Elegance in simplicity

“Simplex munditiis” - elegant simplicity - was the rule the Roman poet Horace laid down for the uttermost refinement of taste. About 1,500 years later, Leonardo da Vinci is quoted as saying: “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication”, and about 5 more centuries later, Coco Chanel expressed her groundbreaking view on fashion by telling the world that “Simplicity is the keynote of all true elegance”.  

Countless philosophers, academicians and fashion designers have shared this wisdom over the centuries, and the statement still stands true today, 2,000 years later, as it was in Horace’s day.

As I make a living in the jewelry design business, I will aim this blog at jewelry, but the same standards can be applied for clothing, home decorating, event planning, etc. In my world simple elegance is a creative design that makes a statement through color, an unexpected element, a modern twist on old details, or simply trough the beauty of a pearl or gemstone. A piece of jewelry can be intricate or colorful without losing its elegance, provided that the materials and/or colors don’t clash.

There is no pre-established recipe for elegance. The way I see it, the most important part is that the piece(s) match the personality of the wearer. Determine your elegance by picking pieces that flatter your aesthetic persona and suit your personality. The first impression we make is a visual one, and the way we adorn ourselves can convey the impression we wish to represent. 

A bold necklace is a more playful jewelry item, perfect for a lively personality, while a delicate necklace will unveil a more quiet, romantic personality. Earrings on the other hand are sexier and flirty as they draw attention to the face and curve of the neck. Bracelets are classically sophisticated and effortlessly refined.

So elegance is simple… Or, simple is elegant… No matter how you spin it, you can have elegance in simplicity. 

Be elegant, be simple, shine on! 

To learn more about ADORA by Simona and our products visit http://www.adorabysimona.com or email simona@adorabysimona.com 

Adventures in Beverly Hills

Last month ADORA and I were in for a big treat. The Beverly Hills-kind of treat… It all started a few months prior when I got a phone call from Infinity Media, Inc. and was asked to participate as a product sponsor in this year’s Queen of the Universe Pageant event.  Of course I said yes, and off I went to buying supplies, creating, photographing, gift-wrapping and finally shipping my sponsorship package exactly one day before my self-imposed deadline.  

My part as a sponsor consisted of handcrafting original jewelry creations that were going to be offered as prizes for each of the 57 contestants. As a sign of appreciation, my husband and I had the pleasure to be invited by the organizers to attend the event as VIPs. Fun! Here I am in my "red carpet moment", just before going in to claim our seats. 

A few words about the event: An international beauty pageant created by Joyce Giraud in 2012, now at its second edition, Queen of the Universe is an amazing show where beautiful women from all over the world compete for the royal crown in a glamorous event. This year’s event took place at the Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills, California on March 16, 2014. 

The Queen of the Universe Pageant is a non-political, non-partisan platform for young women to achieve personal growth and development, to create dynamic communication skills, learn time management, and balance and establish a way of thinking that enables them to create the life they want to live. For more information about the pageant, please visit Queen of the Universe Pageant 2014.

For the event I created 54 pairs of unique earrings as a gift for the contestants. Each pair was meticulously handcrafted, and staying true to my “one-of-a-kind” motto, they feature a variety of gemstones, pearls and crystals in different shapes and colors, with no two pairs alike. For the winner of the Queen title and for the 1st and 2nd runner-ups I created three distinctive necklace and earring sets featuring mixed metals, Swarovski crystals and gemstones. A special gift was also created for the stunningly beautiful founder of this event, Joyce Giraud, actress, model, and a beauty pageant titleholder. She is a two-time Miss Puerto Rico, the 2nd runner up in the 1998 Miss Universe pageant, and had previously represented Puerto Rico at Miss World in 1994. She has recently joined the cast of the upcoming fourth season of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.

A gallery of designs featuring all the jewelry pieces that were gifted for this event is published in an online catalog that can be viewed by accessing the link below (if there are blank spaces please allow a minute for the pictures to download and without refreshing the page continue browsing by clicking the side arrows): View Gallery of Designs here.  I also created a short promotional video for the event: Watch promotional video here

 

The star-studded panel of judges had the very difficult task of selecting a queen among the 57 contestants, one more beautiful than the other. In the end, the Queen of the Universe 2014 title was awarded to Miss USA, beautiful Ariel D. King. Well-deserved, congratulations! In her year of reign as a Queen, she will promote awareness to helping the less privileged, contribute her full support in helping diverse charities, be an advocate for the needy, and most of all be a great ambassador of humanity and a role model for young women around the world.  May this time be filled with many wonderful new experiences for her, and let's wish that she does all the great things that she is destined for!

And..., it seems like she likes her gifts from us.  Here she is rocking her ADORA jewels at a party in LA last week. :)

To learn more about ADORA by Simona and our products, or our participation in this exclusive event, visit http://www.adorabysimona.com or email simona@adorabysimona.com