When a male celebrity famed for "see(ing) both sides like Chanel" creates his own jewellery brand, boasting brightly coloured accessories, genderless lab-grown diamonds, and a campaign primarily featuring male models - one would know that the men's jewellery market has seen a big cultural shift, in which guys are pretty like girls.
Men's jewellery has historically and unsurprisingly been "masculine" like most menswear. They are practically devoid of colour, while the design is simple and unadorned. Materials are restricted to the tried and tested classics gold and silver; finishings are inoffensive - blackened silver, brushed steel, or reworked machine parts. In fact, men's jewellery has long been gemless because jewels have been reserved for women for their notion of femininity. How, then, has the coloured gem become the choice accessory for a Gen Z man steeped enough in TikTok and Pinterest fashion? How has a string of pearls and a multi-coloured gem choker become the defacto "f-boy" necklace, while costume jewellery from the likes of Vivienne Westwood found an unprecedented resurgence? The trend certainly begets many questions. Has the modern version of the urban metrosexual man adopted polychromatic jewellery as their new pointer to cultural prowess? Or has the youth's growing distaste for the colourless for the overwhelming palettes of millennial grey and eggshell white - seeped their way into our choice for accessories? Perhaps its motivation is more pragmatic, an economical and accessible maxim for flair and eccentricity that is low-cost compared to traditional luxury jewellery brands. For the chronically online, as an appeal to the dating pool, to the "female gaze", to serve as an antithesis to the trope of the "manly man" and to break down ideas of the hyper-masculine. The reasons need not be mutually exclusive; in fact, it is likely a mix of all.
Denne historien er fra February 2024-utgaven av MEN 'S FOLIO Singapore.
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Denne historien er fra February 2024-utgaven av MEN 'S FOLIO Singapore.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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An Electrifying Ride
With a pack full of features, the Mercedes-Benz EQS 450 4MATIC SUV promises luxurious, joyful and fuss-free journeys.
Full Circle
The Macallan travels back in time with the TIME:SPACE to celebrate 200 years of whisky-making mastery.
Maturity in Spirit
The Glenrothes' revamped Core Collection mirrors our human bildungsroman, revealing the artistry behind the maturation process with its latest pop-up.
Benvenuto a Locanda
There is no experience more impactful than an honest meal and earnest hospitality, so Locanda makes for an appealing culinary stopover that should not be missed.
A Genuine Article of Fusion
Quenino by Victor Liong is the resident fine-dining hideout of Artyzen Singapore, its degustation menu showcases the best of Asian cuisine melded with contemporary Western savoir-faire.
The Last Word
As the Official Timekeeper for the Olympics, there is a tremendous onus that comes with the role. After all, the Olympics is the world's stage where human excellence is measured down to the minutiae. By that standard, OMEGA's competence in the timekeeping field is also measured.
From Paper to Metal
Men's Folio visited the Cartier Manufacture and Maison des Métiers d'Art earlier this year to discover the unparalleled craftsmanship and innovation within those wall
Mavericks Amongst Traditionalists
Fashion watch brands are finding their feet amidst century old watchmakers as their maverick approach sets them apart from the current landscape of watchmaking.
The Case for the "It" Watch
As much as watches in popular culture being necessary might be an unpopular opinion, here is why it is crucial to the survival of the passion we all love.
Heavy Lidded
In the masculine world of grooming, the sport (or art) of decorating one's lids with darkened kohl has been practised amongst niche circles, reserved for only a few brave men willing to go - or draw - the lengths of a sharp winged liner. Given the past decade's adoration of the bare-is-best routines, the notion of lined eyes has been mostly cast away. However, as the return of the Indie Sleaze movement returns, confronting the pressing question cannot be put off any longer. Should the world be opening its eyes and waking up for the return of \"guyliner\"?
