The traditional look of pearls has graced the runways for years, most notably in the collections of Chanel. For Fall 2009, however, Karl Lagerfeld chose jade over pearls, yet this small gem showed up in many other collections in some very interesting ways, breaking them out of their traditional mold. At Louis Vuitton, ankle strap party shoes featured pearl-pierced hourglass-shaped heels. Oversize pearls made their way down the runway at Moschino Cheap & Chic, pearls were embroidered and buried in tulle at Comme des Garcons and strung onto ribbon at 3.1 Phillip Lim.
Most unusual were the ones encased in metal at Lanvin and as the treasure inside a shell at Dolce and Gabbana.
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Pearl Innovation
- Design innovations with pearls, such as using oversize pearls or encasing them in metal, creating disruptive and luxurious looks.
- Jade Over Pearls
- Jade being used as an alternative to pearls creates disruptive elegance in fashion.
- Pearl Embroidery
- Embroidering pearls into fabrics, such as tulle, provides an exciting and luxurious addition to accessories and clothing.
Where This Applies
- Fashion and Accessories
- Fashion and accessories brands may have the opportunity to create new, luxurious pearl-based designs and products in response to Pearl Innovation trends.
- Jewelry
- Jewelry brands may leverage the Jade Over Pearls trend by creating unique, elegant jade-based jewelry offerings.
- Textile and Fabrication
- Textile and fabric brands can explore innovative ways to include pearls and embroidery into their products for use in Fashion and Accessory.
