Mexican painter Frida Kahlo was known for her iconic self-portraits and distinctive personal style. Born in 1907, Kahlo achieved celebrity that would eventually make her the unintentional grandmother of the selfie, her indelible image recognizable everywhere.
Her self-portraits unsparingly depict her physical disabilities and make frank allusion to a tumultuous emotional life.
Entertainers such as Beyoncé and Lady Gaga, and designers including Riccardo Tisci and Jean Paul Gaultier have all drawn inspiration from Kahlo's signature style — traditional, Mexican Tehuana dresses and hairstyles, and her personal jewelry of elaborate, dangling or drop earrings and rough-hewn, handmade stone necklaces.
Kahlo's jewelry style remains startling and captivating to this day. You can see her jewelry among her personal artifacts at the Brooklyn Museum exhibition Frida Kahlo: Appearances Can be Deceiving. Opening February 8 until May 18, 2019.
Back to GC Stories