For centuries, cowrie shells have had a deep cultural and spiritual significance in many African cultures and were once even used as currency across continents. The beige shells have also been used to create stunning jewellery, head accessories, and other wearable pieces. Recently, Lupita Nyong’o stepped out with an intricate cowrie shell headpiece that looked fit for royalty.
On October 21, the Us actor wore a deep V-neck cream gown and the headpiece at the GO Campaign Annual GO gala in Los Angeles. Atop her bald head sat a mesh cap adorned with clusters of the small beige shells, some covering her forehead like a thick fringe. You can zoom in closely to see the strings of amber and clear, tiny beads that connect each shell to the netted cap.
Getty Images
The shells did not cover every inch of the mesh: Lupita’s crown was adorned by just a ring of shells and below, you can see the netting of her cap and the cowrie shells on the entire piece.
Getty Images
Nyong’o returned to the bald-headed baddie life at the start of the year after having sister locs. Ever since, she’s been offering us proof that you don’t need hair to accessorise your head: In May, she had an intricate henna tattoo drawn onto her head. This cowrie headpiece is also great hair inspiration that doesn’t require any hairstyling. Hopefully, she will share the artist who created this gorgeous piece so we can try to snag one of our own.
This feature originally appeared on Allure.