Dear reader, there’s news from the ton: “Bridgerton” has partnered with Monica Rich Kosann on a line of fine jewelry sure to be the talk of the season.
The Shondaland Netflix series’ coveted on-screen aesthetic, led by costume designer Ellen Mirojnick, is coming to consumers.
Thanks to a first-of-its-kind collaboration courtesy of Shondaland’s “Seat at the Table,” a new effort to bring creators’ work out of its shows and into the world, Mirojnick’s vision met with Kosann’s to create a Regency-core collection fit to find its way right onto the 1800s set.
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With a locket (Kosann’s signature), a poesy ring and a charm serving as core pieces, the collection rings heavy on the romance “Bridgerton” brings and the stories jewelry tells.
For Mirojnick, the collaboration adds to many special moments she’s had with the series.
“I feel so honored and blessed that [Shonda Rhimes, founder of the Shondaland storytelling company and ‘Bridgerton’ executive producer] has created this extraordinary initiative, ‘Seat at the Table’ because, traditionally, as craftspeople, we’re not involved in extensions of our work through consumer products or anything…frankly. Once our work is done, it’s done,” she told WWD. “But Shondaland’s new incentive, ‘Seat at the Table’ is working to change this and I am totally, totally honored to be the first one to be able to have a seat at the table with Monica Rich Kosann.”
She chose to partner with Kosann, in part, for her storytelling abilities.
“First of all, she does lockets better than anybody else, she does charms better than anybody else. Every single item that she has created over time tells a story, and it tells a story just as we tell a story,” Mirojnick said.
For Kosann, whose style honors pieces past but with a modern spin — just like Mirojnick’s take on the Regency era — the match up was an ideal melding of creative minds.
“We both realize how important it is to tell women’s stories,” she said of her partner in the collection, the two of whom admit they’ve become lifelong friends after meeting for the first time with this collaboration. “And I think that these fine jewelry pieces will allow the fans…another way to touch the ‘Bridgerton’ story. But the difference is that when they touch these pieces, yes, they’re inspired by all this greatness we’re talking about, but it becomes a woman’s own story. So when she gets one of these ‘Bridgerton’ pieces, whether it’s a locket or the ring that says ‘Queen’ on it, it’s about her being a queen. Or it’s a locket where she’s going to put her secrets and her loves to keep them close. It’s sort of like a double story going on, it’s your own story once you get these pieces but you’re still touching the story of ‘Bridgerton.’”
For Shondaland, the collection is an opportunity to give more visibility to those who haven’t had it.
“Shondaland has always believed that everyone deserves a seat at the table, and we are committed to working in collaboration with the creatives behind the onscreen looks and styles as we create show-inspired products and merchandise,” Shondaland chief design and digital media officer Sandie Bailey, said in a statement. “There is power in supporting the next wave of artisans and trailblazers. We are committed to finding ways to partner with women- and minority-owned businesses and others who embrace the power of storytelling with their craft just as we do.”
The collection’s gem, a locket, which comes in 18-karat gold with diamonds, or in sterling silver with white sapphires, while subtly laced with nods to the show, has the potential to become an heirloom of its own.
“We covered the locket with wisteria and the wisteria is sort of like three dimensional over — sawdered on obviously — the locket to give it that romantic feeling,” Kosann explained. Wisteria is a “Bridgerton” staple, featuring in the opening credits and in garden flora throughout. The wisteria artfully wraps the locket, shaping a slight heart as well as a “B” for Bridgerton, depending on the angle of your gaze. The back displays an embossed bee.
“That’s our Easter egg,” Mirojnick chimed in. “When you look at it, you wouldn’t necessarily see it [and might not] ever wear a ‘B’ around your neck…but…it’s very subtle. That’s why it’s the Easter egg. And isn’t ‘Bridgerton’ about finding Easter eggs?”
The bee, which makes an appearance in a charm from the collection, too, also features throughout the series.
“Bees are all about rebirth. Bees are all about creativity. And Ellen and I decided that this is also kind of queen bee,” Kosann said.
The queen, a staple and empowering “Bridgerton” character, was a key inspiration — as were consumers who consider themselves queens — in inscribing the collection’s poesy ring with the word “Queen.”
Poesy rings, for one, are an old example of jewelry meeting romance, dating back as far as the 15th century when knights leaving their loved ones would bestow them a ring inscribed — often in Latin — with a word or phrase signifying their devotion.
“We thought OK, what better nod to the queen in ‘Bridgerton’ who we all adore and love than to create a stacking ring that is in the shape of a tiara or a crown,” said Kosann, who creates poesy rings for her own core collection. “It is engraved inside with the word ‘Queen.’ So it’s for anyone who wants to be a queen, female, male it doesn’t matter. We encourage you to wear it on a chain but you can also wear it as a ring. It’s just such a great, empowering piece of jewelry.”
Other pieces in the Bridgerton x Monica Rich Kosann collection include a locket and bee charm bracelet as well as necklace. Each comes in 18-karat gold, with prices ranging from $815 to $3,250, or in sterling silver, with prices ranging from $160 to $685. The line will be sold exclusively on Monicarichkosann.com.
And there’s more where this collection came from, in the form of additional drops.
“We’re probably going to aim for spring, maybe around Mother’s Day — again nothing is definite. But Ellen and I did create the pieces thinking while we were designing them, ‘Hey, we should make them in a way that someone could add them and grow a charm bracelet or create a design-your-own necklace and wear three, four [charms] at a time.’ So we are constantly keeping that in mind and hoping that these will become coveted jewelry collectibles,” Kosann said. “We actually started working already on our next group and I took out a piece of watercolor paper that was 16 inches by 20 inches and I was writing all our ideas on it and it’s pretty much filled up. I think we have a couple of good concepts that will be coming for spring.”
As for whether any of the pieces will find their way onto characters in the show, which would even further extend consumers’ on-screen experience with what they themselves might be wearing by the time “Bridgerton” season three airs, Mirojnick teased:
“You’ll have to wait and see…,” she said. “I’ll tell you one thing, we are planning on the locket but I can’t tell you with whom.”
The ton will just have to wait until the yet undisclosed release date of the show’s continuation, though filming has been underway and there are some details as to what viewers can expect to see.
When it comes to the Bridgerton x Monica Rich Kosann collection, as Lady Whistledown has said, “This treasure is set to join the likes of the queen’s ever-so-cherished crown jewels themselves.”