Grillz. Teeth jewellery. Fronts. Golds. Mouth bling. Grillz come in many shapes and sizes, with many a name to accompany them. In their simplest form? Think of them as teeth jewellery. In their fullest form? A cultural phenomenon.

An entity in themselves, they’ve become a status symbol. An expression of style and taste. Even a way to relay a message. It’s your finery, right where everyone can see it.

From their origins to viral pop culture moments, as London Grillz pops up at FLANNELS X, Oxford Street, London, we take a look at the cultural clout of grillz and how they’ve become one of the hottest accessories of the moment.

It’s hard to definitively say who invented the concept but look back through history and you’ll find their presence peppered across the continents. In BCE Italy, Etruscans had rings of gold welded onto their incisors. Mayans decorated their mouths with jade. The Egyptians bound teeth together with gold (although it’s widely thought this was more about poor dental hygiene than actual fashion…)

Fast forward a few centuries and grillz have become a status symbol. Bold, unapologetic, in-your-face; they show wealth, style, taste, status, personality; right where you can see it. While their musical connections can be seen in the blues on the legendary Koko Taylor in the ‘60s and ‘70s, it was the ‘80s and ‘90s that propelled them into the spotlight as they became synonymous with hip-hop culture.

A huge pioneer of the moment? Eddie Plein, the infamous grillz designer, who set up shop in Brooklyn in the early ‘80s. A chance encounter with an extra crispy fried cassava inspired Plein to create a gold covering that could be removed, rather than the permanent crown he was being offered to fix his broken tooth.

The rest, as they say, was history. Famous Eddie’s Gold Teeth became the place to go, with the designer crafting custom grillz for the upsurge of rappers and musicians emerging from Queens, Harlem and Brooklyn. Among them? CeeLo Green, Kool G Rap, Just-Ice and Flavor Flav. Later, his designs were worn by the likes of Outkast, Nas and Kelis. So strong is his influence, in 2021 his work and world became the subject of a book, Mouth Full of Golds, with everyone from Goldie to A$AP Rocky interviewed.

Think of grillz and the images that come to mind are of Goldie, Slick Rick and Noughties Nelly, who wrote a song dedicated to them. ‘Grillz’ ft. Paul Wall, Ali & Gipp, starts with the line: “Rob the jewellery store and tell ‘em make me a grill… Add the whole top diamond and the bottom rose gold.” And with it, came a new crop of grillz obsessives.

The most expensive grill to date? That’d be the piece created by Bill Dorfman for Katy Perry’s Dark Horse music video in 2013. Costing a cool $1 million, the floral design featured purples, blues and white diamonds. While it was French grillz designer Dolly Cohen (a huge influence on London Grillz themselves and the mastermind behind designs for Balmain, Balenciaga and Givenchy), who Beyoncé worked with to create her viral 2020 Ivy Park x adidas grillz.

And their presence in pop culture doesn’t stop there. In 2019, Justin Bieber made them the ultimate wedding day accessory when he chose a diamond lower to marry Hailey Bieber. And in 2022, A$AP Rocky appeared to propose to Rihanna in his music video for D.M.B. with grillz that read: “Marry me?” As Rihanna smiles back, hers spell out: “I do.”

Grillz have become a firm fixture of everything from red carpets and events to fashion week, with tastemakers and celebrities alike snapped in them weekly. Today, you’re as likely to see them on a sports star, aka Lewis Hamilton who was spotted in the paddock at the Monaco GP in a set in May, or on the fashion set - the streets of Paris and Milan were awash with grillz earlier this year - as you are on a rapper.

Lil Nas X took things to the next level at this year’s Met Gala. With a theme dedicated to the late Karl Lagerfeld, “Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty,” the rapper turned to grillz designer Alligator Jesus to complete his Choupette-inspired look. Silver and diamond grillz decorated his teeth, with dramatic fangs for good measure.

Want to head to London Grillz at FLANNELS X? This is what to expect…

STEP 1: When you arrive in store, we’ll discuss which designs you like, what’ll suit you and your style most, and where you should have the grillz positioned.

STEP 2: Once you’ve picked your chosen grillz, we’ll take your moulds by placing the moulding putty and tray into your mouth. It takes roughly 5-10 minutes to get an accurate impression from your teeth.

STEP 3: It takes around 1-2 weeks to make the grillz, which will be sent directly to you. Once they’re on the way, you’ll receive a confirmation text with your tracking number.

Are grillz permanent?

No, grillz aren’t permanent. They’re jewellery for your teeth and clip in and out.

How do you apply the grillz?

They easily clip in and out. Sometimes they may need to be secured slightly – you can add a silicone to the grillz, which will help keep them stable (especially if you’re planning to wear them on a night out).

Does the process of getting grillz hurt?

No, the process isn’t painful at all. We take moulds so that you can have an accurate impression from your teeth for us to work from to make your grillz and this process is painless.

Can you eat with grillz in?

We advise that you don’t eat with your grillz in. We’ve heard many stories where people have damaged them, swallowed them or just lost them. You can, however, drink with them in.

How much do grillz cost?

It depends on what design you decide to go for and the material used. Prices start at £80.

Head to FLANNELS X until Sunday 27th July.