Like many flea market goers, one of my major hunts when I'm at one is vintage costume jewelry. I love the thrill of rummaging through trays of baubles and finding that hidden 1940's cocktail ring or that 1980's owl necklace that screams my name. If you're lucky, you may even find some true gems at a bargain price. Last weekend, at a visit to my fav Brooklyn Flea (it's moved to Dumbo for the winter until the Fort Greene location reopens in April), I scored an amazing silver cuff bracelet by Trafari that sports a crossover between the graphic jewelry this season and the bangle trend coming up for spring.
The story of Trifari began in the late 1910's, but it wasn't until the 1930's when jewelry designer Andrew Phillipe joined the company that it began flourishing as a major costume jeweler. Costume jewelry became widely popularized thanks to Madame Coco Chanel, and also due to the shortage of materials during WWII. Trifari made its celebrity fame after First Lady Mamie Eisenhower wore its triple-strand pearl necklace at the Presidential Inauguration in 1952. The company continued to deliver bold and exotic jewelry designs throughout the following decades, but the Trifari legacy finally came to an end in 2000.
Image backdrop: Madonna in W Magazine Issue March 09
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