Move Over, Pearls—Glass Is the New Jewelry Trend Du Jour
If you’ve noticed glass jewelry increasingly popping up on your Instagram feed in the past few months, you’re not alone. Candy-colored rings, earrings, necklaces, and bracelets made from glass have begun taking the place of pearls and resin as the accessory material du jour—and celebrities like Gigi and Bella Hadid, as well as Kylie Jenner are taking notice. Although glass jewelry has become a trend in its own right, with designers like Maryam Nassir Zadeh launching jewelry lines specializing in glass, artists like Colin Lynch have been working with the stuff for years. Lynch, who heads up the bauble brand Keane (which has found fans in Jenner and the Hadids, all of whom have been photographed wearing his creations), studied under Italian glassblower maestros at 15 years old. “I was a troublesome kid,” Lynch says over the phone from his studio in the Brooklyn Navy Yard, noting his parents took him to his first rave at nine years old. The glassblowers, who were introduced to Lynch through his businessman father, figured they might be able to tame his wild side with some discipline and structure. After spending a summer in Italy with the artisans, the designer was hooked. His Keane pieces are heavily influenced by the kaleidoscopic, multicolored baubles of the 1990s, and brightly colored, somewhat kooky accessories associated with rave fashion. But the beauty of glass jewelry, Lynch adds, is its versatility. “Glass jewelry, in terms of popularity, has definitely grown more and more,” he says. “What’s great about the material is everyone looks at it a little bit differently.” Below, we’ve highlighted nine great jewelry brands making delicate, whimsical pieces out of glass—which would make perfect additions to your spring and summer wardrobe.
After designing jewelry for Fendi, Balenciaga, and Fenty, Marco Panconesi has struck out on his own—with glass baubles top of mind.
London-based brand I’MMANY works with a wide range of organic and natural materials, including real flowers and freshwater pearls. But its glass selections are our personal favorites.
Notte designer Jessica Tse donates a portion of her proceeds to the Food Bank of New York, Heart of Dinner, and Black Girl Smile.
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