Phone charms: The Y2K trend loved by actors Ananya Panday, Khushi Kapoor

The playful, vibrant, beaded phone charms, as popularised by celebrities like Ananya Panday, Khushi Kapoor, and Gigi Hadid, are all about bedazzling our gadgets

Adding a fun twist to the ubiquitous hand accessory — our trusty phones — another Y2K trend has made a bold comeback! The playful, vibrant, beaded phone charms, as popularised by celebrities like Ananya Panday, Khushi Kapoor, and Gigi Hadid, are all about bedazzling our gadgets.

Phone charms, another nostalgic trend from Y2K has emerged, as seen on the likes of actors Ananya Panday, Khushi Kapoor(Photos: Instagram)

But what’s driving the surge in their popularity? “I think it’s because most popular phone models are only available in basic colours. From ringtones to wallpapers, most phones are alike. Accessories like charms allow people to add a tinge of their own personality and whimsy to their phones,” explains Pallavi Tewari, owner of The Charm Shop.

Speaking about how the craze for charms is “through the roof”, she adds, “We receive an average of 20 to 30 inquiries per day for these.”

Smruti Prakash, who runs Joys Collection, shares that she used to make bracelets, and experimentation with her style led to uploading a sample of phone charms this month. She adds, “I was so surprised that someone from Punjab placed an order of nearly 40 charms with a few customisations.”

Entrepreneur Parthiva Chakma, who supplies phone charms across India through her brand Peachy.Pouch based in Agartala (Tripura), notes that Delhi leads in demand. “I get the maximum number of orders for phone charms from New Delhi, followed by Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra,” Chakma shares.