Margot Robbie just wore a piece of literary history—or at least, a strikingly faithful reproduction of it.
The Hollywood star stepped onto The Tonight Show red carpet adorned with a bracelet inspired by Charlotte Brontë’s own mourning jewelry, a delicate artifact housed at the Brontë Parsonage Museum.
What started as creative research turned into an unexpected collaboration between costume design, heritage conservation, and British textile craftsmanship.
And the results? Museum director Rebecca Yorke says Robbie was absolutely thrilled.
How Victorian Mourning Jewelry Caught Hollywood’s Eye
Robbie’s stylist, Andrew Mukamal, scoured the Brontë Parsonage Museum’s online collection for inspiration tied to her latest project. Known for his historical approach to fashion, Mukamal gravitated toward Victorian mourning jewelry—a sentimental and symbolic tradition from the 1800s.
Yorke explained his process: “Andrew Mukamal, the designer, he’s a historian, he likes looking at context and he knew that Victorian mourning jewellery was a thing.”
The film itself featured hair motifs, making Charlotte Brontë’s bracelet—believed to contain locks from her sisters Emily and Anne—a perfect thematic match.
Why the Original Couldn’t Leave the Museum
Charlotte Brontë’s bracelet is far too fragile for modern wear. Containing actual hair woven into intricate patterns, it’s a precious relic of 19th-century craftsmanship and deeply personal grief.
Lending it out? Completely off the table.
Instead, Mukamal asked museum staff if they knew anyone capable of creating an exact replica. Enter Wyedean Weaving, a Haworth-based textile manufacturer with six decades of experience in ceremonial and heritage items.
Timing played a role, too. Yorke had recently visited Wyedean during their 60th anniversary celebrations and witnessed firsthand their meticulous weaving capabilities.
Luckily the director of the museum, Rebecca Yorke, had visited Wyedean as part of our 60th anniversary celebrations and knew our capability in weaving and ceremonial items manufacture, so came to us straight away.
That’s managing director Robin Wright, whose team took on the challenge of recreating one of literature’s most intimate keepsakes.
Crafting a Perfect Replica
Wyedean Weaving studied Charlotte’s bracelet closely, analyzing every detail to ensure historical accuracy. The original piece is a stunning example of hairwork—a Victorian mourning tradition where loved ones’ hair was woven into jewelry as tokens of remembrance.
Wright’s team didn’t just copy it. They replicated it with painstaking precision.
When Robbie finally saw the finished piece, her reaction spoke volumes.
When she saw it, I was told she was thrilled at how close we got to the original.
A December Meeting with History
Before wearing the replica publicly, Robbie visited the Brontë Parsonage Museum in December to view Charlotte’s actual bracelet in person.
Yorke described Robbie’s response as one of genuine admiration. The actor “loved and admired” the bracelet, fully appreciating its historical and emotional significance.
By creating a wearable replica, museum staff gave Robbie something rare: connection to history without compromising preservation.
Giving her the opportunity to wear it in a safe way had been the best of both worlds.
Putting the Brontë Collection Before a Global Audience
For Yorke and her team, Robbie’s red carpet moment represents far more than celebrity fashion. It’s cultural amplification.
While millions know the Brontë sisters through Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights, fewer realize that Haworth’s museum holds the world’s largest collection of Brontë artifacts.
It gives us a unique moment to put our collection in front of a global contemporary audience.
Yorke continued with enthusiasm about broader reach:
Hopefully because of the film and the book, people around the world know of the Brontes, but they might not know about all the things that we have in our collection, which is the largest in the world.
From handwritten manuscripts to personal belongings, these objects tell intimate stories about three sisters who changed literature forever.
Why This Collaboration Matters
This partnership highlights several important intersections:
- Heritage preservation meets modern visibility: Museums can share their collections without risking fragile artifacts
- Craftsmanship stays alive: Traditional skills like hairwork weaving remain relevant through contemporary projects
- History becomes accessible: Global audiences discover lesser-known cultural treasures through popular media
- Local expertise shines: Small British manufacturers demonstrate world-class capabilities
Wyedean Weaving’s involvement also underscores how specialized skills—often overlooked in our digital age—remain essential for cultural continuity.
Victorian Mourning Jewelry: A Brief Context
Mourning jewelry peaked during Queen Victoria’s reign, particularly after Prince Albert’s death in 1861. Grieving Victorians wore jet, onyx, and hairwork pieces to honor deceased loved ones.
Hairwork involved intricate weaving techniques passed down through generations. Craftspeople created bracelets, brooches, rings, and watch chains from human hair—transforming biological material into lasting keepsakes.
Charlotte Brontë’s bracelet reflects this deeply personal tradition. Wearing her sisters’ hair kept Emily and Anne close even after tuberculosis claimed their lives in 1848 and 1849.
For Charlotte, who died just six years later at age 38, such objects carried profound meaning.
From Museum Vault to Red Carpet
Robbie’s appearance wearing the replica bridges nearly two centuries. What began as Charlotte Brontë’s private memorial now sparks global curiosity about Victorian customs, literary history, and museum collections.
The collaboration proves that when fashion, film, and heritage institutions work together creatively, everyone benefits—especially audiences hungry for authentic storytelling.
And for Wyedean Weaving? Their sixtieth year just became significantly more memorable.