Bal Harbour

COURTESY OF BRIAN KEITH THOMPSON Fashion darlings are piling on the piercings and ultra-luxe jewelry for a one-of-a-kind look. BY JESSICA MEHALIC LUCAS JENNIFER LAWRENCE GRACED this year's Oscars with an array of delicate, artfully placed piercings on her left ear. Whether she's chilling in Ibiza or hitting a fashion event, influencer Chiara Ferragni sports a series of carefully curated hoops all the way up both ears. No part of the ear seems to be off limits for Zoë Kravitz who dons an assortment of eye-catching hardware, as well as a septum ring. And they're not the only ones piling on the piercings. Judging by the intricately decorated lobes of Beyoncé, Bella Hadid and Gwyneth Paltrow, showing off unique ear style is one of the coolest trends out there. "My philosophy about decorating the ears is: do it. Why not? You can always take it out or change the jewelry," says L.A.'s most in-demand piercer Brian Keith Thompson, owner of the legendary Body Electric Tattoo. "With a tattoo, you're kind of stuck with it. It's more of a marriage. Piercing is more of a mistress." Lawrence, Scarlett Johansson, Jessica Alba and Bella Thorne are among the A-listers who've sought the services of Thompson, known for his custom constellation piercings, or multitude of piercings, sporadically placed across a client's ear. "People ask me to design their ear. It's what I'm good at," he explains. He's so good at it that clients, who range from infants to grandmothers, come into his Hollywood studio requesting the random, scattered, but undeniably badass looks they see on his Instagram. It's not just standard lobe piercings that are in the spotlight. Any part of the ear is fair game. Some of the most popular places to adorn include the upper lobe (where your fifth or sixth hole would be), rook (the protected cartilage in the top of the ear), inner and outer conch (the middle part of the ear that looks similar to a conch shell) and tragus (the hard section above the ear lobe on the edge of your face). When it comes to accessorizing these hot spots, dainty gold and diamond styles reign supreme—making total sense, since an earring should be left in a new piercing for several months before being changed. In other words: you've got to love it to live with it. So you've opted for Thompson's signature trifecta, or three little piercings in the shape of a triangle, on your left lobe. Should the right one match? "I like doing asymmetry, but if you're not into it, if you want to be symmetrical, then so be it," says the former Marine, who has embarked on a series of pop-up piercing events at Neiman Marcus stores nationwide. "It just goes back to your taste and what you want to do." He does advise sticking to three piercings per session and strictly adhering to the suggested aftercare of your piercer. Depending on the placement in the ear, a new piercing can take three to six months to heal. And in case you have any hang- ups about the actual piercing process, long gone are the days of getting pierced with a gun at the mall or a dirty tattoo parlor. Body Electric and other luxury body piercing boutiques have revolutionized the industry with clean, modern environments featuring experienced piercers, sterilized jewelry and single-use needles. Just be sure to do your research beforehand. "Go to the studio, meet them, ask for a quick tour," suggests Thompson. "You don't have to get something done. You can go in for a consultation." If you're not ready to take the piercing plunge, get inspired by the bold mismatched earrings and singular trophy styles paraded down the fall runways at Chanel, Valentino, Alexander McQueen and 3.1 Phillip Lim. You'll also find the resurgence of the single statement earring from jewelry designers like Anissa Kermiche and Aurélie Bidermann (both available at The Webster). A little irreverence makes a major style statement. Bella Thorne wears a constellation of diminutive studs and sparkling hoops on her ear. At right, a Frivole gold and diamond earring by Van Cleef & Arpels. Below, Aurelie Bidermann's Diamond Trombone Sleeper earring. 82 BAL HARBOUR PLAY IT BY EAR

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