By now we're all aware of the lust for ‘90s staples we’ve seen all over our feeds and on the streets. Gen-Z’s stomping around in platform sandals, spaghetti strap slip dresses and micro shades, but the latest nostalgic trend we’re spotlighting is the statement cord necklace.

Think Alicia Silverstone as Cher in Clueless or Kate Moss taking a perch with best pal Naomi in 1994, the cord pendant is making a convincing comeback and we’re 100% here for the DIY trend.

Hit up your local haberdashery and get yourself some cord or repurpose an old shoelace to create the look with a preexisting pendant, or take our advice and invest in brands doing it best.

The jeweller on a mission to create “modern heirlooms,” Alighieri incorporated Japanese cord into its design for the first time recently. Inspired by a series of analogue photographs taken by her father on a road trip to Zimbabwe, Alighieri designer Rosh Mahtani created a series of pendant necklaces in homage to the unspoken bond she shares with her father.


Twisting and coiling the black coated twine around sculptural guided forms that look like links in a chain and (more recently) adorable little fish as part of a summer capsule collection coming soon, which looks back to summers gone by and aptly evokes our wanderlust.


London-based sisters Christie and Rosanna Wollenberg also choose cord on which to hang their precious knot pendants. The design duo head up Otiumberg, a jewellery brand that focuses on timeless pieces and produces jewels at its own organic pace. The cord element has remained a core detail for the brand’s neat edit of elevated everyday essentials.


Meanwhile, indie brand Brooke Callahan hits the sweet spot with her candy-coloured flower power and love heart pendants that swing from multi-coloured cords. Each unique bead, big and small, is either salvaged from vintage shops or handmade to create the perfect cord curation.

Shop more cord necklaces below…