Peiro’s Jewelry Takes Stage at New York Fashion Week

A model poses in a necklace by Didier Peiro

It’s fashion week in New York. The catwalks are built and the bulbs are flashing. Jewelry usually takes a backseat to the clothes and ends up somewhere in the accessories closet. This year, however, renowned jewelry designer Didier Peiro paired his collection with Andres-Aquino’s couture line at Saturday night’s Couture show in the Grand Ballroom of the Waldorf Astoria.

As models strutted down the runway in Andres-Aquino’s clothes, Peiro’s pieces were the stars. Peiro combines Old-World glamour with a modern spin. Vintage lace dipped in gold and adorned with intricate displays of gemstones gave models a sophisticated simplicity with a touch of fantasy. Intricate metal works from India and Morocco were adorned with faceted colored stones to give structure, color and finesse to each piece.

"I don't follow trends. I don't care what others are doing. I design what I am inspired to create,” Peiro told IDEX Online before the show.

Peiro’s designs state that big is in – structure, color and quantity. Intricate metal work, especially etching, gives pieces a personal complexity. For Peiro, A bold piece of jewelry isn’t just an accessory; it’s a refreshment to an entire wardrobe.

Though many mainstream jewelry trends have signaled a shift to electro-form to create structure, Peiro focuses on the soul of a piece. If he works with gold, then it is 24 karat. If he wants a diamond, then that is what will be there. A close friend nicknamed Peiro “Gepetto,” which he takes to heart. He breathes life into each piece, giving them movement and dimension.

Having trained to be a cabinetmaker like his father, Peiro found the constrictions of construction too overbearing and searched for a design outlet that allowed him more creativity. His travels abroad led him to gemstones.

“It was the gem that lead me to create jewelry, not the other way around,” Peiro said.