The jewelry collection of former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright is set to go to auction soon. Yes, that’s the renowned jewelry collector who wrote a book about her brooches. This powerful woman, who made history in American politics, was known for expressing her attitudes through her brooches.
Why choose brooches? Because they are the most versatile and adaptable jewelry items, of course! Today, let’s explore the various ways brooches can “speak volumes” without saying a word.
Madeleine K. Albright
Brooches can make a bold statement anywhere
On May 7th, the private jewelry collection and other personal items of the late former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright will be auctioned at Freeman’s auction house. This female collector may not be famous for the rarity or costliness of her jewelry, but she is remembered in the jewelry world for her unique wearing style.
In 1997, Albright was appointed Secretary of State by President Bill Clinton, becoming the highest-ranking woman in U.S. history. Before becoming Secretary of State, Albright served as the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. Albright was not only the first female U.S. Secretary of State but also the first high-ranking diplomat to transform jewelry into a communication tool.
Rose gold, diamonds, sapphires, rubies, emeralds
Madeleine K. Albright collection
Freeman’s auction, May 2024
Albright’s wit and sense of humor made her jewelry a useful diplomatic tool. As one of the few women in politics, she discovered that brooches could serve as “non-verbal communicators.” When communicating with world leaders, this was a firm yet gentle way to convey messages. Some attitudes that couldn’t be directly expressed at the negotiating table could be clearly communicated through these charming brooches.
As a result, she collected over 200 brooches and wrote a book titled “Read My Pins: Stories from a Diplomat’s Jewel Box.” In the book, she recalls that it all began in 1993, just after the Gulf War:
By Madeleine K. Albright
At the time, Albright was serving as the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations and had publicly criticized Saddam Hussein. In response, Hussein’s camp referred to her as “an unparalleled serpent.” For her next meeting with Iraqi officials, Albright deliberately wore a snake brooch, despite her personal dislike for snakes.
Through this, she discovered that people noticed her brooches and received the message she intended to convey. Thus, brooches, which can be worn anywhere and paired with any outfit, became her ultimate weapon for paying tribute, praising, expressing irony, and protesting.
One of the most representative pieces in her collection is the “Breaking the Glass Ceiling” brooch, designed and crafted by artist Vivian Shimoyama. Albright said, “I’m proud to have broken the glass ceiling for women in the workplace by becoming the first woman to serve as Secretary of State.”
She wore this brooch while speaking at the 2013 Tom Lantos Human Rights Prize ceremony for Hillary Clinton, her successor and another female Secretary of State.
From Madeleine K. Albright’s collection
To be auctioned at Freeman’s, May 2024
Albright also enjoyed wearing brooches that paid homage to the countries she visited on diplomatic missions, expressing her friendliness and respect. She collected numerous animal brooches, and during her 1997 visit to South Africa, she wore a striking zebra brooch on her shoulder when meeting with President Mandela.
From Madeleine K. Albright’s collection
To be auctioned at Freeman’s, May 2024
She also once addressed the U.S. Senate Finance Committee on expanding China’s access to the American market, deliberately choosing to wear a Chinese dragon brooch for the occasion.
Perhaps the most intriguing incident was when Albright discovered that the Russians had installed listening devices (bugs) in the U.S. State Department. During her next meeting with the Russian Foreign Minister, she wore an enormous insect (bug) brooch. It’s safe to assume that her counterpart fully grasped the irony of her gesture.
Albright meticulously crafted her own language of brooches: “On good days, when I wanted to convey prosperity and happiness, I would put on suns, ladybugs, flowers, and hot air balloons, symbolizing high hopes. On bad weather days, I would reach for spiders and carnivorous animals.
During a meeting in the Middle East, if progress was slower than I hoped, I would wear a snail pin. When dealing with hot-tempered individuals, I would assume the demeanor of a crab. Other ambassadors began to notice, and whenever they asked what I was up to on any given day, I would tell them, ‘Read my pins.'”
Kate Middleton
Mastering the Art of Subtle Brooch Diplomacy
It’s not just Madeleine Albright who used brooches to express her stance and attitude; Queen Elizabeth II did so as well. However, the Queen’s approach was more restrained and less provocative. She often chose brooches with emotional significance for specific occasions or wore pieces related to the countries she visited.
Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales, has learned this technique from the Queen, but true to her understated style, she prefers small, delicate brooches, striking the perfect balance of elegance and subtlety.
While most of Kate’s jewelry comes from the royal collection or Princess Diana, many of her brooches have connections to her own family. For instance, during a visit to Bletchley Park, Kate wore a small, unassuming brooch inspired by the core component of the Enigma machine.
This choice was significant because Bletchley Park was where Alan Turing and other codebreakers worked during World War II, and the Enigma machine was their masterpiece. Kate’s grandmother, Valerie Glassborow, worked on this team, so wearing this brooch was Kate’s way of paying tribute to her grandmother’s legacy.
We’ve previously discussed Kate’s fondness for independent jewelry designers, and you might have noticed her particular affinity for oak leaves. This is because oak leaves are part of her family crest and were intentionally incorporated into the design of her and Prince William’s coat of arms. Therefore, on some family-oriented occasions, she chooses to wear a diamond oak leaf brooch.
Kate and William have a strong relationship, and she often seizes opportunities to wear jewelry that showcases their bond.
For example, she has a small brooch featuring two dolphins and a crown, which she wears at navy-related events. This brooch was a wedding gift from the British Royal Navy Submarine Service, where Prince William holds the rank of Commodore-in-Chief. For Kate, this likely represents a badge of honor that makes her proud of her husband.
Although Kate typically maintains a low-key approach and rarely wears overly elaborate jewelry, she is very mindful of her royal status. She owns two particularly significant brooches: one representing her former title as Duchess of Cambridge, and another symbolizing her current role as Princess of Wales.
When Kate was still the Duchess of Cambridge, the Queen entrusted her with the Cambridge Pearl Brooch, which has been passed down through several generations. This brooch can be traced back to Princess Augusta, granddaughter of George III. As her father was the Duke of Cambridge, she was titled Princess Augusta of Cambridge. Interestingly, this princess was Queen Mary’s maternal grandmother.
In 1877, Princess Augusta commissioned Garrard to create this pearl pendant brooch. After her passing, the brooch was inherited by her youngest daughter and later passed to Queen Mary, thus entering the British royal jewelry collection.
As you may know, many of Queen Mary’s jewelry acquisitions were related to Cambridge, such as the controversial Cambridge Emeralds and Diana’s Cambridge Lover’s Knot Tiara, all originating from her grandmother.
After Queen Mary’s death, Queen Elizabeth II inherited this brooch, which became one of her favorites, especially in her later years when she wore it frequently. However, it wasn’t long before people spotted Kate wearing it in the first official portrait of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
The Queen ultimately decided to pass this brooch to its more “rightful” owner. Since then, Kate has chosen to wear this brooch at many formal occasions requiring the Duchess of Cambridge’s presence.
The other brooch, the Prince of Wales Feathers Brooch, is even more familiar to many. This brooch, designed after the Prince of Wales’s emblem, originally belonged to Queen Alexandra. It was a gift she received during her time as Princess of Wales and was later passed directly to the next Princess of Wales – Diana.
Princess Diana was known for her unconventional approach to jewelry, often wearing brooches as necklaces. After she left the royal family, this brooch was returned to the royal collection. Camilla wore this brooch after marrying into the royal family, but it caused controversy as she was never officially titled Princess of Wales.
After Charles’s accession to the throne, William became the rightful Prince of Wales, and this brooch quickly passed to Kate’s hands. Kate has been very cautious in wearing this brooch. Understandably, the public and William would want to see her wear it to symbolize legitimacy and continuity.
However, Camilla might not be thrilled to see Kate wearing it, so the Princess of Wales always tries to wear it discreetly. For instance, she pairs it with dark-colored outfits or even removes the emerald drop, wearing only the diamond feather part.
Isabeli Fontana
Making a Statement with Oversized Brooches
Compared to politicians and royalty, supermodel Isabeli Fontana’s purpose for wearing brooches is much simpler – it’s all about making a statement.
This Brazilian supermodel has certainly secured her position in the fashion world, gracing magazine covers, starring in brand campaigns, and walking the Victoria’s Secret runway. She’s achieved all the accolades in her field. However, when she steps onto a film festival red carpet, she might go unnoticed. After all, as a crossover artist, it’s understandable if the film industry doesn’t immediately recognize her.
However, one of the notable features of red carpets at events like Cannes and Venice Film Festivals is the invitation of supermodels to add glamour. So how does one avoid being a mere “sideline” character and successfully capture attention on this brief red carpet walk?
Isabeli Fontana made a clever choice by opting for oversized brooches! Indeed, high jewelry is no stranger to red carpets, but given her industry standing, she might not have access to the largest pieces of high jewelry.
Instead, she took an unconventional approach by choosing oversized brooches designed by Chinese jewelry designer Elsa Jin (Jin Yuanyi), successfully stealing the spotlight. On the red carpet, Best Actress titles are fleeting – what matters most is catching the eye!
Elsa Jin’s oversized brooches are not only large in size but also incredibly dynamic and full of life. Whether depicting figurative wings or abstract lines, her designs possess a unique visual tension. Isabeli Fontana wears them on her shoulders, chest, or neck, allowing these small “jewelry sculptures” to showcase their charm from all angles.
After successfully grabbing attention in several appearances, these oversized brooches have become Isabeli Fontana’s “personal signature style,” making her instantly recognizable.
Others quickly caught on to this trick. French actress Isabelle Huppert and Oscar-winning actor Adrien Brody both chose oversized brooches designed by Elsa Jin. Interestingly, neither of these two are known for flamboyant styles, yet they managed to carry off these eye-catching pieces of jewelry with ease.
This proves that with enough presence, oversized jewelry can indeed be an excellent choice for making a statement.
Blake Lively
The True Fashion Maven’s Finishing Touch
Finally, we introduce the true fashion maven “Queen S” Blake Lively and her superior skills in using brooches as the perfect finishing touch. Most people are familiar with this actress’s public persona.
She’s an absolute fashion icon, always at the forefront of trends, and incredibly knowledgeable about jewelry. Even during her breakout role in “Gossip Girl,” she was personally involved in styling and jewelry design. Now, she has long since crossed over into jewelry design herself.
Her fashion sensitivity is second to none. She was handpicked by Anna Wintour to co-chair the Met Gala, has dabbled in directing by creating a music video for her best friend Taylor Swift (providing styling and jewelry props), and recently spearheaded the popular “Mob Wife” trend. It’s safe to say that Blake Lively’s love for and mastery of jewelry styling has reached an expert level.
Therefore, her application of brooches, the most versatile of jewelry pieces, always aligns perfectly with her overall outfit. She consistently places them at the focal point of her look, perfectly complementing the theme and creating a delightful highlight.
For instance, when wearing Chanel’s Soleil brooch, she chose to place it on the upper abdomen of her Grecian-style gown, exactly at the visual focal point where the dress crossed.
When she opts for a cool and sleek suit ensemble, she’ll choose a lifelike classical orchid brooch to soften the masculine edge, skillfully balancing the line between strong and delicate.
And when she selects a 1920s-inspired bias-cut slip dress, a small diamond ribbon brooch is casually attached to the strap, breaking up the Art Deco-style sexiness created by the metallic sheen and body-hugging cut, demonstrating her effortless grace.
In fact, all four brooch aficionados introduced today have developed their own unique wearing styles. As a result, brooches have become their personal style signatures, leaving a lasting impression. So, have you learned how to make this versatile piece of jewelry your own personal style secret weapon? Develop your own jewelry signature style!
Beyond Fashion: Unveiling the Secret Language of Brooches!
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