Ice-cool gems

Whistles is launching a jewellery collaboration with antique-inspired brand Lulu Frost. It's really rather brrrrrilliant, says Rebecca Gonsalves

It's not often that fashion connections are made through one's flying-trapeze teacher, but that is the surprising conduit that brought together Whistles CEO Jane Shepherdson and jewellery designer Lisa Salzer, who is behind the brand Lulu Frost.

"My buying director and I had bought some Lulu Frost jewellery on a visit to New York and loved the way Lisa combined vintage and modernity to create something quite unique," says Shepherdson.

"I then found out that she's an old friend of my flying-trapeze teacher, who put us in touch. I really believe that when things like that happen, it is for a reason."

And the reason, this season at least, is the Lulu Frost collection of costume jewellery for Whistles. "The pieces are beautifully crafted and make quite a statement on the wearer," says Shepherdson of the eight-piece line. "They add the perfect finishing touch to the Whistles collection which is quite simple. I love the little deco details."

Established in 2004, Lulu Frost uses Salzer's family's heritage in estate jewellery as the main point of inspiration. Indeed the art deco theme that runs through this collection gives the crystal and cut-glass pieces a sense of timeless style — rather handy for those who have inherited nothing more than physical features from their ancestors.

"My designs draw from so many varied sources from past to present," says New York-based Salzer, whose pieces usually sell for upwards of twice the price of those in the Whistles collection.

"So many different types of women find something to love in our jewellery. The mix of traditional and modern elements make this limited-edition collection feel so fresh to me." And it's all thanks to that trapeze teacher.

Photography Baker & Evans