How To Style Denim With Diamonds This Season

“In my opinion, denim and diamonds are the two most important parts of a wardrobe,” says Jade Trau, founder of her eponymous, New York-based jewelry brand. “I wear denim almost every day, often with an unbuttoned jean shirt tied at the waist.” Magda Butrym’s wide-leg denim pants will pair perfectly with a classic denim shirt, Canadian tuxedo style, while Re/done’s tailored jeans speak to a strong return of gray and black denim for fall. When it comes to jewels that will suit a shirt neckline, consider your layering carefully. “I like to say that ‘more is less’ when it comes to diamond jewelry – if you have one single diamond riviera necklace on, it can look dressy and a bit serious,” says Trau, whose unusual 18-karat gold settings frame her signature pear shape and marquise diamonds. “If, however, you layer it with a gold and diamond chain, and maybe a longer chain with a diamond charm, it will look more casual and laid-back,” she advises.

“My hero-piece is a denim jacket fully covered in studs,” says Virna Chakardemian, creative director of Beirut-based brand Yeprem. A fail-safe staple, a statement denim jacket is an easy way to bring any outfit to life with a dash of insouciance, but it’s all about the details. Goldsign’s twist-sleeve denim jacket features chic, voluminous sleeves that will upgrade a simple tank top in seconds. “The key to blending the elegance of diamonds and the relaxed feel of everyday materials like denim is to opt for smaller, less elaborate diamond jewelry,” advises Chakardemian, whose 18-karat white-gold designs bring gleaming accents to unusual places, often upon hand and body jewels. “If you don’t want to overpower the casual vibe, then a diamond-set choker with a shirt and your favorite jeans is an elegant combination, too,” she suggests, “It’s all about mixing it up – the fabric’s informal feel should chime and contrast with the fancy sparkle of diamonds.”

The wide-leg jean is this season’s must have shape – choose any wash, in any colour, just make sure it’s a good fit, and don’t be afraid to wear it with a flat shoe. Citizens of Humanity’s ‘Ayla’ jeans are a suitably nonchalant, while Mother’s ‘Ditcher Roller Sneak’ style has a subtle flare. “I’m a denim junkie and am almost always in a pair of boyfriend jeans,” says New York-based jewelry designer Melissa Kaye, who believes diamonds can fit seamlessly into a daily wardrobe, too. “For your diamonds to take denim to another level, I prefer an unstudied, layered look; I love mixing and matching complimentary silhouettes in different finishes and sizes,” says Kaye, who is renowned for her bold enamel and artfully engineered diamond designs. “If you want to pare it back and give off a more casual feel, it helps to mix in some clean gold or enamel to break things up. We also offer many of our pieces in partial-diamond finishes, for the best of both worlds.”