Recent Developments

"We are most definitely living in “interesting times” says Barbara Campbell of Gablestone Partners (j3) There is so much turmoil in the world at the moment and, with the additional shock waves of BREXIT, there is no sign that this is abating. In terms of trends I think we are seeing designers responding to this by returning to natural materials and using colours inspired by nature to bring calm into our lives and give us comfort. 

                                                                                                                                Brown tones are making a major comeback — copper tones, dark chocolate, caramel and toffee, in addition to olive and deep tonal blues. All are very much rooted in nature.

I am enjoying the move in current design to an appreciation of comfort … there is a distinct lack of stilettos on the catwalk this year! Bronzallure study the “art of gesture” to ensure that their collections are always comfortable to wear. I believe this Italian-inspired design, and their respect for traditional jewellery methods, are at the heart of their continued popularity.
In addition to colours inspired by nature, there is a strong focus on natural materials such as tweeds, leathers and sheepskin, reinforcing our desire to make connections through the items we are wearing and using. I feel the renewed interest in up-cycling — taking elements of the past and updating them to provide a modern twist is part of this desire for connections. In jewellery there is an increased popularity of natural stones as can be seen in the Elemental Collection at COCO88. 

​For our business the trend in rose gold continues to grow but there are indications that there is a renewed interest in yellow gold. At Gablestone Partners our broad brand portfolio allows us to provide gifts that meet all our retailers’ needs.