Accessorise with South American-inspired glamour, courtesy of Gilda’s Tryst

If there’s one thing a woman can never have enough of, aside from clothes and shoes that is, it’s accessories, i.e. bags and jewellery (and perhaps belts) - especially when it’s inspired by the excitement and energy of Buenos Aires.

Having amassed a collection of beautifully made distinctive pieces while living in the Argentinean capital, renowned for its active and stylish nightlife, ex- schoolmates and accessory-lovers Amanda Waterstone and Shireen Jayyusi were frustrated by the lack of reasonably priced statement accessories upon their return to the UK, leading them to develop their own collection.

“In the very early days, before heading back to the UK, we picked up a selection of pieces from a number of small Argentinean handbag designers who were producing beautifully made bags in lovely leathers,” said Shireen. “We managed to get these designers stocked in some great retailers, but our plan had always been to develop our own brand and we began working towards that almost immediately.”

After a year of intensive work, Shireen and Amanda have created an environment to showcase their entire collection, and Gilda’s Tryst opens its doors this week (the second week of April) in the Duke of York square, an ideally located pedestrian shopping spot just off the King’s Road in Chelsea.

Stocked with intricately crafted bags created from beautiful leathers with distinctive detailing and sexy jewelled bags to show off at any time of the day or night, Gilda’s Tryst is a mecca of brightly coloured baubles, trinkets and glittering pieces and every girl’s idea of accessory heaven.

“Our collection is made up of bold statement accessories inspired by the world of nocturnal drama and all the illicit possibilities it offers,” commented ex-City worker Shireen and Amanda, whose background is in retail. “It’s about jewellery and bags that are flirtatious and daring yet fundamentally feminine.”

They imagine their typical customer to be: “The unfettered woman who throws herself into life, who isn’t afraid to be strong or of her sexuality, who loves to get dressed up and slink into the night.” Sparkling after dark is not hard with the array of jewels and charms on offer. Fashioned from semi-precious stones, silver, and gold plating, the jewellery is about “statement pieces that will really last”.

Prices start at around £100 for bags and from £40 for the simpler pieces of jewellery, while there are some truly spectacular designs that cost up to about £700.

All Gilda’s Tryst’s suppliers produce their products ethically, while the store’s guiding principles are for items that are: “Beautifully made and will grace women’s wrists, necks, fingers, shoulders for a long time without their impact waning over time.”

With Argentina’s most desirable and glamorous accessories gathered under one roof – Gilda’s Tryst is likely to be one place you’ll want to visit time after time, and it’s a lot easier than taking a trip to Buenos Aires.

Gilda’s Tryst
71 Duke of York Square
London SW3 4LY