The 2024 Academy Awards were a spectacle of old Hollywood glamour, with stars adorned in jeweled ornaments and brooches stealing the show. Despite the backdrop of war, labor strikes, and political turmoil, the Oscars focused on branding over protest, harkening back to its origins as a trade affair to pacify talent in the early days of moviedom.
Brooches were the accessory du jour, adorning the lapels of male stars like Cillian Murphy, Robert Downey Jr., and Mark Ruffalo. The trend was noted by fashion experts, who praised the personal touch and punctuation it added to the actors’ attire.
Jewelry houses are now capitalizing on this newfound interest in men’s jewelry, mining their archives for designs that were once exclusively worn by women. Designs like the iconic Bird on a Rock brooch by Jean Schlumberger have found their way onto the lapels of male celebrities, breaking gender norms and redefining traditional notions of jewelry.
Male celebrities at the Oscars are embracing their fashion choices as a way to monetize their style, with neutral canvas of black tie attire providing the perfect backdrop for statement accessories. The trend of brooches on men is a reflection of changing gender dynamics and a shift towards inclusivity in the world of fashion and entertainment.