Women's Lifestyle July 9, 2026 0 Comments

Why Pearls Are Quietly Taking Over Your Style Game (And Breaking All The Rules)

Pearls: the ultimate makeover queens of the jewelry world. Once dismissed as the territory of grandmas and grand affairs, these lustrous beauties have been handed a rebellious new script. Imagine pearls ditching their prim and proper act for a role that’s all about fun, whimsy, and a dash of edge—that’s exactly what stylist Harry Lambert has pulled off with his latest collab with Pandora. Channeling one-of-a-kind freshwater baroque pearls into quirky charms like ice cream cones and tree frogs, this collection flips the script on tradition. It’s a powerful play on nostalgia and personality, challenging us all to rethink what pearls really stand for. So, why do pearls suddenly feel like the coolest accessory out there? And how does layering these quirky charms shake up your style game? Dive into the playful magic and personal stories behind this sparkling revolution. LEARN MORE

4 min read

Pearls have gotten a bad rap. They are often seen as granny, fusty, or overly prim. But that’s part of what makes pearls so powerful: take them out of their prissy or polished context and they’re suddenly subversive, playful, and cool. At least that’s what stylist Harry Lambert believes, and what he’s proven with his whimsical new collection with Pandora. For Pandora Wonders, Lambert has teamed up with the Danish jewelry brand on a range that renders one-of-a-kind freshwater baroque pearls into delightful little charms including pearlescent ice cream cones, tree frogs, puffer fish, and pea pods using 14-karat gold-plated details.

Part of the reason Pandora’s creative directors A. Filippo Ficarelli and Francesco Terzo reached out to Lambert was his sense of play. “Harry is not only a stylist but a creative mind and a person who is really able to understand playfulness,” says Terzo. Play and self-expression are core values for Ficarelli and Terzo. “I mean, we can have a very high-minded inspiration from nature et cetera,” says Ficarelli, “but if we’re not able to to play, to become a child, again…” “We believe play is a fantastic asset,” Terzo says, finishing Ficarelli’s thoughts. “We are credible in being playful. And I think in this moment, that’s hard to do.”

Here, Lambert, known for styling superstars like Harry Styles, Alexander Skarsgård, and Emma Corrin, talks about the inspiration behind the collection, what makes an outfit work, and why pearls are so deeply personal for him.

PANDORA

How did this collaboration come about?

I worked with Pandora previously on some campaigns. And then they were like, “We are working on this project with pearls and we’d love to get you involved.” So I had this relationship with Pandora and with pearls and we started talking about the collection and about nostalgia and about memories. I love storytelling and I love things that feel like they have a sense of soul to them.

Why pearls?

Pearls are so personal for me. When I first moved to London, I bought a single pearl necklace on a cord from Dries Van Noten and I wore it religiously to the point that the rope broke and I lost it and I had to find another one. And then I bought a really cheap fake pearl earring when I got my ear pierced, and it would make my ear go green. It was one of my first experiences using jewelry in my own personal wardrobe. So when Pandora mentioned they were working with pearls, I was like, ‘Oh my God, this is perfect.’ Because pearls have become such an important part of my own narrative as well as dressing talent.

I love the juxtaposition of when I first started wearing pearls, old women, more like my grandma’s age, would stop me and be like, ‘Oh my God, you’re wearing a set of pearls.’ And now there’s something about a pearl on a guy that makes me feel like they feel very in tune with the world and are very modern and confident.

PANDORA

Tell me about the actual charms. They are so… charming!

Freshwater pearls are all different, and that excited me because it meant that each charm is slightly different. I found that inspiring. The frog, for example, came from my childhood. When I was younger in my garden, we used to have a water bucket, which would collect the rainwater. And every spring, when the frogs would lay their tadpoles, they would always lay some in our water bucket in the garden. We would have a pond. And then me and my brother would watch them grow into frogs, and the day would come when the garden would be covered in little baby frogs.

How do you envision people styling these pieces?

What I did with the styling was layering and layering the charms together, but also playing with repetition of the charms on one chain and that felt really modern and chic and fun. We layered up all the pea pods onto a chain, and I also wore the frog by itself on a hoop on an earring—a replacement for my really cheap pearl earring. and the repetition of that feeling really modern and really chic and really fun. The charms can also be mixed with existing Pandora pieces and added to that charm bracelet you already own.

PANDORA

How do you use style—and specifically jewelry—to communicate? Both in your personal style and the stars that you style?

When I started wearing pearls, it was a conversation starter. People would stop me and talk about it. I think that’s what’s exciting. The biggest joy for me is when someone wants to talk about what I’m wearing. Oh my God, that’s super fun. That’s completely the same with jewelry as well because it does help have a conversation. It breaks down walls. It also presents an image to people before they talk to you. And I find that’s such a great way to communicate. My job is so much about communication—whether it’s on stage or it’s in a magazine or on a red carpet. If that outfit brings joy and that person wearing that outfit or jewelry is getting joy from it, then that’s a success.

Fashion can be overly serious and even a little scary in how exclusive it can seem. But this feels so joyful!

Joy is powerful. When I first started in fashion, I came in thinking I would have to be a really Serious Susan.

I remember interning at these magazines and it being really scary at first. But I realized I got the best response and reaction and built the best relationships when I was being the most authentic and wasn’t scared to say that I liked Britney Spears and listened to her music and wasn’t scared to say that I like to go to Disneyland. Like I said, there’s power in joy and bringing joy. And so if this collection can do that, then that’s great.