Gemstones Jolt the Paris Runways

It's been a lackluster year for runway jewelry so far - with the less-is-more trend influencing practically all of the Spring/Summer Ready-To-Wear collections.

So I was holding out hope that the Spring/Summer Paris Couture Shows for 2011 - known for their Alice In Wonderland-esque bauble displays - would deliver some jewelry looks worth squaking about. Chanel was characteristically bauble barren. As was Dior (a surprise). But...


Enter Giorgio Armani, who didn't just litter his looks with gorgeous gems - he used colored gemstones as the inspiration for his entire line, according to Style.com.

Huzzah!


"Inspired, he said, by the gleam of gemstones, Armani produced clothes that came from another planet, the same one that Pierre Cardin and Thierry Mugler might have touched down on once. (It's already been suggested its name could be Gaga.)"

From ruby reds to gorgeous greens, the luminous fabrics looked like they came straight from the Tron wardrobe department.



Chandelier earring silhouettes, chunky bangles (they're baaaack - or did they ever leave?) and a bib necklace made out of gemstone shapes lit up the line like a Christmas tree on crack.




And while the wearability of the collection left some scratching their heads (Gaga excluded, of course), there was no denying the fun Mr. Armani must have had in his futuristic fantasy land.

The dude has no one left to impress, right? Whatever floats your gemstone-encrusted boat, sir, as far as I'm concerned. And even though I am a reluctant fan of toning things down when it comes to jewelry fashion this year - it's kinda nice to see the bigger bolder look from season's past on display again.

Right? Wrong? Thoughts, jewelry hounds?