Jewelry Iconoclasts: Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen

A style guide to the twins eclectic jewelry mode

*This look back at the jewels of MK and Ashley marks the first post in a new column called, Jewelry Iconoclasts. It evolved from the popularity of stories I’ve written since launching on Substack about Miuccia Prada’s collection and Ellen Barkin’s JAR jewels. The posts, which focused on women who redefined what, when, and how to wear jewelry, got me thinking about other 21st century collectors like the Olsens. If there is someone you feel should be added to the column, let me know in the comments.

“Jewelry is very special and can be sentimental,” Mary-Kate Olsen explained to W in 2016. “In our mind, it was always going to be part of the narrative.”

Although The Row fashion designer was talking about a capsule collection of vintage pendants that she and Ashley, had put together for their stores, the statement applies to their sense of style. Jewelry has always been part of the narrative.

In the same W article Ashley said, “We want the experience [in our stores] to be personal, and jewelry is one of the most personal items you can buy for yourself or for others.”

Around 2013, Ashley photographed wearing a vintage diamond crowned heart ring and a toi et moi ring as well as a large emerald ring. Three Sidney Garber gold domed bracelets are on one arm. It could be older version of this Ileana Makri bracelet on the other.

This jewelry story about the twin sisters revolves around the 2000s and 2010s. During this time, while they were building their fashion business, Mary-Kate and Ashley regularly attended high-profile industry events and walked the streets of New York (with a security detail, but still) decked out in contemporary and vintage jewels.

Many media outlets cover these years to-this-day without acknowledging that the images are over 10 years old. I suppose the lack of dates suggests these photos transcend time. And they kind of do.

My compulsion to try and figure out when the images all over le internet come from relates to what else was going on in jewelry when they were taken, as well as the various relationships the Olsens have had with designers and the vintage jewelry they’ve acquired.