Looking at the American market, jewelry has notoriously been merchandised towards female-identifying consumers, across the pricing scale. When it comes to the mass sales, the immediate touch points that come to mind are teens getting their first piercing at Claire’s, moms buying up Pandora charms to celebrate daughters’ milestones, and young men saving the proverbial two months' salary for an engagement ring.
And while those scenarios are still very much alive, there is a growing acceptance of jewelry among men propelling market growth. There’s a growing cultural awareness questioning why we even need to fit into rigid gender binaries. Kristin and Kofi Essel, the husband-and-wife duo behind the Beyonce- and Cardi B-approved brand Third Crown, are known for minimalist geometric designs that anyone can wear.
The pair has become instantly recognizable by their dynamic, geometric pieces that have adorned iconic celebrities like Beyonce, Solange, Cardi B and Issa Rae (on episodes of Insecure). Kristin and Kofi design pieces that exist outside of the gendered binary that’s been dominating the jewelry industry thus far. They believe that anyone can pull off their styles.
