The insurance company’s previous president and CEO, Scott Murphy, has split his role and will continue as CEO.
The History Behind … Dress Clips
What inspired these popular Art Deco-era pins, and what forced them out of fashion? A look at the story behind a style that’s similar to the brooch.

New York--Dress clips are a type of pin that first gained prominence in the 1920s and were worn in pairs, often opposite one another on the neckline or straps of a dress.
The style, however, fell out of favor in the 1950s when classic brooches regained popularity, and it never really recovered.
So, what forced dress clips out of fashion, and will they ever come back in style again?
Greg Kwiat, CEO of Fred Leighton, and Rebecca Selva, chief creative officer and public relations director for the jeweler, recently took the time to chat with National Jeweler about this Art Deco-era trend, and some of the ways in which Fred Leighton is finding new life for these classic clips.
When did women first start wearing dress clips? Dress clips, Kwiat said, first began to appear post-World War I. Fashion in both clothing and jewelry changed as the world worked to recover from the “Great War” and time marched on into the 1920s, a famous decade for style.
During this time, “fashion began to dictate some of the jewelry trends” in many respects, Kwiat said. “The tight, corseted dresses of the Edwardian period came into a much more free-form flowing, adventurous, romantic style,” including the famous flapper dresses of the era.
This new style of dress called for more ornamentation, and Kwiat said dress clips evolved as a reaction to that and were worn not only on dresses but also on furs and accessories, like handbags.
“I think it’s a real phenomenon in a way because dress clips become the piece of jewelry you have to have, and becomes integral to a dress and a look,” Selva said. “Designers are putting them on these dresses that they are making. Some of the big thrust was the movies, people going to the movies in the 1920s, and they’re seeing these beautiful women with these dress clips and they want that.”
And so companies started making them in great number, and not just the great houses such as Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels and Raymond Yard, but famous costume jewelers of the era too, like Trifari and Coro. This, in turn, feeds back to the fine houses and the dress clip quickly establishes itself as a “must-have item in fashion,” Kwiat said.
“The costume jewelry industry,” Selva said, “gave such a boost to that concept.”
Did dress clips serve any purpose?
What separates the dress clip from the classic brooch? Kwiat said in the beginning, dress clips were always in pairs, worn separated from each other on the strap or neckline of a dress, and almost always symmetrical.
However, they also could be worn together. He said pairs of dress clips often had a back that secured the two halves together so it became one piece, like a more classic-style brooch.
“That’s really the difference,” he said. “The dress clips are two pieces that can be worn together or separate whereas a brooch is typically a single element.”
Kwiat added that the Art Deco period is also the first time dress clips appeared, whereas one could go as far back as the Ancient Egyptians and find brooches.
When do we see dress clips begin to decline in popularity? In the 1930s and ‘40s, the style of dress clips evolved alongside other jewelry.
The bright-white platinum and diamond aesthetic of the early Art Deco era expanded to incorporate yellow gold and more colored gemstones and asymmetry became more of an acceptable idea.
As World War II ended, though, styles began to change.
Kwiat noted that during the Great Depression and the World War II, people went to the movies to escape and were inspired by the styles of actresses like Jean Harlow, Greta Garbo and Marlene Dietrich, who were featured on screen and in images wearing dress clips.
“(Dress clips are) never going to be what (they were) before but I always want to think that there’s people out there who love it and will wear them and enjoy them.” --Rebecca Selva, Fred LeightonBut then, “World War II ends, times change, fashions change,” he said. “And in the 1950s, the brooch really resurges in popularity and dress clips become less popular. You see dress clips fade a little bit in the minds of consumers.”
And they really never made a comeback.
“Dress clips really occupy a very distinct moment in time and they kind of bring you back to the ‘20s, ‘30s and ‘40s,” Kwiat said.

Do you think the dress clip will ever regain the same type of popularity they enjoyed in the 1920s? “I pray every day for that,” Selva laughed. “You know what, it’s never going to be what it was before, but I always want to think that there’s people out there who love it and will wear them and enjoy them.”
Kwiat agreed, “It will never be as popular as it was in the 1920s.”
While today’s more casual dress doesn’t lend itself to the traditional manner of wearing dress clips, Selva noted that there are different ways of donning them today. Some women wear a single clip to dress up a pair of black pants while others tuck them into updos to add some glamour to the hair.
Fred Leighton, too, has found ways of incorporating beautiful Art Deco-era dress clips into modern-looking pieces of jewelry. “When we see beautiful dress clips, sometimes we feel they can make the basis of a beautiful design of some other kind,” Kwiat said.
The jeweler crafted a black enamel bangle with a pair of platinum diamond, ruby and onyx dress clips in mind. They also have designed big, modern earrings incorporating dress clips with on-trend styles such as yellow gold and fringe.
This reflects another trend seen throughout the history of jewelry--versatility, the desire to craft pieces that can be worn in multiple ways.
“People were always thinking about how they could wear things differently and more often,” Kwiat said.
The Latest

The nearly six-month pause of operations at its Kagem emerald mine earlier this year impacted the miner’s first-half results.

The addition of Yoakum, who will lead Kay and Peoples, was one of three executive appointments Signet announced Thursday.

As a leading global jewelry supplier, Rio Grande is rapidly expanding and developing new solutions to meet the needs of jewelers worldwide.

The necklace uses spinel drops to immortalize the moment Aphrodite’s tears mixed with her lover Adonis’ blood after he was fatally wounded.


The diamond miner and marketer warned last week that it expected to be in the red after significantly cutting prices in Q2.

Jewelers of America’s 35th annual design contest recognized creativity, artistry, style, and excellence.

The Seymour & Evelyn Holtzman Bench Scholarship from Jewelers of America returns for a second year.

Tratner succeeds Andie Weinman, who will begin stepping back from the buying group’s day-to-day operations.

The president made the announcement via Truth Social Wednesday, adding that India also will face a penalty for its dealings with Russia.

The luxury titan’s star brand Gucci continued to struggle amid a "tough" environment.

Its opening marks the completion of the retailer’s new 11,000-square-foot store in the Texas capital.

Respondents shared concerns about tariffs and commentary on the “Big Beautiful Bill.”

“Making a Killing in Diamonds” tells the story of Mimi Rosen, the disappearance of a scientist, and the murder of lab-grown diamond CEO.

Senior Editor Lenore Fedow learned a lot when she took a behind-the-scenes factory tour with the jewelry brand earlier this year.

The first-time exhibitors, set to debut at the New York City show, share a devotion to craftsmanship, storytelling, and material integrity.

The online auction house’s September sale will feature rough Brazilian emeralds of various qualities.

She’ll lead an executive committee consisting of President-Elect Bryan Moeller, Mitchell Clark, Bill Farmer, and Larry Rickert.

Announced Sunday, the deal will set the tax on goods imported into the United States from the European Union at 15 percent.

A new edition of the Italian brand’s “Ipanema” collection has debuted with gemstones that evoke Brazil’s breathtaking views.

The retailer will refer its customers to WonderCare, founded by venture capitalist and watch collector Kevin O’Leary.

The jeweler’s largest store yet is set to open in Little Rock next fall.

Anne Hathaway was seen wearing the toggle necklace three times while filming scenes for “The Devil Wears Prada 2.”

Jewellery & Gem World Hong Kong is scheduled for Sept. 15 to 21, and buyer pre-registration will be available until Sept. 7.

Renovations at Tiffany & Co. stores ate into profits in the company’s watch and jewelry division.

Mark and Candy Udell of London Jewelers will receive the honor at the 24th annual Gem Awards next March.

While struggles continue at the mining and trading end of the pipeline, consumer demand for diamond jewelry is holding steady.