Editor’s Note
**Editor’s Note:** This article examines the surge in costume jewellery sales during the pandemic, driven by consumers seeking affordable, spontaneous purchases. We explore how high street retailers, including Next, are expanding their offerings in this category, with insights from supplier DCK Group.
Magpie-like consumers have caused sales of costume jewellery to soar during the pandemic, as they shop for fun, spontaneous and inexpensive purchases. High street retailers are increasingly happy to provide this category by adding it to their offers. Best known for supplying Topshop’s Freedom range, independent jewellery supplier DCK Group partnered with Next in June to create new launches in August. It includes 14 options of earrings, necklaces and bracelets made using recycled brass and freshwater pearls, at £20 or less, and will be stocked in the brand’s Carnaby pop-up shop and online. The business supplied Topshop’s Freedom jewellery range for more than 25 years, and has continued to do so since Asos bought the womenswear brand in February.
Kate Bryant, buying director at DCK, believes that the trend for costume jewellery has accelerated as a result of the pandemic. She added:
Rebecca Jones is senior jewellery buyer at a retailer with its own in-house jewellery range. It retails from £9.50 for a pair of stud earrings, to £35 for statement necklaces. It also has an affordable luxury range, starting at £12 for a pair of silver or gold-plated studs and rising to around £59.50 for a gold-plated necklace.
Oliver Bonas also has an exclusively online jewellery offering, which sells at higher price points. It launched the Flower Moon gold-plated jewellery collection in collaboration with influencer Liv Purvis exclusively online in June, priced at £45 for a pack of three pairs of gold-plated earrings to £95 for a gold-plated pendant necklace. Oliver Bonas does monthly drops of fashion jewellery and releases finer jewellery once every two months.
Jones explains that online sales of fine jewellery have risen from 17% of the total jewellery sales two years ago to 49% this year. She adds that brightly coloured costume jewellery and statement pieces have been the success story of its online jewellery sales.
A department store reports that sales of jewellery have been strong as consumers emerged from lockdown. It stocks jewellery from brands including Ralph Lauren, Vivienne Westwood, Alighieri, Crystal Haze, Anna Beck and Loverocks. Prices range from around £22 for a pair of rainbow stars drop earrings from Loverocks to vintage pieces that sell for hundreds of pounds.
Claridge observes a renewed interest in jewellery in lockdown:
Nikki Gewirtz, founder of jewellery brand Lola Rose, says:
The brand is stocked by John Lewis and Fenwick, and sells direct to consumer on its website. Retail prices start at £25 for bracelets and rise to £350 for more premium pieces.
Apee Bhutani, the co-founder of women’s and men’s wear store DAY in Peckham, south-east London, tells Drapers that jewellery was one its biggest sellers throughout all three national lockdowns, alongside lingerie. It currently stocks three jewellery brands: Dansk Copenhagen, Beho Studio and Enamel Copenhagen, which she added mid-July.
Bhutani says that getting the right mix of jewellery styles is crucial. DAY stocks Scandinavian brands such as Samsøe Samsøe and Coster Copenhagen, and so found jewellery brands to fit a similar aesthetic. Dansk pieces are minimalist, with sleek, simple designs such as drop earrings and chunky chain bracelets. Pieces are gold plated and retail prices range from £17 for a pair of earrings to £50 for necklaces.
Bhutani brought in Enamel Copenhagen to add a touch of colour to the store’s jewellery offer, after noticing the trend. The brand offers pastel-coloured beads on minimal pieces such as fine chain necklaces, bracelets and charm earrings. Retail prices range from £35 for a pair of sterling silver, gold-plated drop earrings to £115 for a sterling silver, 18k gold-plated necklace.
