How high jewellery brooches made a glittering comeback: from Rihanna’s vintage diamonds to Lady Gaga’s Schiaparelli dove pin at Joe Biden’s inauguration, the stylish accessory is here to stay

Jun 6 , 2023

Rihanna’s clusters of vintage
Joseph Saidian & Sons diamond brooches glittered in the spotlight at February’s Super Bowl half-time show. Photo: Getty Images — Rihanna’s clusters of vintage Joseph Saidian & Sons diamond brooches glittered in the spotlight at February’s Super Bowl half-time show. Photo: Getty Images

Unlike in the past, brooches have been made cool for the modern generation thanks to stars like Michael B. Jordan who wore Tiffany & Co. at the Oscars and Paul Mescal who rocked a vintage Cartier pin

Emily in Paris’ Lucas Bravo wore a Chaumet piece to the Asian Film Awards while Michelle Williams and Olivia Wilde both wore rosette-style brooches – so what gave this historic accessory a new spark?

Once mostly the domain of great-aunt Betty and school captains the world over, the brooch has made a glittering return. What’s more, who wears them and how they’re worn has been resolutely unpinned. You only need to look at Michael B. Jordan accessorising his tuxedo with rare Tiffany & Co. Bird on a Rock brooches at the Oscars, Paul Mescal in a vintage Cartier pin at the Baftas and Emily in Paris dreamboat Lucas Bravo wearing a Chaumet diamond Œillet brooch to the 2023 Asian Film Awards.

Michael B. Jordan at the European premiere of Creed III in London, in February. Photo: Getty Images

It’s not only chic men embracing this piece of jewellery, worn since ancient times. Other recent sightings include the gold Schiaparelli dove pin that Italian influencer Chiara Ferragni wore to the Sanremo 2023 music festival, a piece also spotted on Lady Gaga at President Biden’s 2020 inauguration. Michelle Williams and Olivia Wilde have both worn rosette-style brooches (another blooming trend this year) and who could forget the vintage diamond Joseph Saidian & Sons brooches pinned to Rihanna’s bodysuit at February’s Super Bowl half-time show?

Indeed the breadth of styles, from iconic jewelled pieces to sweetly subversive rosettes and all manner of things diamond and delicate, proves there’s a brooch for everyone. On runways you’ll find Irish designer Simone Rocha’s froths of tulle and dark-edged romance accessorised with clusters of crystals and pearls, and sculptural silver pins worn with tailoring and white shirts at the Jil Sander spring 2023 collection.

A Gucci logo brooch surrounded by jewels, available at Farfetch.

Meanwhile on TikTok, there are more than 122 million views on #brooch, where creators offer styling tips and share their collections.

Lydia Tufnell, category manager of jewellery at online retailer Farfetch, says there’s much to love about their return. “Brooches are such a versatile piece, [whether] adding them to a suit or using them to dress up a casual outfit. One big part of this trend is the ability to buy into the brand new season with brooches which focus on big logos such as Valentino, Gucci or Saint Laurent. Or you can shop for beautiful vintage and pre-owned brooches,” she says.

A brooch worn by Frank Everett of Sotheby’s New York. Photo: Handout

Frank Everett, senior vice-president jewellery at Sotheby’s New York, is a long-time brooch aficionado and wears one almost every day. Indeed he’s been championing #thebroochisback on his Instagram account for 10 years.

“Brooches allow the truest expression of design for a jeweller. They are not restricted by the need to fit a wrist, neck or finger. They are truly wearable art: sculptures of precious gemstones and metals that can be worn,” says Everett.