Since a pandemic has transported us back a century, I began thinking about how fashion lovers shopped in that era.

Cobblers, milliners, dressmakers, tailors, and jewellers often had ateliers — workshops-with-display shops — where folks like us would buy their clothes, by appointment.

It was both more social and a more private way to shop. So I think a trunk show by-appointment it is just the thing for this moment, as I’m beginning to think of 2020 as 1920 Redux: the year everything old is new again.

1920 Redux: A Trunk Show, by appointment

Saturday, July 25, 2020

Granville Island Hotel

10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

info@annecarsondesign.com

604.619.9294

Four strands of lustrous grey pearls accented with eight tiny pink amethysts, $839

Here’s how it works

Send me a note — info@annecarsondesign.com — or call me — 604.619.9294 — and book a time that suits you, by the quarter hour. Any time from 10 a.m. to 4:15 p.m.

I will stagger the appointments to ensure that there are no more people than the volume of the room can support. But if you want to come at the last minute, on a whim, just call me. If the room is large enough to support another person or two, you’ll be welcome.

Safety first

I’ve heard you when you say that you want to be able to see the jewellery in person and feel its heft or try it on before investing in the necklaces, in particular. And I do think we have to get back to lives as normal as possible, under the circumstances.

I also appreciate all of you sending me those articles about how statement earrings and necklaces are the new office wardrobe essential for Zoom meetings. In order to explain why you must have a trunk show. (Very funny. And thanks for your support!)

Keep’em guessing in the Zoom meetings with a mismatched aquamarines. The large faceted stone on the left is a substantial 2.5 cm (one inch) and the complementary cluster of aquamarines is the same length, $199

But as a British Columbian who is very proud to see how we managed to limit that virus’s transmission by virtue of good citizenship and cooperation, I want to be careful that we do everything safely.

With that in mind, I’ve booked a large conference room in the hotel, with high ceilings and doors to the outdoors. I’ll keep those open so we have lots of lovely fresh air circulating.

I’ll have plenty of hand sanitizer on hand. And the hotel has washrooms where you can soap up those hands before and after handling the jewellery, should you wish to do that too. There will be disposable masks at the ready, in case you forget your own.

There’s also a new accessory to my wardrobe — a face shield. I’m just trying to decide what sort of necklace looks best with it?

At first I thought that the strand of silver-gold pyrite with a pendant stamped with the head of Bachhus the god of wine might be just the thing to go with PPE. The necklace is $659

But on second thought, maybe turquoise? It’s such a summery stone. This is a trio of necklaces, call me for the price.

Not ready for back to the future?

You can still shop online at my website. But many of the more than 80 earring designs in the July 25 trunk show are one-of-a-kind, which means I can’t put the pieces online. It’s just too cruel! I hate having to tell customers that I cannot replicate a piece.

So the one-of-a-kind pieces are the ones that go into the trunk shows.

But this year as a nod to The Plague, I’m posting pieces in the monthly newsletter — sign-up here — and on the blog.

Some of these pieces are available online, as indicated. If it’s not online you can call or email to buy:

Faceted iolite dangling for a carved silver leaf, $119

Rough-hewn aquamarine stones suspended from sterling silver volcano beads — named for their lava-like texture, $119

Faceted peridot and carved silver bead on a long (two inch; 57 mm); $119

Gold vermeil bees look like they’re toting their own hive in the form of a pale pink pearl –  $129 – buy online 

Celery green chalcedony set in sterling silver surrounded by diamonds –  $419 – buy online

London blue topaz dangling from distinctive carved sterling silver beads, $179

Faceted green amethyst earrings accented with carved sterling silver beads, $199