A surprise red carpet trend dominated at Sunday’s 98th Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood in Los Angeles, with statement pieces sparkling brightly on the red carpet.
Nope, it wasn’t the ballgown. It was the bling and the brooch.
Kate Hudson dazzled in a whopping $35m (R588.9m) worth of rare green Garatti diamonds with a dazzling necklace and stud earrings to match her sparkling green custom Armani Privé gown.
For the men, it was the return of the brooch. Nigerian-British actor Damson Idris wore a Prada navy suit with a dazzling bespoke blue diamond brooch, featuring a 7.41-carat blue stone surrounded by 42 natural diamonds, and an “F1” engraving pinned to his tuxedo.
The F1: The Movie actor launched his own luxury jewellery house, DIDRIS, last year and designed the brooch himself — dedicating the piece to his mother, Silifat Idris, who also worked in the jewellery business. He then collaborated with Theo Ioannou and London jewellery studio CAD-MAN, to bring the exquisite design to life.
Actors Milo Manheim, Hudson Williams, Kieran Culkin, Adrien Brody and singer Shaboozey were among dozens of stars who paired the classic “grandma” pin with bespoke suits.
Michael B Jordan also wore a David Yurman brooch of pavé and white diamonds with a rose-cut black diamond at the centre, which was pinned to the back of his Louis Vuitton jacket.
Celebrities opted for dramatic necklaces, statement rings, and sparkling brooches, with Cartier, De Beers, Tiffany & Co and Harry Winston among the heritage jewellery houses in the mix.
The brooch trend reflects a broader shift in red carpet styling. Originating over 5,000 years ago during the Bronze Age (3000 BCE to 1200 BCE), pins were initially developed as practical fasteners for heavy clothing such as cloaks and tunics. They evolved into an ornamental sign of wealth and status in the 19th Century.
Women also made the most of their jewellery moments, with The Devil Wears Prada actress Anne Hathaway wearing a rare necklace from Bvlgari featuring 100 diamonds — made up of an 8.02 carat pear-cut yellow diamond, surrounded by dozens of smaller stones. The dramatic necklace complemented her floral Valentino gown, and was one of the most talked-about accessories on the red carpet.
Other stars who leaned into the sparkling diamond trend included Kylie Jenner, who wore 200 carats of Lorraine Schwartz diamonds; and Chase Infiniti, who wore a 57-carat De Beers London choker with a yellow cushion-cut diamond.
Zoe Saldaña wore a Cartier necklace featuring diamonds and rubies, and Gwyneth Paltrow wore a Tiffany & Co platinum and 18K yellow gold necklace with three oval-shaped yellow diamonds.
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