The unexpected rise of Italian Charm Bracelets under the sign of TikTok

If you were a teenager, preschooler, or young adult in the late 0s, you probably remember the glory days of Italian charm bracelets (aka nomination bracelets) and you may also remember the pain of having those little stainless steel squares pinch and rip out your arm hair. For southern Italian children, it is a symbol of regional identity, the unmistakable sign of their belonging to the milder part of the Italian peninsula, but also the beloved legacy of a childhood spent with their grandparents on weekend pilgrimages among rosaries, stalls, Archangel Gabriel and Padre Pio. Abroad, the trend is synonymous with the year 2000 and, like every other accessory from those years, it's back in fashion thanks to Gen Z's morbid fascination with vintage. In Italy, the same metal plates with a 70s flair are often painted with the faces of some saint or other.

Today, the hashtag #nominationbracelet on TikTok counts more than 4 million views, #italiancharmbracelet 19 million, the more general #charmbracelet 141 million, an endless limbo of testimonials from users who, between Vinted and eBay, have scouted out the perfect bracelet or the most original replacement dog tags. Among the best-known brands producing Italian charm bracelets, the historic Nomination brand certainly stands out. Each bracelet consists of a series of individual modular links (up to 18) that are attached to an elastic band using a built-in spring clasp. Each interchangeable plate features a hand-painted enamel motif, picture, or coat of arms. The pendants are customizable and the motifs they reflect are as varied (Elvis, pets, lucky charms, initials, flags, Hello Kitty, etc.) as the variety of materials they can be made from (enamel, titanium, 18-carat gold, crystal, semi-precious stones, wood).

The accessory first landed in America during World War II, when soldiers brought these unique bracelets as gifts for their wives and girlfriends. At the time, the individual pendants bore the flags of the various countries the soldiers had visited and soon became an exotic showpiece, a real must-have on the wrists of US women, which also became increasingly fashionable as a fetish or sweet reminder of a trip to Italy in full tourist core.