Jeans and Diamonds: The Ultimate Flex Style

We’re used to seeing high jewelry on the red carpet: just look at this year’s Met Gala, where Dua Lipa, clad in a 1992 Chanel corset gown, was adorned with a 100-carat brilliant-cut diamond courtesy of Tiffany & Co. But every time we see more jewelry used as part of everyday clothing; a blue sapphire and diamond necklace worn with a simple gray cashmere cardigan, or a titanium and diamond bracelet peeking out from under the cuff of a wool coat.

“Women are eager to break free from traditional constraints on what they can or should wear,” she says. Caroline ScheufeleCo-Chairman and Artistic Director of Chopard, of the high-low mix. “Jeans and a shirt with a cute bracelet, or a sautoir necklace, it looks exquisite. I love combining jeans with diamonds.”

Jeans and shirt with sautoir collar look exquisite

That the maisons can position their high jewelry collections not just for special occasions, but as investment pieces that can be worn every day, it’s not surprising. It helps fuel a lucrative category in the luxury jewelry market, which grew six percent in 2022 to $57 billion, according to Euromonitor International. tiffany and company had a record year last year, doubling its revenue in fine jewelry, while bulgariFine jewelry was one of its main drivers of growth, along with its fine watchmaking and the Serpenti lines.

Fflur Roberts, head of global luxury goods at Euromonitor, looks at how brands are styling their campaigns with more casual clothing in an attempt to appeal to younger consumers. “With Tiffany, the models were wearing very casual clothing with flashy jewelry. That’s a trend we’re going to see in the future. If anything, it shows off the jewelry even more so it becomes a statement piece.”

High jewelery collections are increasingly featuring pieces that appear much more toned down. ChaumetUnveiled in January, ‘s Liens Inséparables features slender white gold bands paved with diamonds and subtle blue sapphire accents. “Saying ‘casual’ with high jewelry feels like a bold statement,” says Ehssan Moazen, director of the maison’s creative studio, “although I would emphasize it regardless of the fact that we are at the beginning or end of a fashion season. . trend, we are interested in social and lifestyle trends. I expected the return of understated, understated luxury and we anticipated our clients’ needs when we designed this collection.” However, Moazen stresses that “casual” is not a substitute for special-occasion jewelry: “What I’ve seen so far from our customers is that they come to us for both.”

The trend is also supported by the sentiment that jewelry, no matter what category it falls into, should be on display rather than sitting in a vault. “Women buy high jewelry for themselves and they don’t want to wait for a gala event, they want to enjoy it,” says Scheufele. “This new approach is a strong trend that makes me very happy. I have always said: ‘Beautiful jewelry is made to be worn.’”

Model, Katharina Diedrich. Hair and makeup, Sevil Tai in Noob. Manicurist, Anais Cordevant at ASG Paris. Stage design, Matthew Morris. Photography assistant, Camille Coutherut. Production, Jason Le Berre at home