In an interview with JCK, jewelry designer Alp Sagnak discussed the future of men's jewelry and more.
When asked what sort of jewelry men of today are looking for, Sagnak said, "My men are looking for mostly bracelets and cuffs with diamonds and gems. I realize for other companies their best
Sagnak was then asked if more men have been making unconventional fashion choices as far as jewelry, to which he responded, "Definitely! First I need to mention about how definitions and behaviors have changed over the last 10 years. When I was talking to my male clients 10 years ago, most of them would look into the eyes of their partners and ask for their permission almost. They felt they could not make a decision for themselves—being in a jewelry store has always been for their partners in the past. For some, their partners would act like they like the idea of him wearing jewelry, but then give him a look that would make him feel like he is ridiculous, almost belittling. Once that happened, the man would either be a puppy or a lion. If he becomes a lion, he would buy. For other male shoppers, as soon as he sees a piece he likes, he would go for it—no time wasted. Then everything started to change with time. I started to meet a lot of gay single men or same-sex couples. They were a fantastic gateway for me to understand and expand my designs. They taught me to be a more colorful and interesting designer. I started taking on projects from my friends, and I loved how the pieces we designed together came out. It was a whole new design style for me to learn. This new process taught me a very valuable lesson: Who am I to think for anyone else while designing when I am creating a collection? Then I started getting better with this new way of thinking. Now, in my mind, I do not design for men or women or gay or straight. I design for the individual. Something I would make for a gay man would easily sell to a straight woman or a straight man or vice versa in any combination of sexes."
Information originally sourced from JCK.
