Celebrity

The Making of Billie Eilish’s Oscar Jewels

Fred Leighton reset vintage diamond stars for the singer

by Marion Fasel

March 29, 2022—Billie Eilish has been playing around with her personal style since she launched Happier Than Ever last year. Initially, she did a 180-degree turn from her street style oversized layers and neon green and black hair to a new blonde bombshell mode that debuted in British Vogue. Since then, the singer has been oscillating from street style to glam.

For the Oscars red carpet, Billie found a middle ground. She wore a billowing ruffled black gown from Gucci and accessorized it with elegant vintage diamond jewels from Fred Leighton that were altered for the occasion.

The idea for the jewelry began when Billie’s stylist Dena Giannini was reviewing the singer’s Oscar look with Fred Leighton’s Rebecca Selva who has helped procure more amazing red-carpet moments than I can count.

“I was showing Dena our 19^th century diamond star tiara and explaining how the stars were convertible,” remembers Rebecca. “They detach and can be worn as pendants or brooches.”

From there a lightbulb went off between the two women. They thought the parts were perfect for Billie to wear in a new way. Rebecca had her master craftsmen set the stars into rings and earrings.

The reimagined star settings aligned with the way Billie has worn jewelry in the past. She often layers pieces. Yet it was also a bit of a departure to see her in vintage statement jewels.

Vintage diamond stars have long been a popular choice from Fred Leighton for the red carpet. One of the most spectacular Leighton star jewelry moments happened in 2005 when Scarlett Johansson wore a triple diamond star tiara to the Oscars. More recently at the 2017 Met Gala, Indian movie star Deepika Padukone wore the stars Billie sported in a tiara.

While celestial style has always been hot at Fred Leighton, it is also having a moment in the jewelry world at large. It has become a way for designers to express a sense of hope and optimism found in the idea of looking to the stars.

It’s a concept Rebecca said they were thinking about for Billie at the Oscars. “It was all about the stars,” explains Rebecca.

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