Celebrity Jewelry

Judge the Jewels: Director Jon Chu Wears Beaded Portraits of Wicked Stars As Brooches 

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19 seconds ago

January 14, 2026

Becky Stone

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A post shared by nerdbead. | beads and embroidery (@nerdbead)

The sighting: Wicked director Jon Chu recently attended the 2026 Golden Globes in a sleek white jacket and a pair of brooches that instantly became two of the most talked-about jewels of the evening.

Let’s take a look.

The jewels: Jon Chu wore a pair of truly spectacular beaded brooches by bead and embroidery artist NerdBead. The two staggeringly detailed portraits represent Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, the two stars of Chu’s “Wicked” movies.

The trends: Brooches were a huge trend at the 2026 Golden Globes and alternative materials – like beads – are expected to be big this year as the price of precious metals continues to be difficult for consumers, so these brooches are right on the mark.

What do we think? The craftsmanship of these two beaded brooches has my jaw on the floor. NerdBead, I hope you realize how talented you are! I had no idea that beaded portrait brooches of celebrities could be this recognizable and beautiful.

I also think that this is a very sweet choice on the part of Chu and his stylist. How lovely to turn his outfit into an homage honoring the stars of his big movies! It’s creative and loving and campy in a way that feels juuuust right for fans of the often over-the-top Wicked franchise to appreciate.

Judgement: 1,000/10 for thinking outside the box and showcasing independent artists who make cool things.

Related Topics: celebrity jewelry NerdBead

Becky Stone

Becky Stone writes about jewelry styles for INSTORE. She is founder and CEO of well-known jewelry blog Diamonds in the Library.

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