Last year, a bombshell Vivienne Westwood pearl necklace took Tik Tok by storm after Bella Hadid, Dua Lipa, Rihanna, Kylie Jenner and Saweetie were seen sporting it. Deemed the ‘Tik Tok Pearl Necklace’, the vintage piece was originally designed by Westwood in the late ’80s as a counter-culture statement against classic fashion.
Gen-Z has always been taken with the idea of recalling old fashion rules only to dismantle them. They’re doing exactly the same with pearls — the most enduring gatekeepers of fashion. BTS, Machine Gun Kelly, Harry Styles and Maneskin’s Damiano have been styling pearls as an expression of their fashion fluidity. Homegrown labels like Lune, Amama and Outhouse are pushing the design envelope with simulated pearl variants, be it margarite, trendy faux pearls or even chunky baroque picks.
“I feel perfection in fashion has taken a backseat in the last few years, and now it’s all about embracing our differences. This is reflected in the shopping behaviour as well and for me that is powerful. Taking into consideration the rise of Y2K jewellery, the craze for body jewellery and colourful accessories, we’re looking to curate pieces like dramatic black pearl earrings, baroque pearls with colourful beads, and pearl body jewellery,” says Suhani Batwara, whose label Tanzire is dedicated to the niche of handmade, sustainable demi-fine jewellery crafted by independent women artisans from across the globe.
Here’s exactly where you should look if you want 2022 to be the year of the pearl:
Dhora
Aavriti R Jain’s luxury jewellery label Dhora melds Rajasthani design heritage with minimalism and uses cultured, freshwater pearls for many of their pieces. Dhora’s pieces retain the heavy-duty heritage element but are fashioned like modern heirlooms. Their five-layer Rajmata pearl necklace or longline Victorian pearl necklaces are re-imagining traditions but you’ll also spot some sleeker, workwear-friendly pieces.
Sakshi Jhunjhunwala
Kolkata designer Sakshi Jhunjhunwala steers towards versatile pearl jewellery that can double up as cocktail bling. In the demi-fine memo, exaggerated detailing is trending big so creative detailing and avante-garde influences are a good way to go especially if someone is looking to style pearls with simple monochromes.
Outhouse Jewellery
Kaabia and Sasha Grewal’s luxury label Outhouse Jewellery made waves with their stylised use of keshi pearls. Their Pearls Des Celestle Keshi Pearl Drop Earrings string up baroque-style keshi pearls with chic metallic charms. Outhouse even has convertible, multi-functional lanyard chains with a metallic 22k gold plated statement Hasli lace which can be used to style sunglasses, AirPods, face masks or even as a pendant.
Radhika Agrawal
Radhika Agrawal’s Bella Bijou Feria line proves that faux pearls can get all kinds of exciting. The designer’s maximalist danglers are made-to-order and feature Swarovski pearls, beads and crystals on a gold plated base along with ivory accents.
Amama
Amama’s embroidered jewellery is one-of-a-kind and the label’s Bianca line is an amalgamation of Amama's staple beaded embroidered work and metalwork. The bold pieces rely on some vintage elements, but are conceived as new-wave jewellery. Amama also offers kitschy, embroidered pearl chokers with intricate embroidery and some light sequencing.
Tanzire
“We’ve witnessed a sudden boom in purchases of Mismatched Pearl Earrings and Keshi Pearls Choker and Brazillian Baroque Pearl Rope Chain Necklace. So a balanced mix of runway trends, Instagram fads and timeless classics are selling right now. The modern spin of pairing pearls with colorful gemstones or golden charms is my personal favourite,” Tanzire’s Suhani Batwara tells us.
Tanzire’s collaborative line with Tel-Aviv designer Hila Amar brings together traditional craftsmanship and futuristic thought. The collection features unique helix cuff featuring delicate string of distinctive pearls which fit around the outer rim of the ear or the helix.
Misho
Suhani Parekh’s label Misho has been on the radar of every Gen-Z A-lister be it Kendall Jenner or Naomi Osaka. The label made headlines when it made jewellery for Apple’s AirPods. Misho's Convertible Beach Please Pods are handcrafted in 22k gold plated bronze and pearls. The dainty sculptural earrings don’t just make your AirPods dressier but also hold them in place and can also be styled without the AirPods.