Seaman Schepps designs have been wardrobe staples for socialites and politicians since the 1930s; they could be found on the wrists and earlobes of Coco Chanel, Elsa Schiaparelli and Katherine Hepburn and in the collections of Andy Warhol, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. (In fact, it would be easier to name those who haven’t worn one of Schepps’ rainbow-colored pieces; the list is so long.) For the designer (pictured at left), a man of humble Lower East Side beginnings, preciousness wasn’t something determined by the quality of his stones. His unique creations paired semi-precious stones with diamonds and ruby cabochons, and interlinked the finest gold’s chains with raw wood, to create a wearable luxury style, one that didn’t require an armed guard when worn.
Icons & Signatures, on display at Seaman Schepps New York (485 Park Avenue) from May 6th through May 25th, pays tribute to the line’s heritage of blending art, craft and design, and showcases original pieces worn by Blanche Knopf, Doris Duke and the Duchess of Windsor.
