Karl Lagerfeld and others, Madonna wore a corset during her 2004 “Re-Invention World Tour” that was created for her by Lacroix.

Today, the maison founded by the designer in 1987 is owned by the Falic Fashion Group, but Lacroix continues to design womenswear for brands such as Desigual as well as for the stage. His larger-than-life aesthetic has also been translated into a range of accessories and fragrances as well as various interior furnishings such as tableware and household linens. Lacroix has completed interior design projects at a number of hotels and has partnered with the likes of Christofle and other firms over the years. In whatever form it takes, the sumptuousness and glamour of a Lacroix design is unmistakable.

Find a range of vintage Christian Lacroix clothing, jewelry and accessories on 1stDibs.

We are fortunate to know much of the world’s long and dazzling history of necklaces, as this type of jewelry was so treasured that it was frequently buried with its owners.

Lapis lazuli beads adorned necklaces unearthed from the royal graves at the ancient Iraqi civilization of Sumer, while the excavation of King Tut’s burial chamber revealed a sense of style that led to a frenzy of Art Deco designs, with artisans of the 1920s seeking to emulate the elegant work crafted by Ancient Egypt’s goldsmiths and jewelry makers. 

In ancient times, pendant necklaces worn by royalty and nobles conferred wealth and prestige. Today, wearing jewelry is about personal expression: Luxury diamond necklaces exude confidence and can symbolize the celebratory nature of a deep romantic relationship, while paper-clip chain-link necklaces designed by the likes of goldsmith Faye Kim are firmly planted in the past as well as the present. Kim works exclusively with eco-friendly gold, and these fashionable, fun accessories owe to the design of 19th-century watch fobs. 

For some, necklaces are thought of as being a solely feminine piece, but this widely loved accessory has been gender-neutral for eons. In fact, just as women rarely took to wearing a single necklace during the Renaissance, men of the era layered chains and valuable pendants atop their bejeweled clothing. In modern times, the free-spirited hippie and counterculture movements of the 1960s saw costume-jewelry designers celebrating self-expression through colorful multistrand necklaces and no shortage of beads, which were worn by anyone and everyone. 

Even after all of these years, the necklace remains an irrefutable staple of any complete outfit. Although new trends in jewelry are constantly emerging, the glamour and beauty of the past continue to inform modern styles and designs. In a way, the cyclical history of the necklace differs little from its familiar looped form: The celebrated French jewelry house Van Cleef & Arpels found much inspiration in King Tut, and, now, their Alhambra collection is a go-to for modern royals. Vintage necklaces designed by David Webb — whose work landed him on the cover of Vogue in 1950, two years after opening his Manhattan shop — were likely inspired by the ornamental styles of ancient Greece, Mesopotamia and Egypt. 

On 1stDibs, browse top designers like Cartier, Tiffany & Co. and Bulgari, or shop by your favorite style, from eye-catching choker necklaces to understated links to pearl necklaces and more.