VOGUE

Credit: Vogue

Credit: Vogue

The stud, that leitmotif of subversive decoration, might not seem uniquely American, but to jeweler Eddie Borgo (with model Lizzy Jagger) it’s as emblematic as the Stars and Stripes. In fact, for his Fashion Fund presentation, Borgo made an all-white flag, replete with those vicious metal points. But his fascination with the stud isn’t just about its status as the adornment of choice for everyone from Horses-ere Patti Smith to today’s lower East Side hipsters. For him, it’s part of the lexicon of modern American jewelry design. This Columbus, Ohio, native, in business for the last two years, has certainly made his own contribution to that genre. His jagged silver bracelet has glinted on wrists from L.A to London. Fine jewelry might be in his future, but for now he’s content transforming base metals in to his sculptural pieces. Next spring sees him expanding his use of fetish iconography; padlocks and piercing rings for sterling-silver and brass cuffs and necklaces. “I don’t see those materials as disposable.” Borgo says, “My jewelry should last for decades.”