The value of pearls has increased recently. TikTok users have watched over 31 million videos with the hashtag #VivienneWestwoodNecklace, largely unboxings of the British designer's Pearl Necklace With Planet.
Not to mention, celebrities like Harry Styles and Hailey Bieber have been flaunting their love for pearl necklaces, and "aesthetics" like #OldMoney, which reclaim elements of upper-crust and preppy fashion, are becoming more popular on social media.
Conversely, pearls have never gone out of style. More importantly, they are rejecting any remaining stuffiness or "rules" regarding who may wear them (and how). Pearls have the versatility to be both elegant and edgy, feminine and rebellious. Even a grandma who thinks martinis are morning food may appreciate their enticing qualities. At the Brit Awards 2021 in London, Dua Lipa wore a pearl necklace by Vivienne Westwood. Photo by JMEnternational/Getty Images for the Brit Awards At the Brit Awards in London, England in 2021, Dua Lipa wore a pearl necklace by designer Vivienne Westwood. JMEnternational for the Brit Awards / Getty Images The value of pearls has increased recently. With over 31 million views, the #VivienneWestwoodNecklace hashtag on TikTok features largely frenzied unboxings of the now-iconic pearl and spacecraft pendant necklace designed by the British fashion designer.
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Other cultural influences include celebrities like Harry Styles and Hailey Bieber flaunting their penchant for pearl necklaces, and the rise in popularity of social media "aesthetics" like #OldMoney, which reclaim elements of upper-crust and preppy fashion. However, pearls have never gone out of style. More importantly, they are rejecting any remaining stuffiness or "rules" regarding who may wear them (and how).
On the red carpet at the BFI London Film Festival in October, Jennifer Lawrence wore a Del Core dress with a matching cape that was embellished with pearls. Credit: DPA During the BFI London Film Festival in October, Jennifer Lawrence wore a dress and cape by Del Core that were embellished with pearls. Images courtesy of DPA Pearls have the versatility to be both elegant and edgy, feminine and rebellious. Even a grandma who thinks martinis are morning food may appreciate their enticing qualities.
Proof of this is the fervor for Vivienne Westwood's pearl necklaces, particularly among the younger generations, despite the fact that Westwood is 81 years old and the reigning queen of punk. Jennifer Lawrence wore a Del Core dress with a matching cloak that was studded with pearls at the BFI London Film Festival in October, and it wasn't the first time that we saw this trend. Sophie Bille Brahe, a jeweler from Denmark, is renowned for her asymmetrical and graduated designs with diamonds and pearls. When Bille Brahe first started her business in 2011, she felt a deep connection to pearls. Because of having a son, pearls now have special significance for me. For my birthday, my mother gave me a pearl necklace that had been given to her by my father. I'd always considered pearls a touch dated, but all of a sudden they had a mysterious allure. She explains, "All they needed was a new spin to make them relevant again." She elaborates, "Pearls symbolize purity, innocence, and femininity, and the sea is a constant source of inspiration for me." They're meaningful to me and have integrated themselves into my style over time. In order to create my first collection, I had to spend a lot of time away from my newborn baby, and it was quite difficult. That's why, for my first time ever, I opted to work with pearls, since I wanted to make something of deep significance. I found myself reflecting on my own pregnancy as I read about how oysters care for their young. It was a natural fit. When it comes to untangling the protocol around pearls, Bille Brahe's philosophy that excellent jewelry should be worn freely and with anything is especially applicable. It has long been the custom for women to accessorize with pearls. They always have and always will since it is a timeless classic, but she argues that pearls have a stigma attached to them for a long time because of their association with tradition. To wear a pearl necklace every day would be too much for most ladies. Now, however, pearls are seen in a different light; they are a common component of casual jewelry that complements every outfit. Wearing pearls with denim makes the latter seem immediately more current. Pearls, although being made of a raw and unrefined substance, seem to come to life when used in jewelry. Each and every lady may personalize them to her liking. Bille Brahe pairs her go-to slip dress or T-shirt with her best-selling Peggy necklace, a string of pearls in varying sizes. That necklace offers me a really fresh look, and I like that. It's quite straightforward and traditional in style, yet updated with a contemporary edge; as a result, I never get weary of listening to it. To paraphrase the designer, "I want my jewelry to be something you want to pass on, like a family treasure; I want to give my Peggy to my daughter so that she may have her own narrative." Meanwhile, she is sometimes seen sporting the Petite Peggy. She received this as a present for her baptism, and it is a miniature replica of the Peggy with the same concept of graduated pearls. Claire Hammon is a co-founding designer for the New Zealand jewelry business Meadowlark, which produces pearl jewelry such as pearl anklets, pearl drop earrings, and pearl strands. She claims that the demographics of pearl buyers are diverse, and that consumers are experimenting with new ways to wear the timeless accessory. "The delicate style of our micro pearls radiates a summer mood," she adds, "and they tend to be popular with younger clients since they can be stacked with different necklaces to create layered complexity and curiosity." "Some clients are going for the timelessly elegant look of a single baroque pearl strung over a necklace or pair of earrings. The Vita Drop Earrings are our most popular pearl style, and they were inspired by the Ginkgo Leaf Lamp by Italian designer and sculptor Carlo Giorgi. These earrings are often ordered for weddings, but I enjoy them when customers wear them with a more laid-back outfit. According to Australian jeweler Holly Ryan, the flawed and organic quality of pearls is one of the reasons they are so popular, particularly among younger users. Classic pearls will always be in style, but she thinks that younger generations are appreciating the unique imperfections of keshi pearls like the ones she uses in her creations. If a pearl isn't perfect in form, I can utilize it to make something else of beauty out of it, whether it's elongated, distorted, or baroque.