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Michelle Obama Wears Almasika Earrings Symbolizing Feminine Power
She wore the “Le Cauri Endiamanté” earrings, our Piece of the Week, in the Obamas’ first dual portrait for the Obama Presidential Center.
Almasika’s “Le Cauri Endiamanté” drop earrings, our Piece of the Week for Juneteenth, took a new form for artist Njideka Akunyili Crosby’s portrait of Barack and Michelle Obama.
The earrings, made in 18-karat gold with black rhodium plating and diamond accents, are worn by Michelle in the portrait, which was made using acrylics, colored pencils, charcoal, and transferred photos on canvas.
Titled, “The Obamas: Springing Forth,” it is the first official portrait of the former first couple together. It was commissioned for the new Obama Presidential Center.
The earrings, made in 18-karat gold with black rhodium plating and diamond accents, are worn by Michelle in the portrait, which was made using acrylics, colored pencils, charcoal, and transferred photos on canvas.
Titled, “The Obamas: Springing Forth,” it is the first official portrait of the former first couple together. It was commissioned for the new Obama Presidential Center.
“The Obamas: Springing Forth” by Njideka Akunyili Crosby. (Image courtesy of The Obama Foundation)
Michelle and Barak Obama with artist Njideka Akunyili Crosby (center) during the portrait unveiling on June 15. (Image courtesy of The Obama Foundation)
The earrings are part of Almasika’s “Le Cauri Endiamanté” collection. They debuted in 2021 as part of Sotheby’s “Brilliant and Black: A Jewelry Renaissance” exhibition.
The design centers the cowrie shell, which the brand said is an enduring symbol of abundance, protection, feminine power, and connection across cultures.
“Seeing Michelle Obama wear the Le Cauri Endiamanté drop earrings in this historic portrait feels profoundly meaningful,” said Catherine Sarr, founder and designer of Almasika.
“Her story embodies strength, grace, and possibility, and the earrings become part of a larger visual narrative about heritage, legacy, and the symbols we carry forward. To have an Almasika piece represented in this important work of American art and history is an extraordinary honor.”
Sarr, a Paris-born and Chicago-based designer, is known for creating jewelry that celebrates the symbols, stories, and forms that connect people across cultures and generations. She was nominated for a Gem Award for Jewelry Design this year.
“This first dual portrait of the Obamas depicts them as both public figures and people with layered private lives,” said Sarr.
“Rich detail situates the Obamas’ public lives within the personal histories that shaped them: a window frames the scene, its arches echoing the Oval Office, while the view centers Mrs. Obama’s childhood home, her father’s Buick parked out front.”
Crosby, the artist, based the portrait on an original photograph of the Obamas which was then overlaid with photo transfers.
The incorporated images include archival images, family albums, and historical ephemera spanning from Civil Rights movement to the Obama Presidency and the former first couple’s personal histories.
“Densely layered and rich with biographical detail, the work honors the Obamas’ legacy while connecting it to the many generations of artists, activists, citizens, and leaders whose collective journeys helped paved their way to the White House,” added Sarr.
The Obama Presidential Center, located on Chicago’s South Side, opens to the public tomorrow on Juneteenth, which is celebrated annually on June 19 and commemorates the end of slavery in the United States.
The presidential center spans 19.30 acres, including a museum, public library, and sprawling 58,000-square-foot lawn.
The Obamas’ portrait will be on view in the Hope and Change Lobby of the Museum Tower, a public space that does not require a ticket.
Almasika’s Le Cauri Endiamanté drop earrings are price upon request.
The Le Cauri Endiamanté collection is available on the Almasika website.
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