《John Hardy @ SS2012》

John Hardy's SS2012 collection is rooted in modern, clean and feminine design that is highlighted with more extravagant swathes of color. The lush fields and sparkling waterways of Bali set the inspiration for John Hardy’s recognizable Bamboo, Bedeg, Kali, Classic Chain and Dot styles. Extending Fall 2011’s new Sliced Bamboo motif, the Spring collection features smooth, clean silver pieces as well as fresh shots of color. The innovative Bamboo Rope necklace is a long, supple stretch of silver bamboo, made of 117 individually carved sections. Facetted stones and lava pavé add a bright jolt of color in the Bamboo Silver Lava pieces, perfect for an elegant celebration of spring. Each purchase from the Bamboo collection yields corresponding seedling contributions through John Hardy’s ‘Wear Bamboo, Plant Bamboo’ program.

The design for the cosmic Naga dragon collection is interpreted this season in bold, lightweight pieces of open work, among the trickiest techniques to skillfully execute. Rhythmical patterns of Naga scales like delicate lace intimately reveal flashes of skin underneath. The feminine and sublime silver pattern is edged with the gold Dot motif, making it easy to mix collections.

 

 

  

In Bali, the fanciful Colibri bird symbolizes the quest for beauty. For the Bedeg collection, the sleek, linear styles of the French Art Deco Rattan motif contrast with the graceful, intricate hand-carved renderings of the Colibri tucked on the back grills of these silver pieces. The interior carvings are like a secret only for the wearer, delighting in the knowledge that beauty is inside and out of her treasured keepsake. With the Hidden Kali motif, the design plays with the tension between the detail of the Kali river stone pattern and the boldness of unadorned satin-finish silver. The Kali motif curls around the edges of organic pieces of silver, subtly revealing the pattern lining and the back grill underneath. In some styles, the high shine surface is covered in lava pavé for true decadence. The oversized silver pieces create big impact for any outfit.

Inspired by the billowing sails of Balinese fishermen's boats and the play of light on water, the Palu motif is distinctly John Hardy. For Spring, the collection continues to play with the traditional hammering technique, covering curved sterling silver and 22k gold pieces in graduated patterns. The battered texture deflects light subtly to appear as if it were coming from the wearer herself. This season, the Classic Chain collection takes the rich tapestry of kepang – or braiding – to new heights of glamour by intermingling strands of silver covered in lava pavé. The textured twists of silver and 18K gold are also accented with the sparkle of always-enviable diamonds. The contrast between the pavé and the traditional braiding makes the pieces elegant, yet wearable every day.

  

  

The Dot collection goes back to basics for Spring 2012, with some subtle twists. Hand-soldered by Balinese artisans in exact symmetry, the bold geometric pattern is rendered without oxidation, yielding a glamorous, high-fashion tone-on-tone effect. Mix and match these clean, contemporary cuffs and bangles with other John Hardy bracelets for a collected look.