Christina Applegate Designs Jewelry

 

Celebrity jewelry designers are a dime a dozen these days, but I'm happy to report Christina Applegate is flexing her creative muscles for a cause other than the status of her own bank account. 

People reports the pregnant Samantha Who? star is assisting designer, Alex Woo to create a pendant necklace to honor Breast Cancer Awareness month and raise money for her Right Action for Women foundation.  A breast cancer survivor, herself, Applegate was honored to be a part of the process.

“This piece reminds me so much of the roses I made out of ribbons for my friends and family while in the hospital,” Christina told People. “I am so grateful to Alex for creating such a beautiful piece to benefit Right Action for Women. Proceeds from the necklace will help women at high risk for breast cancer get the screenings and testing they need to beat this disease.”

The tree and branches within the pendant–offered in both silver ($198) and gold ($998)–are designed to signify balance, peace, harmony and the curves of a woman. The seven leaves represent each day of the week, reminding women to live everyday to the fullest.


Interested in joining the fight - and looking fabulous while you're at it? Visit alexwoo.com to purchase the tree necklace just in time for Breast Cancer Awareness month in October.

Celebrity Jewelry Line Round-Up

What would our lives be without the constant stream of celebrities selling jewelry? It seems like yesterday that Nicole Richie was one of the first to make a successful go of it, but now every reality show star and D-lister is throwing their hat in the ring.

Here are the latest names list to jump into the jewelry biz:

1. Nicky Hilton

Paris Hilton's more productive younger sister is launching a high quality/low price jewelry line inspired by her own collection.

“I’m a crazy jewelry collector,” Hilton tells WWD. “I’ve always known since I was a teenager that I wanted to do a line. Whenever I bought something, whether at a flea market in Paris or a bazaar in India, I’ve been collecting pieces.”

Her line will have styles inspired by her mother and grandmother's David Webb pieces in addition to some with an edgier feel a la spikes and snakes. The collection will range from $35-$480 and will be sold exclusively at Endless.com before branching off to other locations.


2. Priscilla Presley

Priscilla Presley's line for QVC is the aptly named Priscilla Presley Collection, a line of bracelets, necklaces, earrings, rings that's part rock-and-roll, part red carpet glam.

The former Mrs. Elvis launched her line yesterday with prices that range from $35 to $170.

3. Kim Kardashian

Kim Kardashian and her sisters Kourtney and Khloe already have a jewelry line with the brand Virgins, Saints & Angels, but Kim's solo stint with Loren Jewels brings her name to a higher-priced couture line of gems.

Loren Ridinger has often put her Loren Jewels on red carpet divas like Eva Longoria Parker, Jennifer Lopez and Alicia Keys, according to Luxist. The blue and white diamond earrings shown above have 38.62 carats of diamonds and sell for a cool $19,000.

4. Shoshanna Gruss (Lonstein)


This former Jerry Seinfeld flame and successful fashion designer is partnering with QVC darling, Judith Ripka, on a costume jewelry line that includes crystal heavy pieces and statement necklaces that sell for $20 to $80.

"I wanted my costume jewelry line to have the same versatility as my clothing line–a collection of pieces that can make a seamless transition from day into evening. I love being able to wear a dress to a daytime luncheon and then out to a concert later that night, with just a change of jewelry and accessories," Gruss told Fashionista.com

Her line launched yesterday on QVC with styles still available on www.qvc.com.

5. Christie Brinkley


Christie Brinkley's line on (you guessed it...) QVC was inspired by her Hamptons lifestyle. The Christie Brinkley Jewelry Collection is done in sterling silver and includes bracelets, cocktail rings and dangle earrings with quartz, sapphires, topaz, agate and other gems. Prices range from $45 for a woven leather bracelet to the higher priced gemstone bracelet pictured here for $393.

"This line is a celebration of all the things I love." said Brinkley in a press release.

Who is your favorite celebrity designer? Tori Spelling? Kelly Bensimon? Ramona Singer? I'm partial to Nicole Richie's House of Harlow line. Weigh in!

Chris Aire Jewelry Hits the Runway

Jewelry news makers we haven't heard much from lately are making big headlines this week.

First, The King of Bling - Jacob The Jeweler - is out of prison - working his way back from his reduced sentence at a Halfway-house. And Chris Aire, aka: The Ice Man, cometh to a runway in Beverly Hills to launch his new jewelry line, The Hollywood Collection.

A motley crue of Hollywood stars came out to support the bling-meister yesterday at the Beverly Hills Hotel, including Adrian Brody, Jermaine Jackson, a few of Diana Ross's offspring and the event's host, Cedric The Entertainer.

But the main event was the carat count on the catwalk as stunning bib necklaces, icy dog tags and bold statement earrings brought Aire's "Hollywood Collection" to life.

So what makes this line stand apart? All of the product is sourced from Aire's homeland, Nigeria.

"The purpose of my partnership with the Nigeria Ministry of Mines and Steel is to bring attention to the vast and largely untapped gold and gemstone resources in Nigeria, which I hope will stimulate investments and create jobs to provide additional revenue sources for the country," Aire said in a media release. "All of the materials in my collection were mined adhering to the highest standard of world labor laws."

The pieces are crafted in white, yellow and red gold and feature a rainbow of gemstone colors - from emeralds and sapphires to amethysts and tourmaline. Prices range from $500 to as high as $45,000.

While there are signs of Aire's blingy hip hop past (he is credited as the first to capitalize on the urban jewelry market), diamond dog tags are for the most part replaced by red carpet-ready statement necklaces and icy cuffs in this latest offering.

Does this mean the urban landscape of million-dollar grills, huge icy pendants and walnut-sized diamond studs has faded into jewelry history? Or will the bling be back as soon as Lil' Wayne gets out of the big house? Thoughts?