That’s a wrap on the holiday season. I write this surrounded by empty bins that will soon be the home of piles of holiday decor—at least until Nov. 1, 2025.
From here, the winter blues are easy to comprehend. The excitement of the holidays is gone—in its place comes a long stretch of cold, blustery weather that, for the most part, keeps us under wraps and indoors, longing for the sun.
On the bright side, there’s only two months till March, a month that offers little glimpses of the spring. But it feels ages away now.
Another bright spot: Resort collections are being touted on the market, with the promise of sunny days for those fortunate enough to be headed somewhere warm this winter. Everyone else (myself included) can simply bask in the idea of warmer locales…
I’ll get my kicks by bathing in a different sort of light, that provided by the jewelers providing sparkly new collections for the new year. Exhibit A: the Katina collection from London-based Greek designer Melanie Georgacopoulos.
Katina, Georgacopoulos’ most personal offering yet, is an ode to a silver Byzantine chain the jeweler inherited from her aunt, for whom the collection is named. The design of each necklace, bracelet, and earring serves to replicate the composition of Aunt Katina’s original chain, utilizing pearl threading to create links in emulation of the twisted wire on a Byzantine chain.
Exploring the origins of pearls—which her eponymous brand is known for—Georgacopoulos has crafted the Katina jewels from white mother-of-pearl or quahog shell. This created two distinct color schemes: One is airy, combining the mother-of-pearl with white freshwater pearls and yellow gold; the other’s darker, using onyx and blackened silver.
“The shell gains strength when the links are connected to one another to form the chain, much like individuals and communities coming together amidst conflict or adversity,” it says in the collection’s notes. “In a climate fractured by division and uncertainty, where history seems to repeat itself, these chains serve as symbols of hope.”
For the first time in years, Georgacopoulos is wholesaling her creations, launching at Dover Street Market in both Los Angeles and New York soon.
Top: Large Katina chain in ruthenium-plated sterling silver with quahog shell and onyx, $5,240; Melanie Georgacopoulos
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