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Wearing a brooch on his suit lapel every day at work is a habit for third-generation jeweler Alex Kantor, who claims without question that it’s one of his best business moves ever.
Kantor, also known as “The Brooch Man” on Instagram, boasts about his collection of brooches: “Every time I wore one at a trade or antique show, it would sell.” “No one really saw how these pins were worn; people just saw them lying flat on the trays.”Wearing a brooch on his suit lapel every day at work is a habit for third-generation jeweler Alex Kantor, who claims without question that it’s one of his best business moves ever.
Like Kantor, other brooch enthusiasts claim that the piece of jewellery is at last receiving the attention it deserves on the catwalk and red carpet, owing to the backing of jewelry designers who have been influenced by the style, fashion-forward styling, and celebrity sponsorships. Brooches, often referred to as pins or clips, have a rich history dating back to the Middle Ages when they were first employed as hat or clothing fasteners. These days, they are a major feature in jewelry design.
“Their effortless ability to make even the most basic outfit look amazing is why they are having a moment,” says Lucrezia Buccellati, whose great-grandfather Mario Buccellati began creating brooches in 1919—the year the jeweler opened for business. “Our collections have always included brooches as traditional focal points.”
Not for nothing does the brooch maintain a reputation as a symbol of wealth and status. Look to its biggest fans, including Queen Elizabeth II, who owned 98 brooches; Elizabeth Taylor, who got engaged to Richard Burton in 1962 with a Bulgari emerald and diamond pendant-brooch that sold at Christie’s in 2011 for an astonishing $6.6 million; and Madeleine Albright, the first woman secretary of state, whose politically inspired brooches spawned a book (Read My Pins: Stories From a Diplomat’s Jewel Box) and museum shows.
Perhaps owing to its history as a totem of the rich and famous, the brooch fell out of favor with street style-setters for a decade or two. But about five years ago, it resurfaced as a key accessory on runways—including Armani, Erdem, Tory Burch, and Carolina Herrera. Must-see streaming shows such as The Crown and Bridgerton also fueled interest in brooches, giving modern audiences a look at how queens or countesses might have worn them.
On the other hand, brooches are also reviving in popularity thanks to modern fashion trends. Brooches are becoming increasingly popular as hair decorations and purse adornments, whether on the catwalk or in New York City. Style icons affix them to robes, while socialites from the Hamptons wear them on Hermès scarves. Women are showcasing their entire pin collections on TikTok by putting them as buttons on jackets or vests.
However, men have been the biggest supporters of brooches lately—most notably Timothée Chalamet, Barry Keoghan, and actor Jared Leto. During the 2024 Oscars, famous jeweler Martin Katz contributed to the brooch’s increased popularity by crafting replicas adorned with diamonds, frequently with animal forms that set his creations apart.
Maximalism is trendy for both men and women these days. That is evident from the large brooches used by other celebrities, such Simu Liu, who used a De Beers brooch to fasten his Fendi jacket, and Colman Domingo, who wore a David Yurman high jewelry brooch to his bowtie at the 2024 Oscars.
Male rappers and vocalists in the hip-hop genre have demonstrated how to up their jewelry game by adding brooches and pins. A$AP On the red carpet, Jay-Z, Kendrick Lamar, and Rocky have all looked great wearing brooches.
Because of this, according to the online estate dealer, orders for these wearable works of art are up 7.5% year over year on 1stDibs, where customers are snatching up examples from labels like Chanel, Cartier, Christian Dior, Yves Saint Laurent, and Tiffany & Co.
According to Bryna Pomp, the curator and director of MAD About Jewelry at the Museum of Arts and Design in New York, brooches are also becoming more popular in the world of contemporary jewelry. According to her, art jewelers have always loved the pin and have made these items even more wearable by substituting magnets for conventional stickpins (after all, nobody wants a tiny hole in their Lululemon athleisure top or Hermès scarf, as Pomp points out).
According to Nicole Corsini, marketing director of Lang Antique & Estate Jewelry in San Francisco, wedding jewelry could also profit from the brooch craze. According to Corsini, there was a remarkable outcome when a colleague swapped out the boutonnieres for art deco bar brooches on the gentlemen in her wedding. As the men walked down the aisle, their brooches gleaming in the sunlight, everyone was grinning.
Corsini suggests starting with an easy-to-wear style, such as a bar or a Victorian starburst motif, if you want to pique a customer’s interest in a pin or brooch. An easy-to-start item can also be a basic flower or bug shape.
Our extensive collection also includes brooches, which are so much in trend. For example, just recently our client became the happy owner of a magnificent brooch by Harry Winston, which is characterized by its unique design and exquisite beauty.
Coming very soon to the collection will be art deco brooches that will amaze you. Stay tuned for more updates.
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