There’s a good reason pearls are everywhere you look right now. After years of feeling a bit prim, pearls have had a proper glow‑up: bigger, bolder, more irregular, and a lot more fun to wear. Editors and runway reports across summer and autumn have called it out, with Elle even dubbing 2025 a full “pearl renaissance”. In other words, the neat little strand your nan wore has evolved into something with personality – the sort of piece you can throw on with a knit, a blazer or even a tee and feel instantly finished.
It’s also perfect timing for us, as we’ve just added new freshwater pearl earrings and pendants to our collection – the same baroque-leaning, effortless styles that are right at the centre of this trend.
Why pearls, why now?
Two things have pushed pearls forward this year. First, the look itself: designers are deliberately picking imperfect, organic shapes (baroque pearls) and scaling them up, which makes pearls feel individual rather than prim. British Vogue summed up the shift in July when it waved goodbye to the classic single strand and spotlighted baroque alternatives in mossy greens and irregular silhouettes.
Second, the market. With gold prices spiking into autumn, many brands have been getting creative with materials and pricing, which puts pearls (on sterling silver, vermeil or textiles) in a sweet spot for style and value. Business of Fashion covered exactly this dynamic in October. At the same time, jewellery is thriving on TikTok live streams – and pearl sellers are a big part of that story – something Vogue Business reported on in August, noting 24/7 pearl streams in China and growing UK uptake since TikTok Shop launched.
What’s changed about pearls in 2025
If you picture a tidy row of uniform spheres, update that mental image. This season’s pearls are:
Irregular and expressive. Baroque pearls (the knobbly, one‑of‑a‑kind kind) are the headline. They look modern, slightly offbeat and extremely wearable — the fashion crowd’s pick for summer and beyond, per Vogue UK. Freshwater pearls are a strong choice for this trend.
Supersized or stacked. Multi‑strands, lariats and rope‑length pieces you can wind around a polo neck are everywhere in trend round‑ups from Who What Wear UK and Elle.
Mixed and matched. Think pearls threaded with metal hardware, mixed with silver and gold in the same look, or teamed with colour. Who What Wear UK puts “contemporary pearls” on its A/W list precisely because they’re styled with mixed metals and gemstones.
Not just necklaces. Pearls have jumped into hair accessories, cuffs and even clothing details. W magazine’s summer trend guide points to pearl‑studded armbands and belt details on recent runways — proof the material is being used playfully, not just as jewellery.
Harper’s Bazaar’s summer jewellery trends piece labelled the look “modern pearls” — organically shaped, sometimes coloured, styled with brights – which captures the mood nicely: less polished‑princess, more personal.
Runway receipts (and why they matter)
Runway coverage this autumn has thrown a spotlight on pearls in a way we haven’t seen for a while. In October, Vogue’s spring 2026 jewellery trend report called out Chanel’s “Coco‑esque pearls” and a high‑low approach that mixes humble materials with luxe ones – the very definition of wearable now. The effect is chic, a bit tongue‑in‑cheek, and very easy to adapt off the runway.
Look back a few months and the narrative holds. Elle’s June trend essay charted how fall 2025 shows used pearls at runway scale and in unexpected ways (think jumbo ropes and pearl‑collaged tops). When a material shows up across multiple houses and different aesthetics — from minimalist to maximal — it’s usually a sign that it’s more than a micro‑trend.
Trade and retail pieces echo it too. Town & Country’s report from the Couture Vegas fair described “updated pearls” across designers, from column‑set strands to pink pearl chokers, while WWD’s August shopping coverage noted pearls taking centre stage in fall 2025 collections at houses like Chanel and Schiaparelli. These are the sorts of clues that tell you a runway idea has legs in real‑world shopping.
Culture and red‑carpet moments
The celebrity circuit has done its bit to normalise pearls as everyday style, not just gala dressing:
Rihanna turned a three‑stranded white‑pearl necklace into daytime jewellery in August, layering it with a chunky diamond chain and gold pieces – the perfect “dress‑down pearls” case study.
The Princess of Wales wore Queen Elizabeth II’s four‑row pearl choker to the Duchess of Kent’s funeral in September — a reminder that heirloom pearls still speak volumes (and still get major coverage). Vogue
Cardi b went ultra‑maximal in a sheer lace catsuit dripping with pearls mid‑September — choker, bralette and belt — pushing the look firmly into pop‑culture consciousness.
Jenna ortega wore a Givenchy top made from oversized gemstones and pearls to the Emmys, underlining how pearls are part of a bigger “embellishment as clothing” story.
- Harry Styles attended the Met Gala in New York in May dressed in head-to-toe Gucci, with an ornate pearl teardrop style earring in his right earlobe.
How to wear it now (no fuss, lots of payoff)
If you’re shopping or styling for the season, try one of these easy routes:
Go baroque: Pick an irregular pendant or a string of mixed‑shape pearls. The wobblier they are, the more modern they feel. Wear them with knitwear now and a crisp white shirt later.
Layer long: Rope‑length pieces are back. Wrap once around a roll‑neck or let a single long strand fall over a blazer.
Mix your metals: Try pearls with both silver and gold in the same look — a stack of chains with a pearl accent, or a pearl earring with a silver ear cuff. This is one of the season’s easiest styling updates.
Add a colour pop: If you love gemstones, pair pearls with something vivid – citrine, garnet or even enamel.
Try mother‑of‑pearl: If full strands aren’t you, a long pendant with a mother‑of‑pearl inlay hits the same mood but feels minimal. The Zoe Report flagged long pendants (including mother‑of‑pearl) as an easy, on‑trend update this autumn.
Look beyond necklaces: Eyeing something different? Pearls are turning up on cuffs, in hair accessories and even as garment embellishment.
Keep it everyday: Tiny baroque studs or a single off‑centre drop earring read fresh and work with everything. If you want a starting point, check out our highly affordable collection of pearl earrings and pearl jewellery. Marie Claire’s UK buying guide also runs through classic‑meets‑modern options without breaking the bank.
Men, pearls and the new normal
Another reason pearls feel current: they’re not boxed into one dress code. From runways to street style, pearls are increasingly genderless. Elle’s June piece even points to delicate pearly details in menswear styling, and mainstream men’s jewellery guides now treat pearls as fair game. The upshot for your readers: if you share a jewellery tray at home, pearls are pieces anyone can borrow.
A quick word on sourcing and care
Pearls are organic, so a little care goes a long way. Last on, first off (to avoid hairspray, perfume and SPF), and give them a soft wipe before bed. If you’re buying, freshwater cultured pearls tend to be more affordable; Akoya and South Sea pearls are typically higher‑priced.
If you are especially conscious of your environmental impact, take a look at The Guardian’s report on New Zealand’s pāua (blue) pearls and how warming seas and marine heatwaves are pressuring delicate ecosystems – a reminder to shop from responsible makers and consider vintage where possible.