THE BARBED BUG
The Soul of the Piece
Chopova Lowena operates at the precise intersection of Bulgarian folk heritage and British subcultural history — and the Barbed Bug Drop earring contains both in a unique, maximalist object. At the stud: a graphic insect silhouette in palladium-plated brass, the kind of specimen one would find pinned behind glass in a Victorian entomological collection. At the drop: the same figure rendered in crystal, with red stones that give it a stained-glass, almost heraldic quality. The "Barbed" in the name is literal — the graphic carries the angular, sharp tension of barbed wire, a recurring motif at Chopova Lowena that references both punk aesthetics and the physical borders of the Balkans. The silver palladium rather than the usual gold gives the piece an unexpected coolness — it reads more architectural, more Eastern European, more specific. H2.75" × W1.75": these are not discreet earrings. They are statements.
Its Place In Your Wardrobe
This is the earring for those with a point of view. In palladium and crystal, it navigates a precise in-between space: too refined for the raw street, too busy for the conventional office, exactly right for those who dress deliberately and know what they are doing. Worn alone without other jewelry, the pair makes an immediate visual statement without needing reinforcement. It works best on a bare neck and a clean silhouette — a black or white canvas allows the red crystal and silver graphic to express themselves at full volume. In summer with a flowing dress or tailored trousers; in winter emerging from a turtleneck. The scale dictates hair worn up or pulled back to allow the full height of the earring to be visible.
Style Notes
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The White Canvas: White or cream monochrome — the silver palladium and red crystal stand out dramatically against light backgrounds. The contrast is maximal, the reading immediate.
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The Radical Black: All-black look — the earring becomes the sole point of rebellion against the monochrome. The red of the crystal explodes against a dark background, the silver palladium catches the light. No competition for the eye.
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The Revelation: Under a structured blazer or coat, the earrings are barely visible at first glance — then fully revealed when hair moves or the collar opens. The specific advantage of a statement drop earring.
The Craftsmanship
Chopova Lowena was founded in 2017 by Emma Chopova and Laura Lowena, both graduates of the MA Fashion program at the Royal College of Art in London. Emma Chopova is of Bulgarian origin; Laura Lowena is British — and the brand is built precisely on the friction between these two cultural heritages. The kilts that propelled them into the fashion conversation simultaneously drew from the tradition of Bulgarian aprons and Scottish tartan. The insect motifs in their jewelry reference the Victorian collecting tradition — beetles and scarabs pinned in glass boxes — while the "barbed" element references the barbed wire of European borders, a specifically Eastern European political anxiety transformed into an ornament. Palladium is a platinum group metal — rarer and more contemporary as a plating choice than silver or gold, with a slightly cooler silver tone that matches the brand's unconventional aesthetic. The red crystal at the drop reverses the typical approach to fine jewelry: rather than a neutral stone, an intensely colored element that functions almost like a heraldic drop. Bulgarian craftsmanship.
