Celebrity Diamond Jewelry Spotlight: Cardi B
Cardi B first came to prominence as the breakout star of the hit VH1 reality series Love & Hip Hop: New York in 2015, which depicted her musical aspirations and provided a winning showcase for her brash, unfiltered personality. Only two years later, the Big Apple-born rapper made her major label debut with the pulsating track “Bodak Yellow,” which quickly leaped to the top of the charts and ranked her the first female hip-hop star to have a song Diamond certified for selling more than 10 million units in the United States. With her aggressive flow and candid lyrics, she has quickly evolved into the most successful female rapper in music history. From stage performances to music videos like her latest visual for the song “Hot Shit,” Cardi B is one of music’s leading diamond ladies.
Cardi B’s Best Diamond Jewelry Looks
Her meteoric rise to music’s A-List has come hand-in-hand with her growth as a red carpet staple; she routinely makes iconic fashion statements at one premiere event after the other. Cardi, 29, is never one to hold back, working with stylist Kollin Carter (who also collaborated with celebrities like Teyana Taylor, Kelly Rowland and Normani) on show-stopping looks and diamonds that make her stand out in any crowd.
Cardi has no shame in showing off the fruits of her labor, regularly decked out in major bling that only the biggest, most confident personalities could pull off—which she does, every time. Now all eyes will be on the musician as she takes the stage to host the 49th Annual American Music Awards on Sunday. Expect an array of headline-catching ensembles that will put the high-profile audience to shame.
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Read on for Cardi B’s most exceptional diamond looks so far.
Dreamy Decadence at the 60th Annual Grammy Awards
Cardi made her Grammy Awards debut in 2018 as a double nominee, and knew how important it was to make an impression on music’s biggest night. She sported a dreamy white lace creation fit for a fairy princess. The Ashi Studio gown featured a voluminous skirt with a high-low hem, structured off-the-shoulder sleeves. It provided the necessary room for some incredible diamonds, beyond her massive eight carat engagement ring she received from her on-again/off-again husband Offset. She also dazzled in a Madeleine Bracelet and Mata Hari earrings by Messika Fine Jewelry and a Manchette Madison emerald cut diamond cuff. Carter told Glamour that the goal of the look was that “by the end of the carpet, she’ll be America’s angel.”
Blinging Belle at Rihanna’s 5th Annual Diamond Ball
Doing her best Disney princess impression, Cardi shined at Rihanna’s annual black tie event in a tiered light pink gown by Georges Hobeika. She paired the shoulderless dress with a romantic updo, allowing space for dramatic chandelier diamond earrings featuring clusters of diamond briolettes by A-list bespoke diamond jeweler Lorraine Schwartz. The “Up” hitmaker didn’t stop there as she also glistened in a stack of diamond bracelets and a relatively petite diamond nose stud. The classic jewels gave the sweet look a modern touch to show that beneath all the glamour, Cardi is still a New York City girl at heart.
Glistening Glamour at the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards
Cardi returned to the Grammy Awards in 2020 and proved her obsession with opulence had grown ten-fold over just a few years. She arrived in a custom Thierry Mugler number: a sheer, nude gown with floor-length long sleeves, a body-skimming silhouette and glimmering crystal stripe detailing covering the whole design. The bespoke look was jaw-dropping on its own, but the over-the-top star didn’t complete her outfit there. Instead, she also donned a custom diamond collar necklace by Italian jeweler Gismondi 1754, which featured multiple strands of stunning white diamonds totaling 310 carats, worth $5 million. Her stack of iced-out Dena Kemp diamond bracelets almost seem like a bargain in comparison with a value of a mere half-million dollars.
Polished Purple at the Kate Moss High Jewelry Fashion Show
Now a regular fashion week fixture, Cardi knows to turn up the ante on her style when surrounded by the industry’s major players. For the debut of Kate Moss’ collaborative collection with Parisian diamond jewelry house Messika, the “WAP” artist wore a lilac Richard Quinn look complete with matching shades and headband. The bright pop of color definitely got the cameras going, but the real star of the outfit came from the 157 carat diamond necklace shimmering on her body. The Messika High Jewelry Sea King necklace stole the show, as did her pair of matching dangling diamond earrings to bring the entire vibe together.
Hitmaking Hoops at the 2019 Billboard Music Awards
Cardi made multiple outfit switches during the 2019 Billboard Music Awards, but her bright and bold red carpet look easily won the night. It was impossible to take your eyes off the starlet in her ab-baring two-piece yellow Moschino gown. To truly make the revealing sartorial choice noteworthy, she combined it with delicate, layered diamond hoop earrings by jewelry couturière Loree Rodkin valued at over $26,000. When it comes to award show glamour, no one in the music industry makes a daring entrance quite like Cardi B.
