Celebrity

Stylist Cristina Ehrlich’s Jewelry Rules

The image maker talks about creating lasting looks and staying on top of trends

Stylist Cristina Ehrlich at Marie Claire’s Image Maker Awards wearing a necklace by CVC Stones Photo Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images

When Marie Claire handed out its 2017 Image Makers Awards a few weeks ago, celebrity stylist Cristina Ehrlich received the Stylist Icon prize. It was a fitting tribute. Cristina has been creating lasting looks on the red carpet and off for 20-years. She has dressed Penélope Cruz for over a decade and Tina Fey for eons. Brie Larson, Anna Kendrick, Allison Williams, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Priyanka Chopra, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Uzo Adbua are among the other stars she works with today. In The Adventurine’s series of stories surrounding Award Season in Los Angeles, I sat down with Cristina to talk about rules for styling jewelry on the red carpet and off. Following is a transcript of what she said.

1. For major red carpets, I think in terms of classic Hollywood glamour….

“Photos from the Oscars or any major red carpet are published throughout the world and repeatedly during an actress’s career. I think about that when I am styling. When we are creating a look, I am always asking myself how will this feel at the moment the star hits the red carpet and how will the moment look 5 or 10 years from now.

Of course this idea applies to the jewelry. A great example is Tina Fey [photo above] at the Oscars last year. She was in a Bulgari sapphire and diamond necklace. The jewel with her purple Versace strapless gown and the chic updo was elegant and modern. There was nothing complicated or tricky about it. It was just a glamorous eternal look.”

2. The right jewel can transform a black dress into a legendary look…

“To take a black dress over the top on an Oscar red carpet it really needs a great jewel. When I styled Margot Robbie for the 2015 Oscars, she came into town and swept into my Los Angeles office one day before the ceremony. I had all the dresses and major jewelry ready. When she tried on the Saint Laurent black dress everyone loved it but it needed something. I had the Van Cleef & Arpels Zipper necklace among the selection of jewels in the office. Once she heard about the history of the design, how the Duchess of Windsor had inspired Van Cleef to create it, she really fell in love with the jewel. She just owned the red carpet with that jewel on. It was her Michelle Pfeiffer coming down in the elevator ‘Scarface’ moment. With that blonde bob, black dress and the necklace, she showed all her strength.”

HOLLYWOOD, CA - FEBRUARY 22: Actress Margot Robbie attends the 87th Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood & Highland Center on February 22, 2015 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

Margot Robbie at the 2015 Academy Awards in a Van Cleef & Arpels Zipper necklace Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

3. Jewelry should make a statement and not confuse the eye…

“There are a lot of wonderful jewelry designers creating interesting work today. My team and I blanket the market to find great things for press events. My general rule is that the jewelry should make a statement and not confuse the eye. There is a way to do jewelry that captivates the audience and doesn’t take away from what the actress is saying. When Greta Gerwig was on Fallon recently, she wore Jennifer Fisher jewels—a thick gold hoop and one ring on the pointer ring. A ring on the pointer finger is divine. It makes a statement.”

THE TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JIMMY FALLON -- Episode 0601 -- Pictured: Actress Greta Gerwig during an interview on January 12, 2017 -- (Photo by: Andrew Lipovsky/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)

Greta Gerwig wearing Jennifer Fisher jewelry on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon; Detail of her hands Photo by: Andrew Lipovsky/NBC/NBCU and @cristinaehrlich Instagram

4. Rules are made to be broken…

“I love after all these years of doing this job, that I am always learning new things and that some of my rules can be broken. At the Golden Globes, for example, Priyanka Chopra was wearing Ralph Lauren Collection gold embroidered Gustave Klimt dress. Because of all the detail my instinct would be, say a fun cocktail ring and earrings and you are done. But Priyanka has an affection for big jewelry. Her passion for it inspired me to go to Lorraine Schwartz for something special.”

BEVERLY HILLS, CA - JANUARY 08: 74th ANNUAL GOLDEN GLOBE AWARDS -- Pictured: Actress Priyanka Chopra arrives to the 74th Annual Golden Globe Awards held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 8, 2017. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)

Priyanka Chopra at the 2017 Golden Globes wearing a Lorraine Schwartz Necklace and Ralph Lauren Collection dress Photo by Kevork Djansezian/NBC/NBCU

“When you go to Lorraine the process is about a collaboration. She looks at the dress and begins to create. Lorraine is very detail oriented about how the jewel is going to fit or an earring look close to the face. When you have the privilege to work with Lorraine on a big piece of jewelry, she makes sure it all works perfectly with the dress. The necklace Lorraine custom made for Priyanka had a 45-carat diamond pendant. It was amazing.”