Murcia, Almería or Bilbao: the large earrings that conquer the world are made here

"In Spain there has always been a lot of suspicion when it comes to daring with large earrings but, luckily, we are breaking that fear little by little," they explain from the wooden accessories brand Biruta. "The idea that these pieces are only worn at important events is changing and now they are used on all kinds of occasions," adds Susana López from Lola Verona. "Large and colorful earrings have the same effect as red carmine: they flatter and make you feel pretty," María Romero, designer of the maxi-earring firm Mrlaspiur, tells S Moda. Three compelling reasons to explain the phenomenon that is invading Spanish jewelry: the boom in firms specializing in large earrings.

In the heat of the eighties revival that fashion is experiencing and the proposals of firms such as Proenza Schouler, Céline, Marni or Delpozo, a multitude of new Spanish brands –most of them born in 2016 and 2017– have decided to bet on daring and special accessories of excessive size. In addition to the plexiglass pieces from Papiroga, which has been relying on powerful costume jewelery for some time, or from Julieta Álvarez, an expert in ceramic jewellery, a good handful of brands are added that attract attention inside and outside our borders thanks to social networks. social. In small workshops in Murcia, Almería, Bilbao, Madrid or Barcelona, ​​unique pieces are being created that break with discretion and replace the minimalism that governs the aesthetics of many national jewelery brands with an identity stamp as powerful as it is avant-garde. And, although some also work other types of pieces, the special earrings are the common denominator of all of them.

Mrlaspiur

What: Colorful 3D printed earrings. "We produce them with a vegetable polymer called PLA, which is also biodegradable and makes them ultralight," says designer María Romero.

When: The firm was born in the summer of 2017.

Who: The team is made up of Jaime (engineer and musician) and María (designer and artist). While María was dedicated to her artistic work, Jaime composed and designed decorative elements. Art and technology merged after acquiring the first printer.

Where: His workshop is located in the El Invernadero space in Madrid.

Why: "We started by chance," they say. "It all came about when we decided to print Maria's drawings and we realized they would work well as earrings." They soon noticed a growing interest in riskier models. “Customers who started buying the smaller ones have quickly moved on to the larger ones. Even the bright ones, which we take out for Christmas, are successful both for parties and in more casual looks, ”they say.

How much: all your earrings cost 15, 20 or 25 euros, depending on the model. His best sellers are 'Milhos' and 'Dihos', both plant-inspired.

Levens

What: Handmade ceramic earrings. No two are the same.

When: the signature has one year of life.

Who: Mar del Hoyo, actress turned jeweler, takes care of everything. «I am the designer, the one in charge of communication, the person in charge of social networks or answering client emails. Sometimes I receive occasional help when I have a peak in orders but, for now, I do everything myself," he admits.

Where: Barcelona.

Why: "I lived in Madrid but I went to Barcelona to do a play," says the actress. «There I signed up for ceramics classes and with the first piece of clay they gave me I made earrings. I had always liked them a lot, it is a personal obsession, “he admits. One thing led to another and, through Instagram, they began to contact her to place orders. That was how, casually but with a lot of work, he founded his own brand. Today she sends to the United States, Great Britain or Canada and her jewelry is already for sale in physical stores in places as diverse as Hawaii or Taiwan. She has clients of all ages and is eager to expand her brand beyond the accessory that made her successful.

How much: all their pairs are around 50 euros, although they also have individual pieces for half the price.

Lola Verona

What: Ceramic earrings, but also a wide assortment of jewels.

When: The brand was born in 2015 but began to focus on the line of XL earrings last summer.

Who: Susana López (founder and designer) and a small team made up of two goldsmiths and three digital professionals.

Where: All the ceramic pieces are made by hand in their workshop in the Madrid neighborhood of La Guindalera.

Why: "Since I was little I have been passionate about large earrings of all styles and I also love working with my hands, so ceramics mixes two of my passions", says Susana López when we ask her about her strong commitment to the maxi-pendants in recent times. «The reception of these pieces in Europe has been surprising from the beginning. We ship a lot to France, the UK, Austria, Germany or Italy."

How much: all the ceramic earrings cost 30 and 45 euros. The 'Tea Red Rectangles' are the model that sells best.

Wood

What: Handmade wooden earrings.

When: Biruta was born last summer. At the moment they only sell through Etsy and in three physical stores in Murcia.

Who: «The team is made up of Mati and Sergio. We dedicate ourselves to design/illustration and photography/video, respectively, so we spend half of our time in front of the computer. Because of this, we decided to start a completely handmade project, in which we had to work from scratch with our hands”, they say from Biruta.

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Where: Her earrings are designed and created in Murcia, in the Casa Chiribiri design studio.

Why: "Many people have tried to convince us to make smaller models, but we have always wanted to be consistent with our work and our product," they say. "We decided to focus the brand on earrings because Mati has always loved them and because we believe that she is the most flattering female accessory," they say.

How much: All its models range from 20 to 28 euros. «The piece that we sell the most is the 'Memphis' model. They have even told us that it resembles a small sculpture and there have even been guys who assure us that they would wear them without a problem. We would love it, ”they declare from the firm.

Après Ski

What: Ethnic-inspired acetate earrings, plus lots of other jewelry.

When: the firm was born in 2009 but in its latest collections it has focused especially on maxi earrings.

Who: The Catalan designer Lucía Vergara, who before creating her own brand had worked with Lydia Delgado or Ailanto, is the alma mater of the project. Her small team is made up of Sandra, who works alongside her in her workshop, and Ingrid, who deals with the production, business management and communication parts.

Where: «Our shop/workshop is a quiet and cozy place at C/Vigatans 11, in the Borne neighborhood in Barcelona. It has plenty of light, wooden floors and very high ceilings. We moved to this location a year and a half ago and I am very happy here. It's like working at home," Vergara details.

Why: "Our pieces are a current version of ethnic jewelry from the Sahara and the Ivory Coast, Tuareg crosses and other ethnic pieces," explains Vergara, who also traveled to Corpus Christi in Lagartera (Toledo) or to the Diagosto de la Alberca (Salamanca) to investigate the jewelry that accompanies regional costumes. "In my opinion, large earrings are quite flattering when they are close to the face, so it makes me happy to see that women can feel more beautiful wearing them. At first, many girls thought they were too big, but I'm noticing more and more interest in these pieces”, she guarantees.

How much: 60 euros average price. Her best seller is the 'Scabiosa' model (in the image), "the most striking and the one that reminds me the most of my mother", in the words of the designer.

Lausett

What: Colorful XXL earrings with geometric or animal shapes.

When: The brand was born in August 2016. In just one year they have sold almost 2,000 pairs of earrings and have been in charge of making the accessories for Moisés Nieto's last show.

Who: Laura Pérez Vega, designer and CEO of the firm, and her partner, in charge of the administration and marketing of the product, make up Lausett.

Where: All her pieces are designed and manufactured by hand in her workshop in Almería.

Why: The firm was born by chance when Laura, passionate about statement earrings, created a lightweight model for her own graduation. "I had always liked them but I ended up taking them off because they were too heavy," she admits. The key to their designs is comfort and lightness. Thanks to that – and to social networks – they have already reached the United States, England, Germany or France. “We would like to expand to other parts and products in the future. Our goal for 2018 is internationalization," they say.

How much: from 25 to 55 euros, depending on the model. 'Cleo' or 'Camaleon' are your favorites for this season.

Rock

What: Enamelled ceramic earrings and hair clips, among other pieces.

When: the firm was born in 2012 but each time it devotes more attention to earrings. In his online store he has a preview of his next collection that confirms his commitment to this accessory.

Who: Irene Trincado, who left her job as a stylist in a regional chain to create the project, is in charge of making all the pieces by hand: from the first doodle to the manual work in the workshop. Photographers such as Juancar Hernández or model friends who pose in her campaigns collaborate with her.

Where: "Our workshop is located in an industrial building in the lower part of Bilbao, it is a space shared with the Meneo design studio, it works as a showroom and we also give creative ceramics workshops", says the designer.

Why: Although the brand goes beyond earrings, it has always opted for maximum jewelry. According to Trincado, the interest in striking earrings is growing and that is why they have given them more importance in their latest collections. «In Spain we have lost the fear of daring with these pieces and like everything, the secret is in the balance: well combined they do not have to be coarse or extravagant. Outside our borders, our designs are very well received, especially in Japan. But we also sell in France, Switzerland, China or the Netherlands”, he clarifies to S Moda.

How much: their prices range from 40 to 99 euros. The 'Louis' (60 euros) are the favorites of their clients.