I AM NOT SURE how many articles, blogs and Instagram posts I have written over the past five to 10 years about the brooch making a comeback. At first it was wishful thinking whenever I saw a fellow antique jewelry enthusiast and collector wear one or several brooches. I had been wearing them for 20-plus years in every way I could think of. But they started popping up on the red carpet pinned to the center, the shoulder or neckline of a gown; in the hair; or, my favorite, on the plunging back of a sensual slinky couture number. I would think the trend had finally hit as it showed up at seasons of awards shows and unexpectedly, then expectedly on guys with the “man brooch.” But with jewel customers, brooches were still not catching on. Janelle Monae, however, seemed to bring the jewels into style-setting status when she wore a Reza diamond and platinum floral style brooch fastened to a wide ribbon with a custom Vera Wang bustier black and orange gown at the 2023 Oscars. Maybe it was just time.
Interestingly, this interpretation seemed edgy and modernistic, but the wide velvet ribbon with a brooch attached dates to the 19th century through the early 20th century.
One thing is for certain: It’s not wishful thinking on my part anymore. All of the major houses have delved into their archives over the past few years. Renowned brands such as Chaumet, Chanel High Jewelry, Boucheron, Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Tiffany & Co. and Chopard have reinvigorated the brooch as the jewel to own. Rebecca Selva at Fred Leighton has always been a proponent of antique and vintage brooches when dressing her clients on and off the red carpet.
Independent designers and the new guard at generational companies like Reza are appealing to retailers and their clients alike who see stars like Janelle Monae and think, “I can pull that off.” And with that dynamic, the brooch is coming back at the consumer level.
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