Two things often spring to mind when describing Mariah Carey’s fashion sense: excessive glitz. The singer has developed a unique style all her own, characterised by her figure-hugging sequin costumes and eye-popping diamond jewellery. She has been so devoted to maintaining her stunning, diva-worthy appearance that she has even jokingly claimed that she is allergic to fluorescent lighting. So, it was only a matter of time until Mariah Carey started creating her own jewellery. She said this week that she will be working with the luxury jewellery brand Chopard on a unique two-collection range. In recognition, Vogue sat down with Carey to talk about the new project.
With Chopard, Carey will shortly unveil two collections created in collaboration with the company’s president Caroline Scheufele. All of the exquisite jewellery in her debut line, simply labelled Chopard x Mariah Carey, is set with diamonds. A huge butterfly statement necklace, a butterfly ring, and angel wing earrings are among the items. They are all made of 18-karat, Fairmined-certified white gold.
For Carey, the butterfly is a reoccurring symbol. She has worn butterfly jewellery for a very long time, and this year marks the 25th anniversary of her album Butterfly. According to Carey, it just so happened to be at the same moment. “There was no coordination at all”! For Carey, the release of the album was a turning point in her career since it helped her develop her unique artistic voice and aesthetic.
Given that it was the singer’s first time creating expensive jewellery (she previously had her own budget jewellery line with HSN), she acknowledges that there was a learning curve. “Working with Chopard was an honour, and I gained a lot of knowledge while making the pieces. The approach was genuinely innovative, according to Carey. “It was definitely not corporate. They are such a large corporation, yet we didn’t seek anyone’s approval before moving on with what we believed to be the best option.
It was quite spontaneous. Carey discusses more with Vogue about the inspiration behind her newest jewellery creations, what you could discover in her jewellery box, and what her 25-year-old career-defining record Butterfly means to her now.
