subject: Designer Cufflinks- Get The Look For Less [print this page] There are some sensational cufflink designers out there, but not all of us can afford to splurge. Here's a list of designer styles worth noting and where you can get the look for less.
1. Vivienne Westwood
The Look:
Vivienne Westwood is one of the most fabulous and outrageous fashion designers of our time. She incorporates politics and environmentalism into many of her pieces and certainly in her presentations. But Vivienne Westwood can do whatever she wants, because she has an eye for aesthetics that is unparallel. Her cufflink designs are no different, they are bold and brave, generally made of dark materials like black diamonds or tiger eyes.
For Less:
While Vivienne Westwood's cufflinks aren't all outrageously priced, there are places where people on a tighter budget can find similar styles. Sites like cufflinksworld.com make novelty cufflinks starting at 10.
2. Ian Flaherty
The Look:
There is something very distinctive about Ian Flaherty's cufflinks- their colours. Clearly Mr. Flaherty believes cufflinks are a place to splash out and get a bit creative, and why not, they are just a gem at the bottom of your fancy sleeve after all. These cufflinks are generally made from pewter and base metal and then plated in Rhodium, which is one of the most expensive precious metals in the world. The colourful crystals that make the cufflinks so extraordinary are of course Swarofski.
For Less:
Try Debenhams for colourful cufflink styles. They have a coloured rectangle pair that sells for 13.
3. Babette Wasserman
The Look:
Babette Wasserman takes traditional cufflink styles and creates something new and unique. For instance, coloured silk, barbell cufflinks have been popular for years, but Babette wraps and fastens them around a metal sleeve. Another example are her pedone square cufflinks. Inspiration from the ancient and loved game of chess, she created cufflinks shaped like pawns. They are solid black which makes them classically elegant.
For Less:
Priced around the 50 mark, Babette's cufflinks are very affordable.
4. Shane McCoubrey
The Look:
Shane McCoubrey makes cufflinks out of the most sensational materials. His designs are delicate and unlike anything I've ever seen before. His attention to detail is unmissable, especially when looking at extraordinary pieces like The Gable. Made of 18 ct Gold with diamonds encrusted, this spectacular piece rough and refined at the same time. No wonder it is 1500!
For Less:
It is going to be tough to find something similar to McCoubrey's style without spending a little bit of money. Gold at the end of the day is never going to be that cheap. Great Value Gold though, does offer competitive prices.
There are many retailers that sell cheap designer cufflinks, but the difficulty is finding ones which are in fashion. You've either got to find a provider whom you trust, or do the research yourself. Better yet, do both.
