The return of jewelled hairpieces, boasting fans like Lisa from Blackpink and Megan Thee Stallion

Elaborately jewelled hair adornments are deeply rooted in Asian cultural heritage – from the court ladies of the Qing dynasty and the geishas of Japan, to bridal traditions across Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. Beyond the tiaras of European aristocrats and the silver and tortoiseshell hair combs of the Edwardians – who loved voluminous hairstyles – such jewelled adornments played a less central role in the West. This was an often-missed opportunity to enhance an outfit for a party or gala until we started noticing rappers like Megan Thee Stallion, and actresses Michaela Coel and Teyana Taylor dazzling on the red carpet in elaborate hairpieces. At the Golden Globes in January, Zoë Kravitz wore bespoke diamond hairpins by London jeweller Jessica McCormack. And on the catwalk, Simone Rocha has added tiara-style headbands and sweet rose or pearl barrettes to her models’ hair to heighten the edgy feminine charm of her collections. Now the luxury houses are waking up to the idea that hair ornaments provide another prospect to explore with precious jewels. Last year, Claire Choisne created stylishly elegant diamond hair jewels in Boucheron’s Histoire de Style series based on the house’s heritage, notably stems of thistle and ivy for her Untamed Nature collection. This summer, Victoire de Castellane at Dior has come up with some ravishingly pretty clips, some of which transform to brooches, in her latest Diorissima collection. The designs include dreamy sprays of flowers, a Georgian-style fringe of brilliant-cut and pear-shaped diamonds, and a cascade of flower heads in pink sapphires and diamonds. There are jewelled headbands and a suite of matching necklaces and earrings to complete the various looks. Transformability adds to the appeal of these jewels. At Chaumet, diamond sprays, pink sapphire and diamond flower clips, and a yellow diamond bumblebee, all designed to be pinned in the hair, can also be worn as brooches. Such transformability has historical roots at Chaumet, Cartier and Garrard in London, whose diamond tiaras – worn at court – could also be converted into marginally more practical necklaces. Today, Cartier’s new Le Choeur des Pierres high jewellery collection includes Pyra – its orange and white pear-shaped diamonds set on stems rising above the ear – which has the versatility to be worn as an earring, brooch or hair jewel. Van Cleef & Arpels’ new Fascinating Egypt high jewellery collection – with ideas rooted in the archaeological discoveries of King Tutankhamun’s tomb, Elizabeth Taylor’s performance as Cleopatra, and the art deco era’s obsession with Egypt’s geometric aesthetic – includes a series of hard-stone and precious gem clips that resemble fragments of discoveries in Tutankhamun’s tomb, and can also be worn in the hair. In the contemporary jewellery world, designers like Ellis Mhairi Cameron – whose versatile gold and diamond designs draw on the kilt pins symbolic of her Scottish heritage – and Sarah Emilie Müllertz of Kinraden in Denmark are creating head-turning single and double-prong hairpins that share that multipurpose role. “I find it fascinating to work with hairpins and hair adornment in general, and it is definitely an area I would love to explore further,” Müllertz says. Her silver Floris double-pronged pin can be worn both in the hair or on a chunky knit sweater. “I really appreciate that dual functionality within the piece and the versatility it brings to the style,” she adds. Hairpins have featured in previous collections by Jessica McCormack, but the diamond pair for Kravitz at the Golden Globes earlier this year were her first bespoke design in that format. “I loved the idea of two pins that, when worn together, could look like butterfly wings, in quite an abstract way,” McCormack says. “It feels like a new way to wear diamonds on the red carpet. The whole look felt very fresh and modern, but hairpins were a nod to the antique jewellery I am so inspired by.” Hairpins are probably the easiest hair ornaments to pull off day to day: just tuck one into a coil of long hair and let it hold everything in place. More lavish Asian examples include elaborate updos known as nihongami in Japan, traditionally worn with kanzashi hair ornaments featuring floral motifs; and floral gold hairpins worn by fans to emulate Lalisa “Lisa” Manobal from Blackpink, who is Thai and donned traditional Thai dress for her debut solo album, Lalisa. The singer wore a golden jasmine ear cuff by Bangkok-based Sarran with an elaborate chada towering headdress. According to Yau Sum-yin, associate curator at the Hong Kong Palace Museum, archaeological evidence indicates that simple single-stem hairpins (ji) and combs made of bone existed in China as early as the Neolithic period. “Over time these hair adornments evolved to include materials such as gold, bronze and jade,” she says. She mentions that The Book of Rites, ritual texts from the Zhou dynasty, recorded a hairpin ceremony performed to mark a girl’s transition to adulthood, “showing the importance of the hairpin as an integral part of Confucian tradition”. As early as the Warring States era, kingfisher feather inlay was used along with pearls, jade and coral to decorate head jewellery. “The kingfisher feather inlay technique became especially popular during the Tang and Song dynasties and reached its zenith in the Qing dynasty,” Yau says. The decimation of kingfisher populations eventually led to the practice being banned, so surviving examples are rare and mostly found in antique collections. Safeguarding that legacy today is gold filigree artist Huimin Zhang, who honed her craft restoring antique hair ornaments, some still bearing their original kingfisher feathers. Hair decoration has come a long way since the days of Qing dynasty court ladies. Now is the perfect time to bring decorative accessories back – whether barrettes, hairpins or combs – and get playful with your hair.

The return of jewelled hairpieces, boasting fans like Lisa from Blackpink and Megan Thee Stallion

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Dior, Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels – along with independent jewellers like Jessica McCormack – are turning diamonds into dazzling hair ornaments

Dior, Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels – along with independent jewellers like Jessica McCormack – are turning diamonds into dazzling hair ornaments