Unpretentious luxuries Gen Z will invest in next year

We listen, but we don’t judge. As a Gen Z fashion savvy, one of my first big purchases was a pair of $400 diamond stud ear earrings that I’ve been wearing for five years. Instead of spending a fortune on designer shoes and trendy handbags, I went to one of my favorite high-end piercing studios in New York City and got my ears pierced with jewelry that I knew would last forever without a piercing. I did. problem. Sure, I have hastily-done earrings with a friend’s piercing gun and a “sterile” needle and ice cubes like the “parent trap,” but there’s nothing more adult than graduating from $20 steel studs. There was nothing that felt like that. 14K solid gold hoops and small but valuable diamond studs.

I know I’m not alone. Over the past few years, I’ve noticed that my friends who are sub-26 are getting rid of lower quality piercing jewelry and investing in higher quality piercing jewelry. As more Gen Z joins the workforce and increases their discretionary spending budgets, this is our demographic’s first step into the world of fine jewelry. Most of us can’t afford a diamond stud that weighs two carats with our current salaries, but we can buy a single diamond earring that’s a quarter of that size.

“I think if you’re going to put something into your body, especially if you’re going to get piercings with jewelry, it should be made of high-quality materials and made with love by people.” They should be treated well. ,” explained Pamela Love, founder of her eponymous fine jewelry brand. Love’s Brooklyn-based brand is known for small, intricate, high-end alternative piercing jewelry. “In my opinion, this is the most intimate form of wearing jewelry,” she added.

Love, who started her label in her 20s, turned to jewelry making and piercing as a form of self-expression and healing during a time of grief. “I think getting your ears pierced is a bit of a catharsis,” she explained. After noticing a gap in the market for quirky, delicate designs (“Everything else was so hard and edgy and just repetitive”), she launched her own artisanal brand. I decided. Although the brand has now expanded into various fine jewelry categories, its unique earrings and flatback pieces remain the heart and soul of the brand.

“Earring trends have changed dynamically over the years, in part because of the incredible variety of jewelry available today,” Love explains. A nod to the rise of fine jewelry in the field. Industrial barbells and giant metal studs are no longer the norm. Consumers are opting for delicate, dainty diamond-encrusted pieces and simple, whimsical designs. “Previously, trends were leaning towards more industrial jewelry and heavy aesthetics, but now exceptional curation is the norm, and people are investing in statement pieces just like any other fashion or decorative piece. I would like to,” she said.

Gen Z’s desire for delicate piercings has skyrocketed. Banter by Piercing Youth brands such as Pagoda, Mejuri and Studs have begun to disrupt the market, offering a mix of high and low cost earrings to suit everyone’s budget and taste. Now they are taking steps to embrace the finer things in life. Banter stocks durable lab diamonds and 14-karat solid gold, and Studs expands into fine jewelry collaboration with New York-based jeweler Stephanie Gottlieb Dec. 10. For those seeking a higher level of luxury care and aesthetics, Maria Tash continues to be one of the go-to spots for investment piercing jewelry.

What will happen to piercings as a whole in 2025? “Next year, piercings will continue to evolve as a popular form of creativity and self-expression. Cartilage piercings such as tragus, helix, conch, and rook will continue to be popular. “We predict that this will provide even more options for unique ears,” Banter’s Piercing and Innovation team told Who What Wear. Celebrities like Zoe Kravitz and Kylie Jenner are notable celebs whose piercings will be a big inspiration in 2025, with constellation earrings and vertical stacks trying to break away from traditional piercing aesthetics. For Gen Zers, the already pierced chest has an added impact. For those interested in high-quality earring jewelry.

“At the end of the day, personal style is what matters most, and if it makes you happy, it’s a piercing worth getting,” the Banter team explained. “Whether it’s mainstream media, trending on various social platforms, or something a little more niche, get a pair of earrings that will give you confidence, power, and make you feel more like yourself.”

Below, take a look at the luxury piercing jewelry and luxury earring staples Gen Z will be investing in in 2025 and beyond.

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