IF THERE WAS ever a time to bring the goth girl back, it’s now with the hype around the film Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, in which multi-award winning costume designer Coleen Atwood brought a mix of the bohemian gothic look and punk for a fresh modern take on an ’80s fashion and jewelry trend.
Camila Cabello went full-on goth at the 2024 MTV Music Awards, which summoned up a cross between Madonna in Desperately Seeking Susan, the original Morticia from the Addams Family and a Sicilian widow (due to the sheer lace black veil). She wore a black, delicate lace gown with various styles of openwork on the bodice and the sleeves, as well as multiple crosses featuring what looked like white diamonds on a blackened cross and black diamonds on a black beaded necklace. The pieces were designed by Loree Rodkin, who has bejeweled many a rock icon and was one of the hot jewelers of the 1980s and 90s, and who continues to lend and sell to celebrity talents.
While it definitely stood out among the diamond divas at the awards, my question — even with Beetlejuice Beetlejuice — is will it attract a new generation of customers?
I think crosses in a range of shapes and sizes in diamonds and more colorful gemstones will, but the whole look, while it worked for Cabello, is a bit over the top for the contemporary jewelry enthusiast.
What’s your take on the look?