Imprints
Jason Says Keep It Personal
Marilyn may have said that diamonds are a girl’s best friend, but for celebrity stylist Jason Bolden, jewellery is far more than an accessory. It’s a piece of a person’s story. Drawing inspiration from the Hollywood sirens of yesteryear, Bolden never misses a chance to make his clients sparkle, both on and off the red carpet.
Q: How and when did you begin collaborating with Bucherer Fine Jewellery?
A: I’ve always been a fan. Just the craftsmanship, you know? And their beautiful, stunning stones. I think the first time I worked with the Maison was when I styled Vanessa Hudgens for the CFDA Fashion Awards. Then there was Sabrina Carpenter, and more recently, Cynthia Erivo. It’s been a while… the collaboration is something that has just felt really authentic to me.
Q: How so?
A: I’m a jewellery fanatic. I think it was something that was sort of passed down from watching my grandmother and my mother collect and adorn themselves with it. Jewellery is so personal, and in the celebrity red carpet world, it brings the perfect, personal element to a look.
Q: How does styling jewellery for the red carpet differ from styling it for editorials?
A: For me, in an editorial, you can be a bit bolder and more “stackable,” in a way. You know, because it’s not reality. You can showcase jewellery in a different kind of way. For example, in an editorial shoot, you could hold a beautiful necklace in your hand without properly wearing it.
For the red carpet (I’m a red carpet guy; I love it through and through), it’s just that final, personal touch, like I was saying before. It’s that thing that sends the look to the next level. It validates the dress, the glam, the shoes in a different kind of way that I feel, for a while, we began to miss. When you think back to the 60s through the 80s, the jewellery was so important, but then people got a little quiet about it, and now it’s back in a way that is reminiscent of those moments—those big, bold red carpet moments. That’s what I love, and that’s why I got into the business.
Q: And when it comes to diamonds, what do you think that specific stone adds to a look?
A: This might sound very generic, but it’s truly authentic. The sparkle. Diamonds sparkle in a different kind of way. I’m always thinking about how to lift a look on the red carpet. Diamonds
do that. There’s also a certain strength and courage in diamonds and jewellery in general,
especially when worn with simpler looks.
Q: From a fashion aesthetics perspective, what do you think distinguishes Bucherer Fine Jewellery creations?
A: Craftsmanship. Craftsmanship. Pure craftsmanship, for me. There’s kind of nothing like it.
Q: Do you have any favourite looks that were styled with Bucherer Fine Jewellery pieces?
A: You know what’s so funny? I love what we did with Vanessa Hudgens at CFDA. It did everything that I’ve been talking about: the jewellery became this bonus to the look. It finished it in such a way that felt truly authentic and personal. It gave me that Old Hollywood thing that I search for when I style.
Q: Have you noticed any jewellery or diamond trends that have caught your eye?
A: What I’ve noticed the most is people mixing stones, deciding to combine a white diamond with an emerald or keeping them in close proximity. This seems to be very popular. I’ve also noticed people gravitating towards things that feel a bit more Victorian.
Q: You’ve mentioned how personal jewellery can be. How do you think it figures into personal style?
A: For me, jewellery becomes part of your foundation. It’s similar to the way people talk about fragrance and the way you can remember someone by the perfume they wear. Jewellery can have the same effect. For me, in my personal life, and for my clients, I encourage people to wear the same jewellery pieces over and over, because it’s very identifiable.
But more than that, jewellery is something that creates a sense of legacy. It becomes a part of your history. It’s one of those things that gets passed down, and for that reason, holds a really special place in our lives. Jewellery is tied to memory.
