Pearls Are Taking Over Fashion—Here's Why

Elle

6 days ago

We're in the midst of a pearl renaissance—dare we call it a pearlissance. Chunky, hefty, supersized pearls were seen in the form of necklaces, bags, and collaged tops across the fall 2025 runways at Vaquera, Chanel, Givenchy, and many more. Simone Rocha, for her part, topped off collars, bag straps, and buttons with the motif. And in the spring collections, Junya Watanabe overloaded spiked bags with them. Likewise, Noir Kei Ninomiya decked out a skeleton-shaped jacket with baby-sized iterations.
These, however, are far from the traditional pearls of the past. Instead, the modern pearl is boldly oversized and completely reinvented. They are now present in massive stacks of strands, bulbous bags, and even as the focal piece of clothing, as seen at Sarah Burton's Givenchy debut in the form of a top dripping with crystals and sprinkled with humongous gemstones. Considering fashion's recent devotion to all things preppy, the newly subverted, contorted pearl feels so right. Its boldness stands in stark contrast to the understated aesthetic of so-called 'quiet luxury.'
Due to their initial rarity, pearls were once one of the most valuable gemstones on earth. 'Pearls were always scarce, particularly when they came into vogue in the really late, medieval, early Renaissance time,' Kim Nelson, FIT's assistant chair of jewelry design, tells ELLE. 'Until companies started to farm pearls in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, pearls were found as they were found. There was no way to go out and mass produce one.'
To put things into perspective: in 1917, Cartier exchanged two strands of natural pearls—valued at $1.5 million—plus $100, for American financier Morton Plant's Fifth Avenue mansion, then worth $950,000. As the farmed pearl became mainstream, the natural pearl market collapsed and never fully recovered, save for the ultra-rare, antique natural pearls that may pop up at an auction from time to time.
As a result, the pearl has always been a symbol of wealth, associated with a reserved, 'old money' style. Think of traditional pearls, and one might envision a 1950s housewife, Jackie O, or a WASPy politician. Last year, a simple, elegant little strand of pearls may have felt right at home with a beige cardigan, a pillbox hat from Altuzarra, and a pair of trousers from The Row. But the large, perceivably garish, and intentionally fake pearls we love right now? There's a touch of camp—something intensely ironic, yet strangely comforting in its excess.
The pearl's rich history and mythology have captivated fashion designers for decades. One of the most iconic examples of a designer redefining the pearl's image is Vivienne Westwood, who introduced a subversive take on pearls in her fall 1987 collection. Three years later, she launched her infamous Three-Row Pearl Pearl Drop Choker. Always one to riff on the English upper class, her namesake brand has styled pearls with punk-inspired, renaissance-like corsets, sheer blouses, underwear, and extreme silhouettes since the 1980s. 'There's nothing more flattering than pearls,' says Andreas Kronthaler, creative director of Vivienne Westwood. 'They play with the whites of your eyes and teeth; pearls really talk to you. And they work on everybody, from young to old, women and men, everyone. You can wear them all the time—it's one of the few things you can. You can even wear them for breakfast!'
Interestingly, pearls have long been—and undoubtedly will continue to be—synonymous with femininity. 'When I came into the jewelry industry 30 years ago, pearls were considered about the most feminine gem you could use,' adds Nelson. In a world where most major fashion houses are being led by male creative directors, it's an interesting time for designers to play with the gem in a new way. Backstage at Prada's fall 2025 show, Miuccia Prada asked, 'What is feminine beauty today?' At Miu Miu, amongst all the bullet bras, massive gold mid-century brooches, and little cardigans, she added, 'Do we need femininity in this difficult moment to lift us up?' In 2025, reimagining pearls can almost feel like an act of rebellion amid the ongoing fight for women's reproductive rights and the growing influence of conservative tradwife culture in the United States.
Vaquera's aforementioned pearls on the fall 2025 runway were so long and large, the models carried them like leashes. Paired with pillbox hats exploding with big bows, these looks were the epitome of a fashion paradox. Similarly, All-In's fall 2025 collection piled on pearls, inspired by dreams of formality and 1980s power dressing fantasies.
The pearl's rise extends well beyond the runway. Internet It girls like Lara Violetta and Sara Camposarcone are adorning themselves in multiple strands of chunky, intentionally large pearls, most of which are vintage costume jewelry finds. 'I love the fact that pearls feel a bit less dressy than rhinestones or diamonds, but still classy and elegant enough to spice up a look,' Camposarcone tells ELLE. 'I think the chunkier, the better, personally.' She's also incorporated pearls as belts and bag charms, even adding delicate pearl decals to her face as a final flourish.
Jewelry brands like Notte are embracing pearls in playful designs, often stacking them with fish- and flower-shaped charms. 'Pearls have been around forever—people have treasured them for hundreds if not thousands of years,' founder Jessica Tse explains to ELLE. 'I think most people no longer see them as dated, something they would only find at an estate sale or tucked away in their grandmother's jewelry box. Pearls are one of those things that will always be there, evolving with fashion and culture. I think people welcome that constant evolution. They will always manage to come back around and find their way into our closet in the most unexpected ways season after season.'
Above all, the oversized, playful pearl is a bold statement of personality—an enduring icon of fashion history that refuses to stay still, constantly transforming itself for generations to come.