A piece from Andrew Prince’s collection
Andrew Prince loves jewelry, history and fashion with a passion.
“Jewelry is meant to be looked at, loved and worn. It’s fun stuff, so pile it on,” said Prince, a jewelry and gem historian, and a London-based designer.
His passion makes him a perfect fit for the PBS television series “Downton Abbey.” A designer and creator of jewelry for both television and film, Prince has created more than 150 adornments for characters in the period drama that recently was renewed for its sixth season.
Andrew Prince at work
On Saturday, Nov. 15 at 5:30 p.m., he will speak about jewelry and fashion at the DeWitt-Wallace Decorative Arts Museum. His talk, Downton to Gatsby: Jewellery and Fashion from 1890 to 1929, is part of the Distinguished Lecture Series.
The title of his talk hints that Crawleys might just come up. As those who watch the show can attest, the wealthier you were, the heavier the jewelry and the more complicated the clothing to accommodate it.
“(The wealthy) used jewelry as fabric,” Prince said. “A lot of the jewels had to be sewn into the fabric. Jewels and clothes were interchangeable.”
“This is why for me jewelry is so important. Not only does it make you happy, it is also a wonderful social thing. There is a tangible connection to people in the past.”
“Lots of people view jewelry as dead objects, but they are not. They are living things. They have amazing connections with the past,” Prince said.
In addition to his talk, which explores the connections between the great jewelers and couture houses, Prince will showcase a selection of his jewelry inspired by the “Downtown Abbey” series, including tiaras, brooches, earrings and necklaces. Items from the collection will be available in the museum store from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Nov. 15. Prince will also make an appearance in the store after his talk.
Besides designing jewelry for private clients, Prince has supplied numerous films and television programs with his jewelry, among them “The Young Victoria,” “Mrs. Henderson Presents” and even “Muppets Most Wanted.”
Our Museum page contains more event information .
The Distinguished Scholar Lecture Series is funded by the Horatio Hall Whitridge and Gracia Grieb Whitridge Lecture Series Endowment.
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