FashionBridal

Mother of Pearl – Behind the Craftsmanship

Inspired by Loewe’s Mother of Pearl Trenchcoat, we delve into the craftsmanship behind this luminous material and how it has been used by designers, from Dior to McQueen, to evoke pure artistry.

During the Loewe SS25 runway, amidst silhouettes gliding in sinuous curves, one gown stood apart: a structured trench coat with a mosaic texture, crafted entirely from mother of pearl. An instant display of artistry, the piece felt both futuristic and timeless, straightforward yet layered. Soon after, Ariana Grande stunned in a mother of pearl Loewe gown at the 2024 Met Gala, followed by Nicole Kidman captivating in a mother of pearl Loewe corset on the red carpet. The question lingered: what is it about this material that feels so captivating? Is it emerging as the new hallmark of understated luxury and craftsmanship?

mother of pearl dress

Loewe

mother of pearl dress

Alexander McQueen

Mother of pearl, also known as nacre, glistens in a prismatic way – initially appearing as a subtly elegant neutral, it transforms with movement and light, revealing shimmering tones of silver, soft jade, and pale blush. Harvested from the inner layers of shells, this natural material is carefully worked by hand, too fragile for industrial processes. Its beauty has been entwined to all kinds of symbolic artifacts throughout history, from intricately carved instruments to exquisite buttons that once adorned the garments of royalty.

Delving into how designers like Dior, McQueen, and Jonathan Anderson at Loewe have reimagined this luminous material on the runway, we see how incorporating mother of pearl into your bridal look – whether through a belt, buttons, or jewelry – can become a deeply rooted, knowledgeable expression of craftsmanship. And in explicitly that, amid a world dominated by mass production, lies its simply irresistible appeal.

“Harvested from the inner layers of shells, this natural material is carefully worked by hand, too fragile for industrial processes.”

mother of pearl dress

Loewe SS25

mother of pearl dress

The making of Loewe SS25

Known as one of the greatest embroiderers in fashion history, René Bégué embroidered thousands of mother of pearl pieces to create a feathered texture for one of Christian Dior’s most iconic collections – the Haute Couture Fall/Winter 1949 Milieu du Siècle collection. More than 50 years later, Loewe’s atelier cleaned, cut, and hand-applied mother of pearl in a puzzle-like formation to create the Mother of Pearl trench, a masterpiece that required over 400 hours to complete.

Paco Rabanne, in 2005, presented a mother-of-pearl dress adorned with oversized sequins. Alexander McQueen followed in 2012 with a corseted mini dress. Whether as an accessory that contrasts a muted gown, an accent texture in an otherwise uniform dress, or a fully decadent, all-over mother of pearl creation, incorporating this material into your look – bridal or beyond – adds the beauty of luminosity, an element achieved only through the masterful craftsmanship that defines this material.

mother of pearl dress

Alexander McQueen

mother of pearl dress

Loewe

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