[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/the-magic-of-hollywood\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/the-magic-of-hollywood\/","headline":"The Magic of Hollywood","name":"The Magic of Hollywood","description":"The Magic of HollywoodJewelry designer to the stars Neil Lane on combining the dazzle of vintage with the function of modern By Kirsten Palladino Fresh...","datePublished":"2010-10-15","dateModified":"2021-06-21","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/author\/admin\/#Person","name":"Equally Wed","url":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/author\/admin\/","identifier":787,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/ca62cf123aaaf135c80b055249bacbda79de9226e11cdfcde6529bedf89683de?s=96&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/ca62cf123aaaf135c80b055249bacbda79de9226e11cdfcde6529bedf89683de?s=96&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Equally Wed","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"http:\/\/equallywed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/equally-wed-lgbtq-weddings-logo.jpg","url":"http:\/\/equallywed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/equally-wed-lgbtq-weddings-logo.jpg","width":218,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/gay-fashion-neil-lane.JPG","url":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/gay-fashion-neil-lane.JPG","height":600,"width":399},"url":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/the-magic-of-hollywood\/","about":["Style Watch"],"wordCount":2917,"articleBody":" The Magic of HollywoodJewelry designer to the stars Neil Lane on combining the dazzle of vintage with the function of modernBy Kirsten PalladinoFresh off the plane from Israel on an energy tour with the Kabbalah Centre, Neil Lane, jewelry designer extraordinaire, sat down with Equally Wed to discuss rings, gay marriage, Ellen and Portia and his new partnership with Kay Jewelers.Neil Lane, Courtesy of Neil Lane EQUALLY WED: How did the partnership start between you and Kay?NEIL LANE: It\u2019s so funny! I guess I\u2019ve always been invested on many levels of how things happen\u2014probably happening millenniums ago in a spiritual sense that I was supposed to be with them, because they\u2019re like America\u2019s jeweler. In a physical sense, though, it was about 10 months ago. I\u2019ve been looking for the perfect partner to bring my aesthetic and what I think about glamour and bridal to America. I\u2019ve always been looking for someone like that\u2014in a big picture way. This kind of materialized out of thin air. I mean really, there wasn\u2019t any rhyme or reason that we met. I guess it was kismet. It was supposed to be.EW: We noticed everything in the first collection is all old Hollywood\u2014very vintage. What was the inspiration for this?NL: For the last 20 years or so, I\u2019ve spent it designing rings and bridal stuff for Hollywood. I\u2019ve been here since 1990. I guess just being in Hollywood and being from New York, I\u2019m really fascinated with the glamour of Hollywood. When I was a little kid, I used to see these old movies on television, and then coming to Hollywood, it was amazing. I had all these fantasies about this glamour. It wasn\u2019t really happening in 1990, but I was fantasizing about it\u2014like I was in the Land of Oz. Old Hollywood just permeated. So I was really getting into it, and glamour started coming back to Hollywood. And I found that people just like this vintage vibe. They didn\u2019t like it right away, and as Hollywood began to grow again and starlets would be on the red carpet, glamour starting coming back in. It wasn\u2019t so glamorous 20 years ago. So much has changed since then, and I was here at the right time. My personal preference has been for glamorous Hollywood. You know, a guy from Brooklyn out in the land of Hollywood.As for rings, my archival knowledge was based on vintage, on antiques\u2014that was my whole training, as a kid. I was always fascinated with it, with things I found on the street. I was a painter, an artist, growing up in New York. Then I went to Paris and learned a lot about antiques. I was really fascinated with those things, so went I moved to California, I brought those aesthetics with me. Over the period of time, I was going back into clients\u2019 archives of jewelry. They\u2019d bring me back diamond rings from their grandma and they didn\u2019t like the mountings, because I guess they\u2019d been changed over the years. And they were kind of not pretty. I started doing designs for people. Since the original mountings were lost, I would recreate things as I understood them\u2014restoring them to their original settings. I didn\u2019t think of myself as a designer at the time, but it just sort of evolved. I started making them on my own, using my aesthetics from the past and contemporary looks from today, and it just really caught on.EW: When you do have one of those vintage engagement rings, like the ones you and Kay Jewelers offer, they\u2019re larger\u2014so what kind of wedding band would you pair with an engagement ring of that grand size?NL: It doesn\u2019t really have to be that elaborate. You could do a simple band without diamonds\u2014with just etching in the metal. I\u2019m just finding couples are loving that kind of stuff today. Same-sex couples, too. People are people. There\u2019s no difference for me when I deal with man-woman, man-man \u2026 you know, people want beautiful jewelry. There\u2019s no distinction in the type of sexuality. People want to feel special. It\u2019s their special day. For me, it\u2019s kind of cool, because I\u2019ve always done that. Being in Hollywood, I\u2019ve dealt with everyone. I\u2019ve just noticed that men want cool, unique rings if they\u2019re betrothed to each other. They want symbolic things; they want meaningful things. I don\u2019t find a separation in that. When people are that close, and we\u2019re talking about the intimacy in a relationship\u2014it\u2019s all the same. It\u2019s all a human compassionate thing. I\u2019ve dealt with so many same-sex couples forever. What\u2019s cool now is that it\u2019s more free, and the expressions of their love are more free.EW: When you\u2019re working with two men, is one in particular coming in to shop for a ring to propose to the other man?NL: Yes, I\u2019ve definitely had that. With men, it\u2019s interesting. Sometimes they buy identical rings for each other with maybe some hidden meaning, inscriptions or jewel inside.EW: So are they buying separate wedding bands or are these the rings they\u2019ll wear before and after the wedding?Neil designed a 3-carat marquis cut diamond ring surrounded by  smaller diamonds for Ellen DeGeneres to propose to Portia di Rossi (now  DeGeneres) with. Courtesy of Neil LaneNL: Well, the marriage thing is completely new. That adds a whole new dimension. Before, they weren\u2019t wedding rings\u2014they weren\u2019t ceremonial rings\u2014because they weren\u2019t having ceremonies. So now there\u2019s a whole new level to it. I\u2019ve had more experience with women [in this way], like Ellen and Portia.EW: Ellen proposed to Portia, right?NL: Yeah, she proposed to her with a ring.EW: Tell us about their rings.NL: That was fun when Ellen called me up to do that. She was very serious. She wanted to get something Portia would really love. We went back and forth on designs. And then I had this design that I was working on, which was pink diamonds and the diamond sat sideways. It had all the intricacies. I\u2019ll tell you an interesting thing: When I got to know Portia\u2014it\u2019s a really cute, sweet story. She told me that when she first got to Hollywood and became an actress, she said she\u2019d always wanted to have a Neil Lane wedding ring. That meant a lot to me. It was really special. She didn\u2019t know Ellen. She didn\u2019t know anyone! So it turned out the way she wanted.Ellen was so sincere about choosing the right thing. We did a lot of things. First, we looked at rings together, for them to select it together. And I think then Ellen wanted to surprise her. So Ellen surprised her with the ring, and then we did bands together. We did matching bands. They were platinum, and they had baguette diamonds around them. I think that\u2019s what they got married with at their ceremony. That\u2019s what\u2019s different today. It\u2019s funny you bring it up. I\u2019m trying to think of what else I\u2019ve done. Oh, there was a guy couple! And he wanted like a real rock\u2014in addition to his wedding band. He wanted a big, fancy-schmancy rock! And then the marriage rings were the same. Ellen and Portia DeGeneres\u2019 wedding bands feature baguette-cut diamonds in a platinum band. Courtesy of Neil Lane EW: Was the band more masculine or feminine?NL: They were more masculine\u2014simple. But for historical reference, bands have been interchangeable. Men\u2019s and women\u2019s wedding bands\u2014throughout history\u2014could just be a simple gold band. So when I find an archival wedding band, I wouldn\u2019t know if it was a man\u2019s or a woman\u2019s except for the size. So up until the 1920s and \u201930s, they weren\u2019t that distinguished. We didn\u2019t have gem-set engagement bands. That\u2019s all changed today. So I haven\u2019t had enough experience, because the whole marriage thing is new. I don\u2019t see a lot of the men wanting big rocks. A lot of same-sex couples are really looking at it just like men and women\u2014they want to get betrothed, they want to have a special proposal. One lesbian couple I worked with, one woman proposed to the other on top of the Eiffel Tower. A guy couple I know, they went hiking and he put the band in the stream.EW: That\u2019s risky!NL: [Laughing.] I think he put it in a bag or something. Oh, no, it was by a bush in a stream. And he put the box open in the bush. So I guess the idea was for them to go look at the stream. That was kind of cute!EW: Very sweet! You\u2019ve got to be original.NL: Yes! But he had to run ahead and do it. You have to be clever!The pear-shaped ring from the Essence Collection reminds Neil Lane of his mother and her rings in the \u201960s. Courtesy of Neil LaneEW: Right! So what are the trends you\u2019re seeing for same-sex couples for rings. What diamond shapes are popular right now?NL: The collection I\u2019m doing right now for Kay really says the designs are popular. People want detail. They want etching. The designs with their intricate patterns, curly-Qs, etchings and a little sparkle everywhere\u2014I\u2019m finding it\u2019s universal. People really like that. They like the detail. That\u2019s definitely one of the trends. But I think simplicity of bands is still there. People like that kind of thing, because of the purity. But for engagement rings, they want more dazzle and more razzle. They want that Hollywood stuff. And even though my stuff is inspired by the past, it\u2019s really fresh and modern. In the Kay collection, it\u2019s handcrafted with my original designs, and those designs are really based on what I go through every day with people\u2014with same-sex couples or not same-sex couples. I really don\u2019t find a difference.EW: What other same-sex celebrity couples have you worked with?NL: Hmm. Well, maybe they were celebrities in their own minds. [He laughs.] A lot of them are producers or people famous here in Hollywood, but not known in the general public.EW: Anyone who you\u2019d like to design for?NL: I\u2019d love to do Ricky Martin\u2019s rings if he got married. EW: Traditionally, if you\u2019re proposing, you\u2019re told to save up a certain amount of months\u2019 salary before purchasing a ring. What is 2010\u2019s standard for figuring out what kind of ring you can afford?NL: I don\u2019t know about that. I know it used to be three months salary. I don\u2019t know if that holds true anymore, and I don\u2019t want to purport something like that. But I think one should stretch a little bit. I don\u2019t think it\u2019s like if you\u2019re just going to get a regular birthday gift. I think a person should stretch\u2014there should be a couple of sighs made\u2014a little uncomfortable! Not to the point, of course, that would put you in debt. I also believe couples, as they grow together financially, they can always go out and upgrade. There\u2019s ways of doing things, like taking the ring and melting it for the metal and reusing it for the new ring. I\u2019m not the guy that supports going into debt for the ring, but I definitely support that you have to stretch and it has to hurt a little bit.EW: What are some secrets for finding out your partner\u2019s ring size for a surprise ring sizing?NL: That is so hard! Usually a friend or the partner goes into their jewelry box and takes something quickly to the ring store for measuring. Or the couple goes to try on rings just for fun\u2014and the person proposing remembers the ring size and jots it down. Worse comes to worse, we have to just imagine. Like, OK, what does your partner look like. Are they short, tall \u2026 is he a big guy, does he have a big hand? We gauge it. If it\u2019s a band, we can size it afterwards. It\u2019s one of the worst things that if the ring doesn\u2019t fit when you propose.EW: Right\u2014you want to put it on immediately.NL: Exactly. If it\u2019s too big, that\u2019s better, because they\u2019ll just put Scotch tape or a Band-Aid on it until they can get in to have it sized. If it doesn\u2019t get on, it\u2019s not so cool.EW: What\u2019s your ultimate favorite ring in the ones you offer through the Neil Lane\/Kay collection?NL: I love them all, because they\u2019re like my children. But there\u2019s something from the Essence Collection, it\u2019s a pear-shaped ring. It reminds me of my mom. When I was a little kid around the \u201960s, she had a pear-shaped ring, so that\u2019s sentimental for me. But I love them all. You know, I\u2019ve been doing \u201cThe Bachelor\u201d show every year, and from that, I love the one with the row of diamonds around it. And that\u2019s from the Essence Collection, too. There\u2019s one in the Harmony Collection that looks like a tiered birthday cake that I really like. And another one, which is very architectural, speaks to me as a New Yorker that reminds me of the Radio City Music Hall and really Art Deco buildings. Those are probably my favorites. And all are inspired by famous people I\u2019ve worked with over the years. There\u2019s no specific one\u2014there\u2019s a little bit of them in all of the rings.EW: Who are some of the famous people you\u2019ve worked with over the years that have inspired you?NL: Oh, everyone\u2014from Jennifer Hudson to Madonna to Kate Hudson\u2014she wanted a bold ring, Emily Blunt, Nicole Ritchie.EW: For red-carpet jewelry?NL: Yes, I do both\u2014red carpet and bridal. Really, I think we\u2019re just known for glamour.EW: What\u2019s your take on colored diamonds? In or out?NL: Not at all! But for bridal diamonds, most people prefer white. It represents purity, and it\u2019s really traditional\u2014in a good, positive way. The percentage of colored diamonds is very small. I think it\u2019s growing a little bit. There are opportunities for anything fashionable. Most people prefer white metal and white diamonds, but we do some yellow, some chocolate, but it\u2019s not a significant proportion compared to white. But fashion is always being reinvented.EW: What else would you like to add?NL: Well, I\u2019m really excited about my relationship with Kay. I\u2019ve always wanted to bring my designs to America. I\u2019ve always dreamed of that. I\u2019ve always wanted to bring the glamour of Hollywood to everyone, but I didn\u2019t know how to do it. I didn\u2019t know how to expand. And I think Kay is the perfect partner for me, because they are an American jeweler. I wanted to share the positive energy with America. I love that. I want to make everyone stars\u2014at least for the day! We try to make each of the four collections\u2014Timeless, Harmony, Energy, Essence\u2014we tried to give them a personalized feeling. They\u2019re timeless. Even though they\u2019ve got a vintage vibe, they\u2019re contemporary. To be today, you have to go back to yesterday. You have to be present today to take it to the future.Portia di Rossi, Neil Lane and Ellen DeGeneres at theNeil Lane\/Key Jewelers launch party. Courtesy of Neil LaneEW: So you have your Hollywood shops, but you don\u2019t have other Neil Lane storefronts in the country, correct?NL: No, not where we sell bridal. Seasonally, sometimes we\u2019re in Palm Beach and Worth Avenue. And then we sell in the Middle East, in Dubai. But now with the relationship with Kay, I\u2019ll be all over America.EW: We\u2019re wondering how gay-friendly Kay Jewelers is as a company. They are in middle America. They are in the South. They\u2019re everywhere. How receptive are they going to be to a same-sex couple coming into their stores to look at your collection?NL: Oh, my God! I think they\u2019d be the most welcoming in the world!EW: We\u2019re hoping so.NL: Ellen and Portia hosted our party! On one hand, obviously it\u2019s a same-sex couple, but on the other, I think it transcends all that. I guess in mid-America, values and cultures are different. But times are changing. I think that people have other things to worry about. It\u2019s just people loving each other. I think Kay wants to be bridal America. And they were thrilled with Ellen and Portia. They met all the CEOs. I don\u2019t think it\u2019s a barrier at all. I think it\u2019s just the opposite. I\u2019d love same-sex couples buying my jewels. 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