Sunday Lifestyle

Diane von Furstenburg and the women of H. Stern

January 15, 2012 | 12:00am

Diane von Furstenberg first arrived in New York in the early ‘70s as a young Jewish woman and, at 26 years old, she became a successful multi-millionaire fashion mogul and single mom to the children from her marriage to an Austro-Italian prince.

Her strength and her achievements have inspired many in the fashion industry, including famed jewelry company, H.Stern. “What attracted us to Diane von Furstenberg is her personal style and her many accomplishments over the years. She’s a self-made woman who started at a time when self-made women didn’t exist. She is also a businesswoman with a powerful, yet feminine aura surrounding her,” says Roberto Stern, H.Stern’s creative director.

Christina Applegate keeps it classic by wearing H.Stern earrings to promote her upcoming series Up All Night at an NBC bash in LA.

Embodying the spirit and character of DvF, H.Stern has created a line of jewelry that appeals to today’s working woman, while embodying style and grace. Under the name Diane von Furstenberg by H. Stern, the 45-piece collection is crafted in 18k gold, diamonds and precious gemstones, and grouped into five chapters: Power Rings, Sutra, Love Knot, Rock Crystal and Harmony. The Power Rings represent Diane’s charisma, her drive and determination, and epitomize the empowerment of modern women. The bold yellow gold Sutra bracelets are engraved with Diane’s inspirational words: love, laughter, creativity, harmony, integrity, peace, abundance and knowledge. Diane’s extensive travels and search for inner-peace inspired the creation of the Harmony chapter. A one-of-a-kind heart-shape bag made entirely of 18K yellow gold completes the collection.

Model wearing wearing pieces from the Noble Gold collection of H.Stern. Noble Gold is a unique alloy of metals resulting in a neutral tone of 18k gold that combines the elegance of white gold and the warmth of yellow gold. H.Stern is available at Adora in Greenbelt 5, Ayala Center Makati.

Diane collaborates on this collection not only as a designer, but as a true connoisseur of fine jewelry. Each piece has endless possibilities and can be customized to one’s unique personal style through adornments and accents — bracelets connect to bracelets to create necklaces, and Talisman charms can be added to hoop earrings, necklaces and Sutra link bracelets, marking special occasions and events. The jewels within this collection allow women to express their uniqueness while having fun with their investment.

In addition to the Diane von Furstenburg by H.Stern collection, women may also celebrate their success and femininity by adorning themselves in the other jewelry collections of H.Stern. The Sunrise collection, in varying shades of citrine, is influenced by architectural design, and highlights the beauty of gemstones and all the hues of nature. In contrast to the brilliance of Sunshine, Moonlight is inspired by the soft glow of the moon. Featuring antique-cut rock crystal gems, they appeal to women looking for clean, understated, and romantic elegance. Continuing to draw inspiration from nature, the Nature Top collection features a delicate pattern of entwined leaves and branches made up of a vibrant combination of diamonds and colored stones.

Nature and fashion icons aren’t the only sources of inspiration for H.Stern. The Cobblestones collection references the famed Rua das Pedras, a famous cobblestone-paved street in Buzios, Brazil. Finding beauty even in irregularly shaped stones, the design of this collection enhances their brilliance and transparency. H. Stern also found an unlikely muse in lizards. Though regarded as the most common of reptiles, lizards are praised in many cultures as symbols of luck. The Lizard collection was produced in grandiose pieces covered with bright pave-set gemstones in three color schemes: red rubies and green tourmalines, white diamonds and rock crystals, and cognac diamonds and fume quartz.

Drew Barrymore dazzling in DvF by H.Stern Love-Knot earrings. Diane von Furstenberg chose the Love-Knot as her signature in the jewelry line because it is a Tibetan symbol of everlasting love.

All his life, the founder and namesake of H.Stern, Howard Stern, sought to change the world’s perception of the gems that he so loved, such as tourmalines, topazes, amethyst, and citrines by promoting their exotic beauty and value. As such, women who wear H.Stern are aware that it isn’t the rocks on their jewelry that matter, but the care and design that went into each piece. In this way, women can believe, that like Diane von Furstenburg, they can make the symbolic transition from “banal little Jewish girl” to one of the most successful living icons today.

* * *

In the Philippines, H.Stern is exclusively available at Adora in Greenbelt 5, Ayala Center, Makati.