By Duvall O’Steen

While pearls have always been a popular choice for wedding jewellery, recent years have seen significant growth and evolution in the bridal pearl trend. Indeed, more and more young women are choosing pearls for their wedding day jewellery, but, interestingly, are opting for contemporary designs and/or creative new ways to wear them. The New York Times said it best: “No longer relegated to buttons, pearls are as chic as when Coco Chanel made them trendy in the 1930s. From pearl-themed bridal showers to pearl-detailed wedding receptions, the ‘pearlcore’ trend is currently big in bridal.”

As such, customers are likely to come into your store this year, looking for pearls to wear or gift on their big day—and we’re not just talking strands. Bridal customers will also be shopping for earrings or bracelets to wear with their heirloom pearl strands or pearl embellished gowns, as well as designer pearl jewellery to sport alongside the new styles emerging in bridal fashion.

Tradition with a twist

Modern silhouettes were trending on the runways at the most recent New York Bridal Fashion Week. The new bridal trousers and miniskirts, flowing capes, and flared sleeves all call for contemporary pearl jewellery.

Brides are pairing short hemlines, seen on runways at Monique Lhuillier, Theia Couture, Julie Vino, and Wona Concept, with long pearl earrings. Drop earrings with multiple pearls are a nice option for length, while baroque pearl drops create a sense of presence closer to the lobe. Such earrings add movement near the face, and the pearls bring a hint of tradition to the very fresh bridal ensembles.

Closer to home, pearls with the addition of diamonds are trending in Toronto, according to Myles Mindham, founder of Mindham Fine Jewellery.

“I have seen a trend toward what I like to call the ‘sparkle and glow’ effect—the beautiful combination of diamonds that sparkle and pearls that glow,” he says. “My brides, for example, might come in looking for statement chandelier earrings in pearls and diamonds. They want something modern and a little bit elevated.”

Mindham also stresses the need to keep the styling timeless.

“I personally love to pair diamonds and pearls in very modern designs that are still classic and enduring,” he says. “The jewellery is not just about that day: she will be wearing [these pieces] for the rest of her life. In fine jewellery, brides do not usually invest in trendy items… they are just not as timeless as sparkle and glow.”

Plunging necklines and bralettes were also seen on various designer bridal runways. These new sensual styles open the décolletage up for significant necklaces. Pearl bibs, wire necklaces, and pendants are popular with these dresses, as opposed to the traditional pearl strand. That said, strands continue to be important for more standard bridal looks. Multi-row pearl necklaces appeared on several bridal haute couture runways in New York, including Bert and Justin Alexander.

Lauren K. Levison, chief style officer at Mayfair Rocks in New York, agrees that today’s brides are embracing pearls in new, exciting ways.

“Historically, we have noticed every generation tends to be drawn to what the generation before was not,” she says. “Now, though, fashion changes much faster than it used to, and it doesn’t always wait for generations… Sometimes, we are just seeing a few years before a shift happens. The fashion world has also been using pearl embellishments in more ways than ever before, which I feel has helped encourage the jewellery choices of the last few wedding seasons. Pearls are being worn again in a big way. For a while, they were taking a back seat to other options, but my more recent brides have definitely been asking for and walking down the aisle in pearls.”

This is a trend Levison has even noticed in her own family.

“The younger generations are embracing pearls but updating the traditional look,” she says. “For example, my stepdaughter got married very recently. We gifted her a longer strand of Akoya pearls that she triple-wrapped around her wrist for the big day. She now wears that strand around her neck every day. We also gave our granddaughter, the flower girl, her first pearl strand and bracelet for the wedding, and my husband gifted me a pair of bubble earrings by Sean Gilson for Assael to wear as mother of the bride. We were three generations of women all celebrating a wedding with pearls, but wearing them very differently.”

Statement earrings

Many of today’s bridal gowns include beaded, pearled, or embellished fabrics that cannot easily be paired with necklaces. As such, large statement earrings are trending for these dresses, especially pearls and diamond chandeliers. These bold, pearl earrings become statement-makers that work with the embellishments, as opposed to competing with them.

Toronto-based influencer and blogger, Reema Farooqui, founder of The Culture of Pearls, agrees that pearl earrings are a must for most modern brides.

“Drop- or chandelier-type statement earrings, set with round pearls, add an elegantly opulent and memorable focal point to any bridal look,” she says. “In addition, baroque and keshi pearls, worn as asymmetric dangling earrings, give a fresh and edgy look to classic bridal gowns.”

Pearl hair jewels continue to trend, as well. White pearl barrettes, hair pins, and tiaras add a bit of lustre near the face and enhance the overall ensemble with a nice touch of femininity and sophistication.

“With the current wedding dress trends of A-line silhouettes and fit-and-flare gowns, the contemporary bride will be looking for jewelled accessories that will elevate her entire look,” Farooqui says. “Pearls have always been the gem of choice for brides on their wedding day. Their lustre is the perfect foil for the luxurious sheen of silk and gloss of satin.”

A splash of colour

One bold new direction in bridal fashion is the element of colour. Couture bridal gowns are now available in pastel pinks (Anne Barge, Badgely Mischka), soft blues (New The Atelier, Reem Acra), and even all black (Madeline Gardner, Arava Polak). Traditional white gowns are also being accented with hints of colour in sunset hues, blues, greens, and even floral prints.

Shelley Brown, fashion and beauty editor at The Knot, recently confirmed colour is, indeed, trending for bridal.

“Pastel shades, like soft blue and blush, are obviously wedding-worthy choices, while bold floral prints and metallics are perfect for more daring brides,” Brown notes in a recent Obsessed by Pearls blog post.

Colourful pearls offer classic, traditional appeal for brides looking to break the mould with colourful bridal dresses. Tahitian black pearls come in a variety of hues—the subtle charcoal palette, for example, works beautifully with the darker dresses or those with black accents, like gloves at Vera Wang or the black wrap around white gowns at Sophie et Voila and Reem Acra.

For customers leaning toward pale blush bridal frocks, consider adding conch pearls or the eggplant and silvery shades of Tahitian pearls for adornment.

“If I were styling a bride wearing one of the new blush-pink gowns, I would choose light violet or pink stones, like pale amethyst or kunzite,” Mindham says. “Also, soft pink morganites are especially lovely for bridal, paired with silvery rosé Tahitian pearls or pinkish Akoyas.”

Of course, as for any piece of timeless jewellery, personal preference, comfort, and confidence are paramount.

“I think it is important to always take the bride’s unique style and personality into account,” Mindham adds. “If she is blonde and blue-eyed, for example, I might suggest an earring that pairs pearls with aquamarine to bring out the colour in her eyes.”

Duvall O’Steen is a New York publicist, writer, trend reporter, and luxury communications consultant, specializing in the fine jewellery industry. Following more than a decade of service as director of jewellery PR and promotion for World Gold Council, O’Steen established her own freelance business in 2011, providing her expertise and creativity to jewellery designers worldwide. She is also a jewellery publicist for the boutique public relations firm Luxury Brand Group.