M&J Blog

History of Rhinestones

May 12, 2009 at 4:09 PM M&J Leave a comment

By Milton

After working with Fashion Analysis and Trend Forecasting, one thing I have learned is that trends repeat itself over the years.  There are some things that no matter the season or what the hottest trend is, they are always popular. For instance, there is denim, we can wear jeans all year long and even if the cut or color changes, they are always in fashion.

Rhinestones are one more trend that has been popular for decades. They were used to embellish Elvis Presley costumes, and after speaking with Autricia, who has been working with M&J for over 30 years, she told me how they applied rhinestones to Elvis’ costumes using something very similar to our EZ Rhinestone Setter.  They were used to embellish shoes for many years. Examples of this are: the David Evins sandals from 1934, which were originally designed for the movie Cleopatra but later modified for everyday wear, and the Roger Viver Decollete sandals that were very popular in the 50’s.

In 1892, Daniel Swarovski patented an electric cutting machine that facilitated the production of lead crystal glass jewelry. And in 1895 the Swarovski Company was founded. Nowadays, they are the biggest creators and distributors of crystals for fashion houses, designers and consumers.

Now, in 2009, we can see them everywhere: cell phones, shoes, headphones, clothing, eveningwear, and so on. The best part is that we don’t have to spend crazy amounts of money buying clothing and accessories with rhinestones, since now they are so accessible and easy to apply.

Entry filed under: Fashion. Tags: Elvis RHinestones, EZ Rhinestone Setter, Flatback Rhinestones, Hot-fix Rhinestones, M&J Blog, M&J Trimming, Rhinestone History, Rhinestones, Swarovski Rhinestones.