When You Are Not Ready to Say: Good-Bye

"Love went with you...
and love waits for you
each day until you're
home again."
(IT, December, 2015)

Runway Models

"Fashion had started to forget women in a way, and concentrate too march on the clothes. For me it made no sense. In fashion the biggest moment was when the models were celebrities - we all remember Naomi, Claudia, Carla, Linda. The woman had to come back; the curved woman, and different kinds of body shapes. I don't like skinny girls. I want to represent a real woman, not just a shadow or a ghost." (Olivier Rousteing of Balmain on the evolution of runway models from The Telegraph)

On the Future of Fashion

"Today when I see women trying a dress on, the first thing they do is take a picture: they want to see how they look in a photo. This is a phenomenon; I keep asking myself, did the photo replace the mirror? Do women today dress for their body or for the photograph - what is more important to them? Then I start to question the whole world of technology and its rapidity: the fact that you can click and delete, that you can click and appear. This is something about the process, about the workmanship versus technology and the speed of the photo. Is the only way to be heard today to scream on the screen? Is there a place for whispering?" (Alber Elbaz, formerly of Lanvin, on the future of fashion at AnOther, 2015)

Majestic Wonder of Bracelets

 Several lasting innovations in bracelet design occurred in the last decade. Silver became the most common material for link bracelets, cuffs and bangles. This trend started in the 20th century when manufacturers mass-produced silver jewelry, which was less expensive than gold but still had the sparkle of a precious metal that buyers loved. The preference for silver over yellow extended to industrial metals, such as silvery grey steel, titanium and tungsten. Industrial metals are now the dominant material in men's bracelets. As the green-living movement grows, more people are demanding natural materials in their wardrobe; to learn more, read our guide on the best bracelets inspired by nature. Finally, today's young people often wear simple bracelets to support social causes and showcase group identity; their banner can be a colorful rubber band, dangling charm or even a piece of string.

Frequently, it is made in a decorative style, and is worn as jewelry. It may have a supportive function, such as holding a wristwatch or other items of jewelry such as religious symbols or charms. Medical and identity information is marked on some bracelets, such as allergy bracelets, hospital patient-identification tags, and bracelet tags for newborn babies. If a bracelet is a single, inflexible loop, it is often called a bangle. When it is worn around the ankle it is called an ankle bracelet or anklet. A boot bracelet is used to decorate boots. Colloquially, handcuffs are sometimes called bracelets. Bracelets can be manufactured from metal, leather, cloth, plastic or other materials and sometimes contain jewels, rocks, wood, shells, crystals, metal or plastic hoops, pearls and many more materials.

What We Know About Bracelets

During the 20th century, consumers could find bracelets of almost any design imaginable. Bracelets also became more affordable as mass production increased the availability of fashion jewelry. By the 1920s, the ornate designs of the late 19th century gave way to the clean lines of the Art Deco period. Designers added Bakelite and plastics to jewelry in the 1930s and made plastic bangles a wardrobe staple for teen girls. Women and girls adored charm bracelets made of gold-plated brass or sterling silver in the 1950s, but by the 1970s, and until the turn of the century, women wanted variety in their fashion. They wore wide cuffs, slender bangles, beaded strands and thin chains. Men started wearing bracelets again, usually choosing gold or sterling silver link chains.