Earrings For Hearing Aids
"Love Island"'s Tasha Ghouri Wears Jewellery Specifically for Hearing Aids
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When it comes to the fashion industry, diversity and inclusivity is the only way forward. Any brand that celebrates all our wonderful differences gets our vote, which is why we were thrilled to see Bijoux De Mimi taking its accessories line a step further by creating earrings for those with hearing aids and cochlear implants.
If you're partial to a scroll on TikTok — and let's face it, who isn't — it's likely you're already aware of the colourful jewels that are the label's signature style. Having grown a loyal following on social media, founder Amelia Hitchcock-Merritt was approached by Living With Hearing Loss in 2022 — a nonprofit that aims to provide support and resources for the deaf community — and hearing device jewellery specialists, DeafMetal. The trio have since worked together to create Pink Noise: a collection that's bright, bold, and beautiful, so that those with hearing aids can accessorise with sparkle, too.
As a result, the brand can count "Love Island"s Tasha Ghouri amongst its fans. The 2022 reality show star, who wears a cochlear implant and refers to her deafness as her "superpower", posted a video wearing the collection on 21 Jan. "Can we just talk about how cute this is", she wrote in a caption.
Hitchcock-Merritt admits that, prior to the collection, hearing aid jewellery "was something I knew little about", but she has learnt so much from the process. "It was something that had never crossed my mind. It's been an amazing thing to do," she tells POPSUGAR UK, revealing she was previously unaware of such a gap in the market. "I'd love to do more."
The brand has built the range based upon an innovative design created by DeafMetal called a holster — a hypoallergenic silicone band that protects the magnets in the hearing aid while allowing for a chain to be attached. Making a stark contrast to DeafMetal's gothic aesthetic, the Pink Noise range focuses on colour, particularly pink. And we all know the Barbiecore trend is seriously hot right now. Yet this is a range that not only looks good, but the clever designs help to secure the hearing aids in place, too.
Image Source: Bijoux de Mimi / Lily Craigen
"The whole point of the collection is to raise awareness for the deaf community. My brand so far has been an earring brand, so to introduce people who are hard of hearing into a brand that is focused on earrings, to de-stigmatise, and ultimately celebrate hearing aids, is incredible," shares Hitchock-Merritt. Despite being just 19-years-old, her brand has come a long way in two short years. She launched the business during the pandemic, following an eye-opening trip to Paris and realising her time at Central Saint Martins university wasn't the right path for her. She began selling on Depop and soon gained traction on social media before becoming a stand-alone earring brand that's shaking up the accessories market.
"I went to Paris, interviewing for loads of internships, and we stumbled upon a massive jewellery wholesale shop. I'd never seen anything like it at home," she says. "I love colour, I love the colour pink, and in this shop, everything was really colourful and gold and mesmerising. I bought loads and sold it on Depop." It was only when her boyfriend suggested she start a full-time business making her own bespoke pieces that she chose to make the leap.
Hitchcock-Merritt then started designing and manufacturing her own colourful creations. The huggie hoops, in particular, proved to be a big hit with customers, and her fun use of bright crystals, at affordable prices, saw her earrings bring the playfulness back into accessories. She took her creations to TikTok . . . and the rest is history.
This collection aims to empower others to celebrate their uniqueness. Plus, 20 percent of all profits will also be going to Living with Hearing Loss to help spread awareness. Ahead, see the fabulous Pink Noise pieces and add this get this label on your radar.
