Popular in the late 1990s and early 2000s, the trend of adding sparkle to everything—from clothes to phones and fashion accessories—is back. Its resurgence comes as little surprise, with Y2K fashion steadily finding its way back into wardrobes, from low-rise jeans and baby tees to belly chains and rhinestone embellishments. This time, bedazzling goes beyond fashion and makeup. Delhiites are embellishing everything from bags, totes and pouches to lip balms and even Diet Coke cans. And art and craft collectives across the city are helping them do it.
One such initiative is Lore of Socials, founded by Umanshi Nagpal and Tanishka Agarwal. “Most of our attendees are people in the early to mid-stages of their careers and Gen Z,” says Nagpal. Gul Gupta, who runs the art collective Doodleden with her friend Niyati Nagpal, says her workshops attract a similar demographic. Even children as young as eight or nine turn up, eager to try their hand at the craft. Brahmi Patkar, who runs the Instagram art page Sunday Rituals and sells bedazzling kits, recalls a nine-year-old boy who was particularly excited about bedazzling his car.
Going off-screen
For many, the appeal of bedazzling lies as much in the process as in the finished product. It is a time-consuming activity, requiring one to pick up individual stones, arrange them and carefully glue them onto an object. Much like crocheting and mandala art, it encourages people to slow down and concentrate on a single task, offering a welcome break from screens and work deadlines. “It's very addictive once you start doing it. And then you love the process,” notes Patkar.
For publishing professional Pragya Mittal, who often works from home, the activity has become a way to carve out personal time. “At the office, you have breaks and friends to talk to. But working from home is a lot more hectic. Bedazzling is therapeutic. It takes me away from my mundane chaos and Monday blues,” she says.
Drishti Gupta, who runs Mellora Crafts Co. with her sister Bhavya Gupta, says workshop participants have also described the process as relaxing; there is also a sense of accomplishment in transforming an ordinary object. “They just sit and start bedazzling and create their own charms. It makes you slow down because you place and paste each stone individually,” she says.
For Arshia Gulrays, a PR professional with dyslexia, the activity offers a way to quieten her mind. She says: “I cannot sit and meditate. But when I start doing something artsy, my mind is instantly quiet. It's not wandering or jumping from one thing to another. It's kind of like meditation,” she says.
Making it your own
The activity also taps into the desire to personalise everyday belongings. In a world of mass-produced accessories and similar-looking products, decorating an object oneself offers a way to make it distinctively one's own.
While workshops often provide totes, pouches or canvases, some participants prefer bringing their own belongings, from lighters and sunglasses to phone covers, hairbrushes and mirrors. “People are not just creating canvases. They are doing it on phone covers, sunglasses, hairbrushes, mirrors and other accessories,” says Drishti. “Gen Z loves to stand out. They want to show people that they are unique. They want to sparkle everything.”
Patkar says the interest also lies in making everyday belongings instantly recognisable as one's own. “Everyone will know that this charger is Brahmi's charger,” she says.
For those keen to try it at home, materials are relatively easy to source from markets such as Sadar Bazaar, Kinari Bazaar and Chawri Bazaar, craft stores such as Itsy Bitsy, or online platforms such as Meesho and Amazon. Workshops typically cost ₹700–800, including materials and a complimentary beverage. Some also offer a small gift hamper.
A little more whimsy
The return of rhinestones also coincides with a growing appetite for maximalist, playful aesthetics online after years of the ‘clean girl’ look. The internet's growing fascination with ‘whimsycore’—an aesthetic centred on childlike wonder, playful imagination and a touch of the unconventional—is also part of this shift.
Bedazzling fits neatly into this aesthetic. It allows people to decorate objects simply because they enjoy how they look, even if the embellishments serve no practical purpose. But perhaps that is the point: not every object needs to be functional, and not every hobby needs to be productive.
Social media has certainly helped popularise the activity, with the transformation of ordinary objects into sparkling creations making for satisfying, shareable content. Gulrays has a different take. “People like to use words like these as an excuse to do what they want to do. I like bedazzling stuff because I like things glittery. I love shiny things,” she says. “Now they have an excuse that it's a trend on social media, so they can do this without having to explain why they like it.”