Lifestyle Mirror

Jewelry designer Yuvi Alpert is all grown up. He’s recently moved out of one of the CFDA’s incubator spaces and has gone solo with his own line under the moniker YUVI. He even has a new design studio in lower SoHo to boot. But unlike his previous line at Ruby Kobo, YUVI is all about men. And not only is masculinity taking center stage, but Alpert sees the project as a way to educate men on the importance of accessorizing. “I feel like a lot of times men are unsure about how to wear jewelry, so we’ve made this collection as straightforward as possible,” he told Lifestyle Mirror. 

Comprised of three vignette looks, the new collection mixes utility with Alpert’s signature flair for foreign influences. African vinyl is layered with diminutive black diamonds while specially made Japanese cord is paired with sterling silver, creating a clean, polished effect. Though above all, the designer just wants men to be comfortable with their choice in jewelry—he’s even made tie clips and cufflinks for the most conservative of aesthetes. Read on to hear Alpert’s take on how to integrate accessories into an everyday look. —Misty White Sidell

Start small
“You could always just start with one bracelet. The reason I say bracelet is because men are already used to wearing watches, so to add a bracelet when they’re used to wearing something on that hand isn’t going to feel like a big difference or a big change.” Alpert instructs, “I think they’d be surprised because you can wear something very simple and plain and just have one bracelet and it can make your outfit.”

Choose pieces that are able to endure everyday wear
“A lot of the materials we’re using you could swim in, you could shower in, you could wear them when you’re playing basketball—whatever you want to do.”

Each piece should feel effortless
“For me it’s something that you can wear everyday or something that has more of a casual look to it. You don’t want to look like you’re trying too hard, you want to kind of blend in. I don’t think you should be thinking too much, you want something that just works with everything.”

It’s all in the details
“I think jewelry just adds an interesting little detail to any outfit or even to your personality. Just adding a cool little bracelet or adding a little bit of color does so much to your whole look and it could just be one item.”