Designers / Industry

Jessica McCormack Creates a “Power Suit for Jewelry” With Rush Hour Collection

Share

Jessica McCormack says her newest collection, Rush Hour, gives women statement jewelry that could go from the boardroom during the day to an evening out on the town.

The designer thinks of the collection as a “power suit for jewelry”—its pieces are tailored, classic, and project strength, confidence, and authority from anyone wearing them.

“I really did design this collection for the working woman who doesn’t need another thing to complicate the day—I want jewelry to make life easy,” McCormack says.

Zoe Kravitz Jessica McCormack
Actress Zoë Kravitz is the face of Jessica McCormack’s new Rush Hour collection.

The 26-piece collection ranges in price from a pair of ’Til Late yellow gold studs with voluptuous curves ($3,400) to the ’Til Late diamond torque (price on request), which McCormack describes as a woman’s secret weapon—its sculptural silhouette flows across the necklace and its 8 ct. diamond lets everyone in the room know who’s in charge.

McCormack says Rush Hour balances sensual curves with classic materials, including white and yellow gold, pearls, and diamonds. The scale is plump, bold, and fresh, making the jewelry desirable and attention-commanding.

In conceiving Rush Hour, McCormack’s mind went to the woman who knows she will be on the go from morning to late at night, and who perhaps wakes up thinking ahead to the rush-hour traffic or work that awaits her. The designer began by sketching possibilities, thinking about how such a woman might want to look as she approaches her day.

Jessica McCormack bangle
’Til Late bangles are available with round brilliant-cut diamonds ($79,000) or in yellow gold ($22,250).

“When working on the Rush Hour pieces, I kept my focus on the concept I had imagined for the collection. From the onset, I knew that if I wanted the pieces to be bold and powerful, there would have to be a simplicity to the silhouettes,” says McCormack.

“The idea of simplicity combined with the use of larger surface area led to the curvaceous, sculptural shapes that define the collection,” she adds. “Throughout the design process, I always keep wearability in mind. Comfort and versatility are key, so there is an acute consideration to how each piece fits to the body, ensuring they are both striking and practical.”

Rush Hour’s advertising campaign stars actress Zoë Kravitz, who is a Jessica McCormack brand ambassador. In the campaign’s main image (pictured at top), Kravitz wears what looks like an oversize silk cream-colored trench coat, its collar wide to reveal a ’Til Late torque necklace with its pearl gracefully sitting at her collarbone.

Ring Rush Hour
Rush Hour’s jewels, including the diamond and yellow gold Triple Take ring ($20,250), are meant to stand out in mundane work settings.

In the promotional video, Kravitz also wears the ‘Til Late yellow gold ring ($7,250) and ’Til Late white gold pearl earrings ($4,300), all exuding a clean, minimalist yet highly noticeable appearance—just what McCormack was hoping for with Rush Hour.

The collection also includes bangles, which McCormack designed to be refined, elegant, and comfortable on the wrist.

“I have really enjoyed stacking the ’Til Late bangles,” she says. “I love a contrast in jewelry, so pairing the blackened gold and sparkling white of the ’Til Late diamond bangle with the gentle flow of the ’Til Late gold bangle is beautifully dramatic.”

Top: Zoë Kravitz, a brand ambassador for Jessica McCormack and its new Rush Hour collection (photos courtesy of Jessica McCormack)

Karen Dybis

By: Karen Dybis

Log Out

Are you sure you want to log out?

CancelLog out