Behind the Jackie (Kennedy) Necklace

Sometimes a piece begins with a stone. Sometimes with an old object, a detail in a painting, or something we come across while looking through photographs from another era.

The Jackie Long Necklace began with a handful of photographs of Jackie Kennedy.

We kept returning to images of her from the 1970s wearing long, substantial gold necklaces. What caught our attention was not one particular necklace, but the way she wore them. Long chains layered over the simplest clothes, often with very little else. A fitted knit, a shirt, a pair of trousers, oversized sunglasses, and a beautiful piece of jewellery doing most of the work.

There was something wonderfully effortless about it.

The inspiration

Jackie Kennedy’s style has been documented endlessly, but it is often the less formal photographs that we find most interesting.

Away from the perfectly composed dresses and occasion jewellery, there was another side to her wardrobe. Simple separates, rich neutral colours, beautifully cut trousers and long necklaces worn almost casually.

In several photographs we found, the necklaces have a particularly strong presence. The links are substantial and the length is generous, yet nothing feels excessive. Against such restrained clothing, the jewellery becomes part of the silhouette.

The Jackie Long Necklace is our interpretation of that idea.