How celebrities are transforming wedding mementos into symbols of empowerment

There’s a scene in the season 2 premiere of popular television show And Just Like That where Carrie Bradshaw pulls out the Vivienne Westwood wedding dress she wore when Mr Big left her at the altar, and wears it again it to the Met Gala many years later. “And just like that, I repurposed my pain,” she says of it.

It seems that many real-life women are now singing in Bradshaw’s tune. Take for instance, model Emily Ratajkowski, who sent the internet in a tizzy when she coined the term “divorce rings” with a post on Instagram this March. Following her split with her husband Sebastian Bear-McClard, Ratajkowski worked with jewellery designer Alison Chemla—founder and creative director of the brand Alison Lou who designed her famous Toi et Moi engagement ring—to remodel it. She got it remade into two separate pieces: a pear-shaped solitaire pinky ring, and a princess-cut diamond flanked by trapezoid stones. “I would like there to be a perspective that allows space for the fact that leaving a relationship is often a remarkable and brave act. I really would like to see single moms or women starting over for the first time in a terrific way—find some kind of solace in the idea that they’re not failures for leaving,” Ratajkowski had told The New York Times.

Chemla admits there have been many requests for similar rings following the celebrity’s post. “Jewellery is so personal and typically connects to a memory. Being able to revive such a piece, and give it a new story and life, is so special,” she added.

While these pieces may serve as a tangible reminder of a broken relationship, women today are determined to overcome the stigma around divorce, choosing to display their courage in severing ties that have possibly run their course. “It’s one way to take your power back after a separation,” feels Chemla. There are more examples of women who are repurposing their wedding jewels and clothing as an exercise in empowerment. Singer Rosalía has been wearing her former engagement ring as an earring, and actor Sophia Bush repurposed her wedding dress for a Beyoncé concert after her split with Grant Hughes.

Closer home, actor Samantha Ruth Prabhu—who was married to fellow actor Akkineni Naga Chaitanya— worked with her wedding dress designer, Krésha Bajaj, to give it a new lease of life. The white tulle from her bridal gown was dyed into nude and black, and used for the new outfit’s corset and structural skirt, respectively. The original gown’s boning was retained, and the beads were used along the slit of the new design. “The cancan and floral embellishments are becoming part of something else,” adds Bajaj, who created this as part of her bespoke service, La Soirée, that repurposes couture. “It was a beautiful opportunity to redesign her (Samantha’s) wedding gown into something that’s more wearable for her today,” says the designer.

Luxury fashion influencer Hanna Khan wore a dramatic Elie Saab gown for her wedding in 2021. While she has split with her husband, she is holding on to this custom couture as an heirloom. “I won’t cut it up for a new outfit because of the sheer craftsmanship that went into making it. All my other wedding outfits were designed by my sister, designer Ohaila Khan, and I am excited to repeat these in the future,” Khan adds.

Utsav Parasrampuria, a partner at Amarkosh Jewels, admits that the concept of divorce rings is fairly new in India. “Divorce can still be seen as a taboo. Here, many couples return the ring to their ex after the end of a marriage. But when the relationship has been difficult, I see how this concept can be a metaphorical signal of starting over on a clean, confident slate,” he says.

Khan admits that she chose not to look at her wedding ring for two years because of the unpleasant memories associated with it. But she is now considering remodelling it into something new to reflect her current state of mind. “It will bring me closure too. These decisions are so personal and subjective. And women should be allowed to make them without the fear of any judgement,” she signs off.

Feature image credits: Samantha Ruth Prabhu in her repurposed wedding dress by Krésha Bajaj; Image courtesy: Krésha Bajaj

This article originally appeared in Harper's Bazaar India, June-July 2024 print issue.

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