Still, in an industry in which designers make electric dresses and coat shaggy furs with 24-karat gold, could these metaphysical add-ons simply be a case of marketing magic? Perhaps, but consider the new jewelry collection Equilibrio, designed by Federico de Alzaga in collaboration with the California firm Clarus. The lineup of sterling silver or 18-karat gold pendants, cuffs and belt buckles purports to improve energy, awareness and well-being, much like the others. The difference: Clarus has clinical research to back up its claims. A University of Vienna study, for one, demonstrated that human tissue cells are more resistant and respond better to chemical stress when exposed to the technology developed by the company. “We process our products with sets of frequencies,” explains Richard Gray, president and CEO of Clarus. “They’re resonating with the frequencies in your physical body and, guess what? Your body reacts.” Gray also mentions plans to expand into clothing as well as cosmetics in the near future. “New Age is no longer really New Age,” he says. “It’s now the wellness market—organic foods, yoga, acupuncture. What’s happening now is that the product side is catching up.”
All of which puts Astarabadi’s embroidered chants in perspective. “It’s abstract, it’s esoteric, it’s not going to be for everybody,” she remarks. But if you want to wear her clothes just because they’re pretty, the designer is okay with that too. “We’re here to experience earthly pleasures,” she says. “Enjoy it.”
