Television has a certain power. It influences our behavior and consumption habits. It shapes our opinions. Here is an illustration of it in the world of men's jewelry with a new interest in the silver chain. Indeed, searches on the Internet have multiplied since the public fell in love with the unlikely hero of a BBC 3 series.
Normal People: What is it about
Normal People is a series produced by Hulu, a video-on-demand service similar to Netflix, in collaboration with the BBC. It is inspired by the eponymous novel Normal People, by Irish author Sally Rooney. The book was a great success in the United States, hence the idea of making it a TV series. This has enjoyed the same reception from the public since the start of its broadcast in April 2020.
In short, this is the friendship story of the relationship between 2 teenagers, Connell and Marianne, who attend the same college in post-crisis Ireland of 2008. Connell is a popular teenager due to his good looks and well above average intelligence. He maintains a relationship with Marianne, just as intelligent as him, but marginal. He hides this relationship at first, for fear of being mocked. But he ends up abandoning Marianne to reconnect with Trinity.
Later, the roles are reversed. At university, Marianne blossomed fully. Her appearance changes, she becomes popular. While for the first time in his life, Connell must find his place. During their university career, their lives intersect to develop intense bonds that highlight the doubts that inhabit them and the traumatic events that haunt them, but which define them.
In the series, Paul Mescal plays Connell, while Daisy Edgar-Jones plays Marianne.
Connell's silver necklace
In many scenes in Simple People, Connell can be seen wearing a thin silver chain. It seems that this men's necklace has marked the minds of male viewers. According to the international fashion research platform Lyst's Insights, the number of searches for the term "chain necklace" has increased by 23% since the start of the series, and this on a weekly basis.
Best of all, within 24 hours of the first episode airing, the keywords "money" and "chain necklace" became the most popular search terms in the men's jewelry sector. And overall, searches for topics associated with men's jewelry increased by an average of 16%.
Connell's men's channel even has its own Instagram account
This enthusiasm for the Connell Silver Chain is such that one fan has created a dedicated Instagram account, which already has over 38.000 followers. Including celebrities such as model Adwoa Aboah. The use of this accessory was not innocent. In an interview with Refinery29, the show's dresser, Lorna Marie Mugan, explained that it was a well-considered choice.
"That's the constant in Connell's character, " she said. "He wears this chain throughout the story. Marianne manages to recognize him thanks to his chain, which he has worn since middle school. It was therefore crucial that he wear this man's necklace throughout the story. There's nothing else that really stands out in her appearance. »
She also said it was a wish of the actor who plays Connell, Paul Mescal. He insisted that his character always wear this Silver Chain.
How TV influences fashion
This is certainly not the first time that television has influenced fashion. We had the personalized name necklace phenomenon with Carrie from Sex and the City. More recently, the broadcast of the documentary The Last Dance, devoted to the career of basketball legend Michael Jordan, led to a leap in research on the equipment of this sport (shoes, shorts, jerseys, etc.).
Normal People is currently not broadcast in France, so we should be kept away from the phenomenon. But who knows, if the series is added to the program of a French channel, we might see a resurgence of interest in the men's silver necklace.