THE RISE OF THE ‘IT’ EARRING

IT’S TIME TO MEET this SEASON’S MOST TRANSFORMATIVE CHARM...

Forget the ‘It’ bag – we’re calling the earring the piece to wear now

If the 199Os were all about ‘It’ bags, with teeny Fendi Baguettes nestled in every fashion editor’s arm, and the 2OOOs were all about the ‘It’ trainer (who doesn’t own at least one pair of Stan Smiths?), then with the 2O1Os nearly over, we’re calling it: this decade belongs to the ‘It’ earring. Yes, in most cases, we mean just one. While pared-back styles are still in favour as far as clothes go, an interesting shift has taken place from the neck up. The earring has become the transformative charm: the single piece that puts personality into our purist daywear. With a high-low mix of semi-precious stones and metals, graphic resins and plastics, these pieces are less delicate in their sensibility than fine jewellery – they’re distinctive and characterful. They’re sweetly priced too; they don’t sit in that exorbitant expensive category. They are still an investment, sure, as a Lutz Morris

or modestly sized Balenciaga handbag might be. But, as far as design goes, they break the literal (and figurative) mould – not the bank.

‘We’ve seen huge growth in this category in recent seasons,’ says Hollie Harding, who oversees accessories at Browns Fashion. ‘It’s a way to express yourself, and we’re finding that our customers are shopping for jewellery like they would have historically shopped for shoes or handbags.’ This means we’re straying from understated studs, swapping them for a shock of colour or unconventional shapes – pieces with immediate impact.

‘There’s a new wave of independent specialists,’ Harding adds, naming neon carabiner earrings by Eera and Art Nouveau styles by Melissa Kaye as personal favourites. They’re among a number of women-founded brands setting the new gold standard, each offering something unique. ‘Most of them have come about because the designer couldn’t find what they wanted in the market, so they created it themselves,’ says Harding, which resonates with women keen to add statement jewellery to their everyday look (and that translates to sales, set to grow by 1O-15% by 2O2O as more consumers turn to jewellery as a means of self-expression).*

‘I hadn’t come across pieces like mine, in precious metals but with playful touches and humour,’ says Anissa Kermiche, a designer who is making her mark with carefully crafted, characterful styles: cheeky breasts and bums, and chic abstractions of the female body. ‘Women are increasingly keen to invest in jewellery, rather than ready-to-wear, using it as a starting point for their outfits. I find that I centre my clothes around the pieces I’m going to wear. My personal style is quite classic; my jewellery introduces personality.’

That’s the appeal of these styles, beyond their more affordable price points. They’re clues to character, livening up our classic looks; minimal fuss, maximum impact. ‘Jewellery is an easy way to update your wardrobe, switching things up based on the season or your mood,’ says Molly Haylor, ELLE’s fashion market and accessories editor. ‘Think of your outfit as a blank canvas,’ she says, recommending versatile everyday styles, such as loose tailoring by Tibi or Joseph. ‘Then have fun with your jewellery. Introduce personality with a statement-sized sculptural earring by Completedworks or a high-shine door-knocker by Loewe. If the styling is simple, whether it’s smart or casual, you can get away with any colour, length, or shape.’ So there’s your excuse to go all out.

“THE ‘IT’ EARRING: ONE PIECE that PUTS PERSONALITY INTO our PURIST DAYWEAR”