A look inside Usher’s outstanding jewellery box

By Kim Parker

Whatever your thoughts on Usher‘s music (come on, his floor fillers are total classics), it’s hard to deny that the man has serious style. And for his latest musical residency at the famed Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas, Usher has been showcasing some seriously punchy looks. Think aubergine velvet trousers and matching waistcoat, worn with a green satin housecoat and box fresh sneakers. A 60s-style patterned purple suit worn with a silky shirt and forest-hued blazer. Not to mention a proper 80s-esque shell suit, complete with embellished black vest and scarlet wheeled roller-skates.

And as if a luxurious wardrobe of royal purple hues weren’t enough proof, the musician’s jewellery selection has been especially eye-catching of late, telegraphing his status as a king on stage. His large diamond stud earrings have been very much in evidence, albeit worn mid-ear now rather than on his lobes for a modern update on his signature look. There have been elegant tumbles of white gold and diamond chains and ‘U’ initialled pendants in various sizes – ideal for dazzling beneath the spotlights to a crowd of thousands. His wrists have been stacked with gold chains and pearl bracelets, plus an eye-catching gold watch (of course), and there have been effortless layers of assorted charm necklaces, worn with more than a dash of insouciance. The message couldn’t be clearer: this is a man who enjoys his jewels.

“Whenever I collaborate with Usher, I find his ideas to be so imaginative. Through every custom project we work on together, he always comes to me with so many ideas and amazing twists. His creativity is endless. He has an eye for the aesthetic and the energy of fine jewellery, which is something I truly appreciate,” says the LA-based jeweller, Jacquie Aiche, who created the sparkling brooches Usher has been wearing on stage.

Of the pieces she designed for his latest musical tenure, Aiche says: “Usher’s stylist walked me through what he wanted to embody his style. She shared the fabrics and colour-ways of the clothing and Usher shared that he was drawn to these incredible, vintage-inspired brooches. Keeping all of this in mind, I hand-selected stones and began designing a few pieces that felt really special and that I knew would compliment his energy. The result was magic.”

Cue sunray-like diamond pins with slivers of ornamental stones, framed with colourful gemstones, in keeping with Aiche’s earthy, talismanic style. Pinned to his velvet jackets, these precious custom pieces also tap into our current obsession with power brooches, as adopted by everyone from Lady Hale and Madeline Albright (who even wrote a book dedicated to them called ‘Read My Pins: Stories from a Diplomat’s Jewellery Box‘), to Bella Hadid, Regé-Jean Page, Robert Pattinson and Jamie Dornan, who have all debuted their own ‘big brooch energy’ on the red carpet.

Powerful, purposeful and unabashedly starry performers – these jewels are much like the man himself, we think.

Like this? Read all about LA’s booming jewellery scene