At the beginning of this year, an intriguing theory circulated on social media suggesting that celebrities were abandoning necklaces and chains.
The theory gained traction after the appearance of popular figures such as Selena Gomez, Daisy Edgar-Jones and Quinta Brunson at various awards shows with bare necklines. Some designers attributed it to a desire to promote ‘youthful’ looks.
Mimi Cuttrell, a stylist for actress Madelyn Cline, said that jewellery can occasionally overpower outfits and that it’s important not to mix the ‘messaging’ of certain looks.
“Awards season is always full of glitter, glamour and conversation-stirring styling. But after Hollywood's elite walked the red carpet of the Golden Globes on 10 January, there was something noticeably absent from the majority of show-goers' looks: a necklace,” writes Brook Frischer of Yahoo Life.
“For as long as red carpets have existed, so have celebrities sparkling in the most eye-catching, statement-making necklaces.
“In fact, the business of jewellery lending dates back to the 1930s, and has become a phenomenon of sorts, leading to some of the most iconic moments in Hollywood fashion history.”
When trends such as these generate mainstream attention, it can be tempting for jewellery retailers to consider neglecting the category and focusing their efforts elsewhere. That would be a major mistake!
It’s often said that celebrities and those living life in the public eye command tremendous influence over jewellery fashion.Due to the number of intangibles involved in style and fashion; however, measuring that influence is near impossible – and many question whether it exists at all.
One such sceptic is Simone Walsh, founder of Simone Walsh Designs in South Australia.
“We have actually asked our customers about this in the past and they've told us that celebrities have very little influence in terms of what they like to wear,” she tells Jeweller.
“My feeling is that existing trends tend to be picked up and amplified by celebrities and their stylists.
“This in turn further influences what other people are wearing and it filters out to those who don't pay much attention to celebrity culture.”
Walsh is far from the only jeweller to doubt the importance of celebrity trends.
Georgina Degreef, the owner of Georgina Dunn Jewellery, says that her focus is on creating ‘classic’ modern jewellery and that celebrity influence has no impact on that process.
“I personally don’t look to celebrities when designing my jewellery so I know that my jewellery isn’t influenced by them,” she explains.
“My customers however are not looking for high-end jewellery from me, they are looking for practical everyday handmade jewellery.
‘This just isn’t the kind of thing which is worn on the red carpet.”
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T to B: Karlie Kloss x Loewe, Irina Shayk x Ana Khouri, Kim Kardashian x Schiaparelli, Amanda Seyfried x Cartier |
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Psychological impact
So much of the ‘art’ of jewellery is concerned with self-expression and when it comes to making a statement, there’s little that can match the influence of an eye-catching neckline.
Necklaces are one of the earliest known adornments adopted by humans to display class, religious conviction and cultural status, and it’s easy to understand why.
When it comes to communication the change in characteristics of an individual’s face have a crucial psychological role to play.
Albert Mehrabian, a researcher of body language, was one of the first academics to break down the components of face-to-face conversation.
He believed that communication is 55 per cent non-verbal, 38 per cent vocal, and just 7 per cent the literal words being spoken.
With that in mind, it’s easy to understand that when an individual wears an evocative or eye-catching necklace or chain, every word they speak is being both physically and literally underlined by the jewellery they wear.
For retailers, this means that necklaces and chains can’t be an overlooked category.
While other categories such as engagement rings hold powerful cultural positions, jewellery dedicated to the neckline is perhaps the most impactful one can offer.
“The jewellery you wear speaks volumes about your taste as well as your individuality. Thus, an elegant necklace can easily be used as an accessory to express who you are and to leave a lasting impression on others,” writes Angelo Ghisa of Sphyre.
“It is for this reason that women have a wide variety of necklaces in their closets; there are more casual ones that are appropriate for a business look, and there are more dramatic and fancy ones for wearing outside the office.”
He adds: “However, remember that the necklace reveals a lot about you, more than any other accessory.”
Command attention
For those that do place importance on the jewellery worn by so-called trendsetters, it’s become clear that the days of subtle ‘under the radar’ jewellery designs have come and gone.
The cycle of fashion has returned to loud pieces that don’t request your attention – they demand it.
Many influential celebrities have embraced ‘maximalism’ in recent years and one worthy of study is Stefani Germanotta, otherwise known as Lady Gaga.
"If there’s anybody to take back the idea that celebrities aren’t wearing necklaces anymore
- a theory that started on TikTok earlier this year and was used as proof of a move toward so-called ‘recession-core’ - it’s Lady Gaga,” writes Annie Brown of Vogue.
“Not because she doesn’t read the mood, but because nobody can pull out exquisite pieces from the Tiffany & Co archives as she can.”
She adds: “Lady Gaga wasn’t the only one to unpick the idea that while in recent months celebrities such as Phoebe Edgar-Jones and Margot Robbie hadn’t worn necklaces on the red carpet, they are certainly far from extinct. In fact, they’re dazzling.”
Maximalism is the word most commonly attributed to the change in the air when it comes to style.
In the arts, maximalism is considered a reaction against minimalism and an embrace of the aesthetic of excess.
The phrase ‘more is more’ is often bandied around by supporters of the style, a sharp contrast to the more pervasive philosophy of ‘less is more’.
“The bold glamour necklace in diamonds and gemstones reminiscent of Hollywood’s Golden Age stole the jewellery spotlight at almost all the events during awards season,” writes Beth Bernstein of Forbes.
“It has also recently turned up on the catwalks at the fall and winter ready-to-wear shows and in the designer studios of contemporary independent designers who also feature one-of-kind vintage pieces or antique dealers who also offer modern gemstones.”
She adds: “The looks ranged from the elegant diamond fringe and drop styles to multiple choker strands to coloured gemstones and more.”
History lesson
Germanotta’s influence over style and design in jewellery is based on her success in the music industry, where we find many other influential figures in the neckline game.
Rihanna, Madonna, Beyonce, Jennifer Lopez, and Katy Perry – to name but a few – have all ignited trends in recent years, and it’s not just influential women changing the game.
Frank Ocean, Kendrick Lamar, ASAP Rocky, Kanye West, and Lil Nas X have all had a role to play when it comes to popularising trends in jewellery, and it should come as no surprise that these men all share something in common – a hip-hop background.
Jewellery in hip hop – once commonly and now derisively described as ‘bling’ – has been an important icon of the music industry. Have you ever wondered why that is?
“A hip-hop artist's style is a direct reflection of their personality. The simple reason why some rappers want to use flashy jewellery pieces in their songs and videos is that it helps them project a sense of wealth, class, and seductiveness to their audience,” writes Jamal Parpia of Supreme.
“Aside from wealth, it also defines how far they have come in life. They use jewellery as a means to express their personality and their core values or beliefs.”
He adds: “Hip-hop culture is essentially built on hustle culture, working non-stop 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to achieve the success they want. Most of them came from difficult backgrounds and have had their fair share of ups and downs in their career.”
Despite the geographical distance, African customs and belief have had a tremendous influence on hip-hop culture.
In Ancient Egypt, gold chains were worn for thousands of years as it was believed they repelled evil spirits. Parpia says the influence of those beliefs continues today.
“Back then, gold was also a symbol of dominance and power, illustrating the success and wealth of the owner,” he continues.
“Rappers wear it for the same reasons, with the additional aspect of music and art. The first hip-hop artist to introduce gold chains was RUN DMC in the 80s.”
“Then, other popular artists like Big Daddy Kane, Slick Rick, Eminem, and Jay Z caught on until gold chains became a staple of hip-hop culture.”
Don’t miss out
Whether or not you believe that celebrities and other public figures significantly influence the choices of jewellery consumers, necklaces and bold chains is a category retailers cannot afford to neglect.
Culturally, they’ve been used as an important statement piece for much of human history and psychologically, they’re a powerful tool for communicating style and personality.
It’s of vital importance that jewellers don’t neglect their necklace and chain inventory as they play a crucial role in a well-balanced offering.
Jewellery is all about personal story-telling, and while engagement and wedding rings make an important statement, for your customers the story shouldn’t end there.
CHAINS & NECKLACE
CATALOGUE |
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BRONZALLURE Golden rose patented alloy, 18-carat rose gold plated chains that are easy to layer. Nickel-free, cadmium-free and hypoallergenic. | SILVER ESSENTIALS Part belcher, part paperclip link, this sterling silver designer chain is plated in14-carat gold. The chain is 45cm in length with an ID plate that can be personalised. Natural Sterling silver colour option also available. | SERPENT NECKLACE Detailed in 18-carat yellow gold with pink, champagne and yellow diamonds, pink sapphires and a 9-11mm white South Sea pearl strand.
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FULL DROP PENDANT WITH WHEAT CHAIN | PAW PRINT DIAMOND PENDANT WITH CABLE CHAIN | THE CHIC PENDANT WITH WHEAT CHAIN | FULL HEART PENDANT
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A Beautiful way to hold love close, these stunning new gold and diamond pendanst have been designed
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SiILVER ESSENTIALS Part belcher, part paperclip link, this sterling silver designer chain is plated in14-carat gold.
The chain is 45cm in length with an ID plate that can be personalised.
Natural Sterling silver colour option also available. adelaimports.com |
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