And the Eye Bling Doesn’t Stop
October 3rd, 2007It’s better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick
She quickly turns to face her companion, hair swinging seductively, the two crystals dangling from her eyes swaying like two enormous tear drops suspended in time. Is this a scene from the latest sci-fi movie? A lost episode of Star Trek, perhaps? I’m afraid not. This is eye jewelry, and it’s the latest in almighty Fashion’s fetish for the weird and the wonderful.
Finally, those who shy away from the thought of tattooing those baby blues (or blacks, or browns) and cringe at the possibility of embedding stylish shards of metal in those limpid pools of green can participate in the eye-modification craze (crazy?) that is sweeping the industrialized world. One of Amsterdam designer Eric Willem Klarenbeek’s latest projects, eye jewelry consists of shiny baubles dangling from threads attached to the wearer’s contact lenses. Apparently, you haven’t reached the pinnacle of fashion until you’ve experienced swinging a crystal pendulum from your eye.
Yet, perhaps Mr. Klarenbeek is trying to make a statement other than one of fashion. Perhaps he is commenting on the haute monde’s tendency toward one-up-manship – toward fashion’s predilection for excess, its penchant for making life as uncomfortable as possible for the wearer. Here I’m reminded of the infamous Marie Antoinette’s convoluted coif, which took hours to construct and a king’s ransom in padding, pomade and ornamentation. Her most famous style featured a model of the “Belle Poule,” a French naval vessel, ensconced in her towering tresses.
If eye jewelry is Klarenbeek’s honest attempt at a fashion milestone, however, I’ve only one thing to say to the fashion forward: with a nod to France’s most infamous queen, Let them use eye drops!
