Every now and again, a fashion trend trickles through that completely catches us off guard. We’ve witnessed the re-emergence of capri pants, butterfly tops and double denim, and just when we thought we’d seen enough surprises, one more has landed. We’re not complaining, though – this tasty trend certainly injects some fun into our everyday fashion choices.

Enter: the gummy bear. Yes, really. Sweet supplier Haribo is entering the fashion scene through a capsule collection with jewellery brand Thomas Sabo. So, expect to see the colourful candies turned into charms, rings, necklaces and bracelets in gold and silver tones – the epitome of cute meets kitsch.

This isn’t the first time the humble sweet has become a fashion star. In fact, jewellery brand Crystal Haze prides itself on being the first to get the gummy bear into jewellery form, and they’ve become rather famous for doing so. 

“The nostalgia bears were never launched to be a trend – I actually never saw this coming at all! It was a built off of a genuine feeling of making something that I would connect memories to, and hoped others would too,” shares Ophelia Alickaj, founder of Crystal Haze. She adds: “The idea came from my main inspiration: childhood memories. The style is not just fuelled by childhood reminiscence, but the iconic fashion and the unforgettable music of the 90s, so the nostalgia bears are a vibrant celebration of the era that shaped us.”

Of course, as we’ve seen Y2K fashion boom over the past few years (hello ballet flats, dresses over jeans and babydoll T-shirts), so the trend taking off is probably not too surprising. It seems we’re all searching for a piece of fashion nostalgia, and it spans worldwide.

“Asia was the biggest market for the trend – top celebrities in South Korea were spotted wearing the nostalgia bear, including BTS, G-Dragon and Jennie from Black Pink, to name a few noteworthy people,” says Alickaj. “The trend continued with influencers and celebrities through Europe and America, which was amazing.”

So, it now only begs the question, would you take the sweet style into your own wardrobe? We’re certainly sold. After all, it’s quite the stylish upgrade from the corner shop candy necklaces. Not edible, though. 

Images: courtesy of Thomas Sabo and Crystal Haze