This Chinese New Year, Carrie K. offers a fresh twist on traditional pearl and jade jewellery
20 January 2022
Carrie K’s first collaboration with cheongsam specialist Lai Chan sees both houses share a refreshing take on modern Asian culture
If you were to picture someone wearing a cheongsam with jade or pearl jewellery, chances are you’ll be thinking of a grand aunt or perhaps your sartorially gifted mother. Very elegant, albeit traditional and maybe a little old-fashioned. But as local jeweller Carrie K. and avant-garde cheongsam master Lai Chan skilfully demonstrate, it doesn’t only have to be this way.
Sparkling conversation with their fresh twist on the traditional Chinese cheongsam and heritage jewellery, the two houses jointly designed a special capsule collection to usher in Chinese New Year 2022. By reimagining iconic Chinese symbols such as the majestic phoenix, the empress, and quirky but cute little bats, which actually symbolise good fortune in Chinese belief, they’ve brought us a selection of modern cheongsams matched with contemporary jade jewellery that marry traditional values with creative flair.
Both Lai Chan as well as Carrie K have chosen their materials purposefully, where the former juxtaposed innovative yet luxurious fabrics in his handcrafted cheongsams, while the latter presented a youthful take on pearls and jade. Her pieces are handcrafted in 14K rose gold, set with diamonds, and feature hand-polished Type A ice jade or green jade.
The Carrie K. Fu collection consists of a full suite of jewellery pieces all of which embrace the designer’s philosophy of modernity meets versatility, so everyone can express their own personal style. Earrings can be worn as simple studs or stacked with a matching jacket. Rings can be worn solo or together with other Carrie K pieces. The twisty bangle slips on and off so effortlessly we’re happy to wear it every day.
But the pieces that really spotlight the Carrie K. spirit are the pearl clip and the Duo connector which offer more ways to play around with Carrie K.’s exclusive Pearl Bar necklaces and customise a brand new look. Consider an elegant string of baroque pearls, double tour and extended with metal chains, then accented with colourful ice or green jade.
That all sounds like a lot, but hey it’s Chinese New Year. After the festivities, just rearrange the pieces to create any look you want, from work-appropriate to date night-ready.
Carrie K.’s Fu collection is available online here and at the Carrie K. Fine Jewellery Atelier located at the National Design Centre.
