The 1980s was a time of contrasts—Reaganonmics raging and the Berlin Wall crumbling, MTV bringing its raucous musical influence into every living room, and technology from the Sony Walkman to VHS to personal computers changing how people connected to the world.
The bold, unapologetic attitude of that decade inspired Orit Elhanati’s latest jewelry collection, Monochrome. Its statement pieces are a clash of yellow gold and dark, geometric stones. Black hearts seem to glare at petite princess-cut diamonds. Big, boxy pendants contrast with sleek chokers bearing pale opals.
There’s a purposeful push and pull to the work, reflecting the ’80s with its contrasts of punk, minimalism, and neon maximalism, Elhanati says.
Elhanati’s life, too, has had contrasts, starting with a childhood split between Israel and Copenhagen. Today, Elhanati is settled in Copenhagen, and her brand, Elhanati, represents some sense of everything she has seen and experienced.
“I grew up in a captivating blend of cultures, as my roots hail from the Middle East and Denmark, where I was deeply influenced by both worlds,” Elhanati says. “My inclination toward Middle Eastern and Nordic fusion allowed me to create a universe of my own, where I could merge these distinct cultures into one cohesive design language.”
An example of those earliest influences is Elhanati’s Palma Tag, one of her first jewelry pieces from when she founded the company in 2012. Her mother wore a tag necklace every day in Israel, Elhanati says, and the necklace evokes that memory and the stories she wants to tell through jewelry. Palma, incidentally, is her daughter’s name.
As a designer, Elhanati is not afraid to take on shapes other jewelry designers might avoid. Her Mediterranean Rock collection is an example: It is meant to make the viewer think of cliffs and jagged rocks found along shoreline, but it also looks like something from another planet.
That collection, much like Monochrome, offers pieces that are at once raw and well crafted, and could be worn by a man as well as a woman. These pieces are designed to keep you looking, Elhanati says, and they achieve it through texture, shape, and material.
“I dedicated myself to creating unique pieces of jewelry that echoed my cultural blend and emotions. But what matters is that these experiences taught me the power of combining disparate influences into cohesive designs,” Elhanati says. “I strive to blend the contrasting elements of extravagance and calmness, finding beauty in asymmetry and the power of textures.”
Monochrome debuted this spring at Bergdorf Goodman when the store began carrying the Elhanati brand, and it seemed to connect to a retro trend of the moment. But even if a return to the 1980s aesthetic fades, Elhanati says these pieces are strong enough to stand on their own.
“My jewelry is meant to be passed on, to store memories, and to come alive when worn,” Elhanati says. “It’s about making pieces that become part of the person’s journey, something that outlives us, and connects generations.”
Top: Orit Elhanati brings the punk 1980s back with her Monochrome collection that contrasts gold, dark gemstones, and princess-cut diamonds in its pieces. (Photos courtesy of Elhanati)
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