Why lapel pins are the growing trend in men's jewellery: from Timothée Chalamet's Bob Dylan tribute to Montblanc's The Great Gatsby, to Robert Pattinson and Robert Downey Jr's accessories of choice

South China Morning Post

06-04-2025

Last December,
Timothée Chalamet hit the red carpet for the Los Angeles premiere of his Bob Dylan biopic, A Complete Unknown. While many of the ensuing headlines fixated on Chalamet's head-to-toe Prada 'fit, which included a black leather jacket, a grey, untucked shirt, matching drill pants and a black Cuban heel – synonymous with Dylan's style in the 60s – it was the pins attached to the actor's lapel that caught the attention of jewellery magpies everywhere.
In a touching reference to the musician, who is known for his bold fashion choices and rock-star style, the 29-year-old actor accessorised with an assortment of circular pins adorned with phrases like 'Get born', a lyric from 'Subterranean Homesick Blues' – the opening song on Dylan's 1965 album Bringing It All Back Home – as well as pictures of the singer-songwriter in his youth.
Close-up on the badges adorning Timothée Chalamet's jacket at a premiere of the Bob Dylan biopic in December 2024. Photo: Reuters
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Chalamet's lapel pins are just one example of a growing trend of A-list men – ranging from Robert Pattinson to
Lewis Hamilton
Jeff Goldblum and Robert Downey Jr – embracing the often overlooked accessory, which is classically worn on the lapel of a blazer or suit jacket, attached to a bag, or displayed on a piece of fabric as an ornamental detail or, historically, used to indicate the wearer's affiliation with an organisation or cause.
Today, a number of brands are producing their own versions of the lapel pin with a fashionable twist, riffing off the fine jewellery trend for men's brooches that has dominated the red carpet in recent years.
Montblanc's Great Characters Homage to The Great Gatsby lapel pin. Photo: Handout
Storied lifestyle brand Montblanc, which is best known­ for its luxury writing instruments, has produced its own take on the lapel pin in homage to F. Scott Fitzgerald's 1925 masterpiece The Great Gatsby. Part of the Montblanc Great Characters collection, which honours individuals whose accomplishments have left an indelible mark on the globe, as well as fictional characters who continue to have influence in the real world, the Great Characters Homage to The Great Gatsby lapel pin takes inspiration from the story's central character, the young and mysterious millionaire Jay Gatsby.
Drawing on Gatsby's penchant for perfectionism and quest for flawless aesthetics, Montblanc's lapel pin has been meticulously crafted in stainless steel and accented with a Gatsby logo in black lacquer. The German label also offers another version of the lapel pin in stainless steel with a gold colour PVD coating inlaid with mother-of-pearl in a guilloché pattern – this time paying homage to the lives and legacies of Britain's Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.
Elsewhere, the London-based jewellery label Completedworks – founded in 2013 – has released a decorative lapel pin made using recycled sterling silver plated with 14k yellow gold vermeil. The label's artistic director Anna Jewsbury has accented the design with a dynamic, asymmetric form that adorns the top of the jewel in a jade-coloured bio resin.