I found the charm necklace Lucia is wearing on White Lotus
And by "I found" I mean: I DM'd the costume designer and she told me
I went down a deep, deep rabbit hole searching for the charm necklace Lucia Greco wears on White Lotus. If you do not watch the show, you should. Lucia is arguably the best character overall but she’s definitely the best-dressed. (I’m convinced she and her friend Mia are loosely based on Lila and Elena from My Brilliant Friend but we can discuss that at a later date.)
I am not kidding when I say I tried every Google keyword combination. I tried to focus on the charms I had good screenshots of, like the star. I found countless pentagram and heart charms but none of them looked like Lucia’s. I cried out for help on my Instagram stories. I looked at actress Simona Tabasco’s instagram comments and found fans asking about the necklace in English and Italian…but none of the comments had answers! I checked Reddit, figuring someone had beat me to this investigation, but nope!
Finally, as a long shot, last-ditch effort, I messaged White Lotus’ costume designer Alex Bovaird on her private Instagram account. The good news: she responded and is now my hero. The bad news (because I don’t have a sugar daddy like Lucia): the necklace is $6,000. Or technically $4,778 if you get the same charms Lucia is wearing.
The necklace is made by Luna Flo, a relatively new jewelry brand based in London. They also make the star necklace worn by Daphne in White Lotus. That one is $2,000.
Even though Lucia’s charm necklace is extremely out of my price range, I feel relieved knowing where it came from. I’ve now set my sights on plan b: building a similar one within my price range.
I found some similar chunky chains at Hey Harper, a jewelry brand that says its products are waterproof. These chains are not real gold, and their prices reflect this, they might be a nice entry point. The Alexandria and Monica chains are great options and they’ve both 50% for Black Friday.
There are countless places to search for charms online but Missoma is a great place to start. I have the padlock, heart and crossed fingers in my cart right now. There are some good options on Etsy, too. You just need the time and patience to sort through them.
UPDATE: I talked to Luna Flo’s founder and creative director, Charlie Pearson, about her work and how her pieces ended up on the show. This interview has been edited for length and clarity
VD: Have you been watching White Lotus?
CP: Yes, I, like so many was absolutely hooked on The White Lotus during lockdown! It was however a little bitter sweet as I'd been asked to provide jewelry for season 1 and those pieces were held up in customs so unfortunately never had their day in the Hawaiin sun. I was then thrilled to be again approached by the very talented costume designer Alex Bovaird for season 2 — yes I've been watching and it does not disappoint!
VD: You mentioned your brand is relatively new. How does it feel to have your pieces featured on such a big show?
CP: I feel very lucky and grateful to have been chosen to be a part of such a wonderful show!
VD: The necklace Lucia wears on the show has three charms on it: the star, the female form and the heart. Do you think those hold some meaning for her character? Do you think they foreshadow anything?
CP: Once Alex Bovaird described Lucias's character to me and Mike White's vision for the show I felt drawn to create the female charm for her. She, to me, is a representation of Aphrodite whose power was her ability to provoke love, desire and delight. The heart charm is a symbol of her power and passion. the lightening star represents the dreams that she's aspiring to. Lucia is an idealist so we will have to see how vulnerable or empowered this leaves her.
VD: What kind of person are you envisioning when you design your jewelry?
My jewelry is made to uplift and empower women. I try to create something new every time while using ancient symbology to carry that deeper meaningful connection. I love providing the ability to self-express through fashion. I'm always envisioning someone who lives her life to the full, isn't afraid to stand out of the crowd and shows true empathy for the people around them. I look up to Franca Sozzani (former editor of Italian Vogue) who followed her own path so beautifully.
VD: Tell me about your favorite recent purchase. This is a shopping newsletter, after all!
CP: I've just returned from NY and have to say my love of vintage is always met at Beacons Closet. I'm just one of those people who loves to find special one of a kind pieces. I think it's creative and inspiring to wear clothes from different eras as well as sustainable. I also love Rellik in London for the very same reason - My boyfriend bought me a beautiful silk blue shawl for a wedding there a few weeks ago by Georgio Armani. It's something I'll cherish forever!
Thank you for your service!