LẤP LÁNH CULTURE

Pearls for men have been everywhere lately — and we think they’re here to stay.

That is not only because of the number of brands offering pearls has skyrocketed (Supreme x Tiffanys, Hatton Labs, Polite Worldwide etc.) but also because the cause for turning a gemstone previously known for being worn by Grandmas into a staple for all genders has some serious celeb firepower.

The latest advocate of pearl jewelry domination is none other than Timothée Chalamet. The actor arrived at the daytime photocall for Bones and All (a new film that he is producing and starring in) with a tight-fitting necklace that presented no less than two rows of the gemstone above the neckline of his Vivienne Westwood sweater.

This is far from being the first time that we’ve seen Chalamet venture into wearing pearl jewelry, in fact, the actor has become a leading face in the pearl resurgence which has been bubbling away.

It’s a look which, like a lot of our current fashion landscape, A$AP Rocky was an early adopter of. The rapper started wearing the classic jewel back in 2019 and since then he’s kept them as part of his regular rotation, even pairing a suit with an oversized pearl necklace and matching rings.

Harry Styles is also a noted member of the pearls club, most famously wearing a single pearl drop earring to the 2019 Met Gala. Like Rocky, since first debuting the look, Styles is rarely seen without a band of pearls around his neck.

But it’s not just our two favorite style gods wearing your grandma’s favorite gemstone. To celebrate the release of his recent album, Call Me If You Get Lost, Tyler, The Creator enlisted New York Jeweler Alex Moss to make a custom belt and chain made of pearls, as well as wearing oversized pearl earrings during the album’s rollout. Elsewhere, Jungkook and Taehyung of BTS, Shawn Mendes, Pharrell, Swae Lee, Jaden Smith, and Gucci Mane have all rocked some version of the stone. Clearly, pearls are having a moment.

But it’s not just our two favorite style gods wearing your grandma’s favorite gemstone. To celebrate the release of his recent album, Call Me If You Get Lost, Tyler, The Creator enlisted New York Jeweler Alex Moss to make a custom belt and chain made of pearls, as well as wearing oversized pearl earrings during the album’s rollout. Elsewhere, Jungkook and Taehyung of BTS, Shawn Mendes, Pharrell, Swae Lee, Jaden Smith, and Gucci Mane have all rocked some version of the stone. Clearly, pearls are having a moment.

Of course, men wearing pearls have attracted some haters that argue the trend is played out, but we beg to differ. The gemstone has remained ubiquitous in women’s jewelry for decades now — everyone from that fashion week influencer you follow to your mother likely has a pair knocking around. Pearls are such a classic piece that they’ve transcended age, style, and now gender.

Men wearing pearls isn’t a fad, it’s an example of how the jewelry world is finally opening up to genderless style. In 2020, men buying jewelry increased by 150 percent according to Lyst’s report, while searches for “men’s pearls” increased by 17 percent, and searches for specific pearl styles (anklets and earrings respectively) grew by 67 and 25 percent.

While pearls are currently reserved for the most fashion-forward among us, in a few years, pearl necklaces are about to be as commonplace as chains are for men. Watch this space.