Hipanema bracelets, escapism in the guise of women's jewellery.
Sunshine and joy: two words that Hipanema women's jewellery never fail to bring to mind… Drawing inspiration from lucky charm holiday souvenirs, bracelets by the French label can trace their origins back to a beach in Brazil. Comfortable, chic and Bohemian, the very sight of them makes us want to pack our bags and travel afar.
Bracelet, open sesame!
Founded in 2012, the brand Hipanema is the fruit of a beautiful encounter on a beach in Brazil. Jenny Collinet and Delphine Crech'riou, both of them from the world of fashion, met each other in Rio, a city they were each visiting. Won over by the joviality and exoticism of the biggest country in Latin America, the two women came back with a new idea in their suitcases, one that would give birth to their famous jewellery collection. Drawn to the sort of Brazilian bracelets with multicoloured threads of which you put several on your wrist at once, but less impressed with their ephemeral nature, they imagined a magnetic clasp to allow the bracelets to be worn and taken off to a heart's content. That is how the first designs, drawing inspiration from Brazil, saw the light of day in the form of cuffs in different widths, varying colours and a range of materials - ribbons, beads, shells, leather, gold, silver and quartz - put together to create a richly nuanced style.
Faced with the level of overwhelming enthusiasm their bracelets attracted, the two designers soon expanded their range of women's jewellery to necklaces and earrings. Beads, chains, pompom decorations, feathers and shells, the brand's different pieces can be mixed and matched with each other to brighten up an urban look no end. Not long afterwards, in 2013, Hipanema made its foray into ready-to-wear with Amenapih, a line comprising beach dresses, swimwear and accessories which, like the iconic bracelets, cultivate different colours all the better to evoke the sun, sea and sand.
Ethnic bracelets in a myriad of versions.
As well as their signature Brazilian design, the label proposes mono colour bracelets giving a more understated effect. The concept of cuff bracelets is reprised in black, gold and silver to create a more sophisticated look. The Hipanema catalogue also includes gold and silver bangles - more elegant and classic options than the bracelets that take us back to our holidays, and which are embellished with gemstones or coloured thread to serve as a reminder of the brand's ethnic spirit.
In the space of only two years, Hipanema bracelets could be seen on the wrists of women the world over. Colourful yet elegant, they are of the ilk of extremely versatile jewels - they can liven up a low-key look, make a Bohemian style look even more gorgeous and enhance eccentric outfits. Bestsellers from the collection include: