BROOCHES have re-emerged as a massive global jewellery trend this season, prompting many Bahrain-based stylists to embrace the accessory in unique ways.
Previously reserved for the ‘elite’ and ‘mature’ wearer, these lapel adornments have gone from being exclusive family heirlooms to a more deliberate fashion choice.
Lately, high-fashion runways have been awash with the statement ornament, showcasing couture houses styling it in diverse ways.
Several celebrities have been seen donning rare pieces at major fashion events this year, from Dwayne Johnson ‘rocking’ a 28-carat Art Deco design studded with emeralds and diamonds at the Met Gala to Miley Cyrus attending the Grammys wearing a supersized, custom gold brooch featuring her initials. More recently, Tom Holland wore a custom Pragnell spider brooch to the premiere of Spider-Man: Brand New Day in London.
“We’re seeing jewellery become a key styling element for younger generations,” Bahraini fashion designer Fatema Abdulaziz told GulfWeekly.
“It’s no longer associated with age or tradition alone – it’s a versatile fashion statement that adds personality, layers, and individuality to everyday dressing,” she added.
The earliest known brooches date back to the Bronze Age when they were used mainly to fasten garments together. Fast forward to the medieval period, and these embellishments began reflecting the artistic patterns of the time, from vivid Migration Period art to animal motifs and later Viking art.
Then came the Renaissance, which marked the modern era of jewellery, with gemstones like emeralds, diamonds, rubies, amethysts and topaz making their way onto brooches.
It was not until the mid-20th century that brooches transitioned to high-fashion runways. As minimalism makes way for ‘extra-coded’ styling this season, these accessories are becoming the easiest way to elevate any outfit.
“Personally, I’ve always worn brooches, and they’re something people know me for on set and in the fashion industry,” Fatema said. “I rely on accessories—brooches, bracelets, and rings—to add character and personality to my outfits. I often style them around a theme or colour, and they instantly elevate a look, giving it a fresh, modern feel,” added the 51-year-old from Diyar Al Muharraq.
Furthermore, younger audiences are finding innovative ways to style brooches, including fastening scarves or simply pinning them onto hats, bags and even the hems of trousers. Lending structured shirts personality, these adornments are replacing cufflinks.
While traditionally people used just one brooch at a time, the latest fashion looks feature a collection pinned onto either ties or jackets for an overstated aesthetic.
“Growing up, my mother and grandmother were huge collectors of brooches. They would always have one on their blazer, or their scarf around their necks would have a brooch on it,” recounted Bahrain-based jewellery designer Shahrazad Amoudeh-Alireza aka Sherie.
The creative talent is known for her pieces, including rings, necklaces and more. Her brooches are fashioned with French bullion wire, a delicate, tightly coiled metal spring used in high-end couture embroidery.
The Canadian expatriate from Jasra has since embraced new and unique ways of styling the accessory.
“I like to play with brooches. If it is a shirt, I use brooches to close the neckline. I like to use them on my jacket pockets to create a kind of design element. For me, it’s more of a creative fashion statement,” she added.
True to the fashion world, the accessory has stirred its fair share of controversies, most recently at Sabyasachi, one of India’s leading luxury couture houses. The brand was called out by independent designer Ila Anoop, who alleged that they had plagiarised her Brooch Saree – a design she created back in 2017. Another brooch controversy that made the news in 2017 was Princess Michael of Kent wearing a Blackamoor bust brooch depicting an African man in a gold turban; Blackamoor art is widely criticised as racist.
Despite the negative press, brooches continue to find their space in wardrobes, evolving into an intentional accessory this season.
