Chris Benz & Lisa Salzer

Hot-shot young designers tend to steal the spotlight during New York fashion week, but accessories all-stars deserve more than a little credit too. Take Lulu Frost jewelry designer Lisa Salzer, who is a chic, integral part of the city’s downtown style scene. Two seasons ago she dreamed up a line of neon  accoutrements with wunderkind Alexander Wang, and for spring ’08 Salzer collaborated on a line of reinvented vintage gems for designer Chris Benz (who shows today, BTW). While the rest of the fashion crowd scurries around the fashion week chaos, we catch up with the cool, calm, and collected Miss Salzer:

Where & when did you meet Mr. Benz?
I first was introduced to Chris through our mutual friend and stylist extraordinaire Jessica Diehl, who connected us at a party at Cafe Cluny thrown by Anna Wintour and Amy Astley. It was a match made in fashion heaven.

What was your first impression of him?
I was primarily drawn to Chris’ kind eyes and warm smile and then laid eyes on his prim penny loafers and navy blazer – I was immediately hooked!

Describe some of the inspiration points behind the collaboration?
The collaboration was inspired by the bright bursts of incandescent color that wove their way through Chris’ clothing collection. We loved the idea of layering multiple chains and wrapping bunches of bracelets around the wrist to achieve a piled-on, casually elegant look.

How do you store your own jewelry?
When I travel, I pack my jewelry separately in small plastic jewelry bags that keep the pieces from tangling with one another – nothing is worse than a clump of jewels that you cannot wear! For everyday storage of my jewels I have tons of slender nails tacked into the inside of my closet, where I hang all of my favorite jewelry pieces.

Who are a few of your favorite jewelry icons?
I adore the Lanvin jewelry collections and greatly admire vintage Fouquet and Lalique jewelry from the early 1900′s. As for collectors, Ellen Barkin’s jewelry collection was venerable, but has since been dispersed like seeds thrown to the winds.

What are your favorite flowers?
The fragrance of tuberose is marvelous, and I can’t get enough of gorgeous green-hued hydrangeas for my office.

Who would make your dream dinner party guest list? Alber Elbaz, David Byrne, Anna Wintour, Daniel Day Lewis, Linda Evangelista. All that talent in one room is too mind-boggling to even imagine!

What’s your favorite city other than NYC & why? Tokyo – insane chaos mixed with perpetual order, traditional grinding up and mixing with stark modernism. I find the contrasts of Tokyo to be truly fascinating and alien.

What makes the best NYC souvenir?
John Derian initial plate from E 2nd Street store, signed by John himself.

What’s your favorite store in NYC? Elsewhere?
I love I Heart in Soho for hard-to-find labels such as Tsumori Chisato and Eley Kishimoto, as well as Blue Tree, Phoebe Cates’ Upper East side boutique.

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