Recession In Urban Fashion: Romancing The Bling

Article written by: SoJones Asmara
Posted on: April 28, 2009

The recession has taken its toll into hip hop’s diamond-studded accessories best known as ‘blings’. In most rappers’ cases, it is not an issue of having to lower their personal purchase out of financial difficulties. It is about the criticism they face when flaunting their richness by wearing diamond chains and larger-than-life medallions and grinning off their grillz.

Tamara Connor, rap star fashion stylist, thinks the recession brought a whole new trend in the diamonds department. Due to the hard criticisms, rappers are not only controlling what they show in public, they also have a good grip on their ‘bling spending’, as Tamara Connor stated, “The day of conspicuous consumption is gone.”

About rap stars toning down their shine, Tamara says they are simplifying their looks, “We’re still going to see some bling, but it’s just not going to be as much. Instead of four diamond necklaces, it might just be a diamond bracelet, and it’s a piece the celebrity wears all the time. They’re not changing their jewelry out everyday.” Tamara who’s known to style chart toppers including rapper / diamond-lover Lil Wayne, suggested that these days, rappers are more shopping-savvy when it comes to jewelry and style conscious with little but elegant diamonds. Tamara suggests, “You can save $3,000 a carat if you do a non-ring quality diamonds for studs (earrings).”

Despite rappers’ ongoing love to their ice, there is still one big question: How is the diamond market really holding up?

Chris Hernandez, Director of Marketing at ItsHot.com observed the current market:

“In general, even with sales and prices slashing, retail jewelry sales are declining but the direct pricing market remains strong. When money is tight, good customer service can make a difference in retaining your regular buyers.”

Hernandez divulged a rather surprising fact: it seems that rappers and hip hop aficionados shun the economic crisis altogether, as the larger piece of diamond jewelry purchase remain about the same. And the consumers are more demanding in terms of quality as they avoid having industrial-diamonds embellished into their medallion of choice. Ben Baller, head of Los Angeles-based jeweler I.F. & Co., notes that the current huge market is shifting among the up and coming rappers.

As for trends, Hernandez agrees with Tamara Connor. Diamond designs for rappers are surely moving away from past tacky designs that featured (almost) too much diamonds. “We see classier designs using better quality diamonds. No more pieces with a thousand wack gems that look crazy. Tight, well designed construction with well-chosen jewels,” said Hernandez.