The Girl With The Shell Earring

At Chloé’s Spring/Summer 2025 runway show, Chemena Kamali leaned in with a series of looks accessorized in seashell motifs. There were bags adorned with glinting gold shells, asymmetrical drop earrings that echo the uniqueness of beachcombed finds you’d sift out on vacation. A similar spirit runs through the work of jewelry brand Juju Vera. “In the past, shell jewelry was often seen as purely bohemian with beachy, laid-back connotations,” Juju Vera founder Julia Ferentinos tells us.. “But today, it's evolved into something more sculptural and statement-driven.” She points to her Petra Shell Necklace as an example. “I wanted it to have a sense of reverence for a natural seashell's organic form, but I also had a desire to reimagine it through a modern, architectural lens. I think there is an appetite for more bold statement pieces that can pair with minimalist, monochromatic looks. They create a powerful visual contrast that feels both refined and unexpected,” she adds.

According to Ferentinos, the Petra Shell Pendant has “become a piece of wearable art,” she says. “It’s not simply something you wear with an outfit—it is the outfit.” And that’s exactly the point. The shell jewelry we’re seeing today is much more than just a mere necklace, ring or earrings to embellish—it’s the centerpiece of which women are dressing around. Elsewhere, designers like Tory Burch and Isabel Marant dove into the oceanic energy, opting for wooden bead necklaces, puka shells and octopus motifs that nod to the trend in a more understated way.

For Ferentinos, the significance behind shell jewelry runs deeper than a Shell Girl Summer label that trends for a season just to fade out at the first signs of fall. “Shells are deeply symbolic for me—not just as motifs of nature, but as relics of memory and heritage.” Her Greco-Roman roots often inspire many of her designs, pulling references from ancient mosaics, shorelines, and local markets across Greece and Italy. “I love how a single shell can feel sensual, mysterious, and almost mythological,” she tells me. Perhaps that sense of history might help explain why shell jewelry is resonating now, paralleling the boom in vintage shopping, as seen by the rising popularity of platforms like The Vintage Marche and Newell Vintage.

Ritualistic and beautiful, shell jewelry today is far from mass-produced trinkets strung on thread or metal clad and stamped onto a chain. As Ferentinos puts it, these are authentic “vessels of history from a past world,” often handcrafted with care and intention.

While inherently nautical, the Shell Girl Summer trend is evolving beyond Breton shirts and Sperrys. It’s embracing individuality and the art of styling. “For me,” says Ferentinos, “it’s all about contrast.” Whether layered, mixed, or worn solo with strong silhouettes or sharp tailoring, shell jewelry offers endless room for personal interpretation. For her brand’s debut campaign, Ferentinos intentionally styled her jewelry with pieces from her vintage archive to build a richer narrative—one steeped in history.

Below, shop our favorite picks from the trend.