Key Jewelry and Accessories Are Everywhere

The fashion industry is currently preoccupy with portability, making uniforms and capsule wardrobes the biggest trends of autumn”.”But the latest utilitarian style to make waves may well be one of the most practical and ubiquitous elements of our daily Rotation: keys.

According to the catwalks, the metal handle that many of us wore before pendants and cards took over are the Accessories to covet this fall. See: the Miu Miu Fall / Winter 2023 model range with models hanging on multi-key leather key chains
Or: Balenciaga’s Spring/Summer 2024 show, where carabiners (another trendy style), padlocks and keys were added to casual handbags.

This is not the first time that high-end designers have become interested in locksmithing. Take, for example, the traditional padlock from the richness jewelry brand Tiffany & Co.registered trademark since the end of the nineteenth century. Then fast forward to the beginning of the twentieth century, when designer Elsa Schiaparelli used padlocks as the signature of her eponymous brand and reinterpreted utilitarian tools as surreal and abstract accessories. Over the years, some of the most iconic bags in fashion — such as Hermès’ Birkin, Saint Laurent’s Bag of the Day, Chloé’s Paddington and Louis Vuitton’s Speedy — have also received padlocks and keys. On the shoe front, Givenchy’s Shark Lock boots have become one of the most popular padlock pieces of the last decade.

But instead of using padlocks as whimsical ornaments and embellishments, the designers have advocated for the Accessory in a realistic way in recent Seasons. Like the models of the Miu Miu Fall/Winter 2023 show, I held my keys when I got home in the evening — sometimes for security reasons, but sometimes for pure comfort. After all, who among us has not spent minutes that feel like hours looking for keys in our pockets while it was raining or it was cold outside the door, or with our hands full of food?
The recent interest in wearable clothing, as well as in “relatable” designers (see: Tube Girl, Who became known for showing her fits on public transport), makes it natural for designers to be inspired by ordinary people. This resulted in podiums filled with crumpled clothes, stained glasses and overflowing handbags. As a result, a metal key package is exactly the type of on-the-go representation that most of us can relate to.

If you think the Look gives superintendent vibes, there are ways to make this trend chic without wearing a circle of keys. Designer Chloe Hayward often hangs keys on her belt loops or handbags. Other style ideas of the street style include hanging it on a leather cord as a necklace or on earrings to make earrings. You also don’t have to wait to unlock this trend: while some vibrant styles require investing in a brand new wardrobe, this look can be achieved after a quick visit to Home Depot. Bonus: you will never lose your keys again.