Jewelry Joins the Parisian 'Haute' World

Jewelry used to be the under-appreciated step-sister of the Parisian Haute Couture world - that apex of fashion events that brings the best and the brightest to the shores of the Seine twice a year.

To even be allowed to use the term “haute couture,” one has to follow a Miss Manners' rulebook full of do's and don'ts - with very few designers making the cut (only seven houses are showing this week, for example).

But this year, jewelry brands are finally allowed to show alongside the frocks - a first for the buttoned-up world of high fashion (see Nick Foulkes' informative article in Newsweek for an in-depth look at the topic).

Van Cleef & Arpels, Chanel and Dior are among the select few to join the 'haute' crowd. And while the haute joaillerie can be seen by appointment only, it doesn't stop the looky-loo in me from wondering what on earth could be in the coffers for those who can afford the best the jewelry world has to offer.

Here is a link to a previous 'haute' offering from Dior that's at the top of my covet list and a few shots of pieces from the Paris jewelry shows earlier this year.

Want more? Stay tuned for a recap of my favorite Paris Couture runway jewelry looks tomorrow - including some crazy cuffs from Chanel and fairy-tale sized necklaces from Jean Paul Gaultier.

Yum!