Normal People fans' obsession with Paul Mescal's chain necklace prompts sales boost

Sales of similar items up by 130 per cent at ASOS

(BBC iPlayer/Normal People)

Normal People has become one of the most talked-about TV series during lockdown, but fans of the series are obsessed with more than the programme’s realistic sex scenes and its depictions of first love.

On Saturday, a new Instagram account was launched dedicated to celebrating the silver chain necklace worn by lead actor Paul Mescal, who plays Connell Waldron, throughout the series.

Within just a few days, the fan account, @connellschain, has garnered more than 15,000 followers.

The page features shots of Connell wearing his signature necklace in the pool, in bed and even in the shower.

While only nine images have been posted so far, each has garnered thousands of likes and comments from fans fawning over the item.

Journalist Billie Bhatia tells The Independent that she launched the account after falling in love with the series.

“Like a lot of people upon watching Normal People the show was consuming my every thought,” she said.

“Connell’s chain is so purposefully noticeable in the book and in the series that it had already sparked a lot of conversation between my friends. I searched for it on Instagram thinking surely someone must have posted something and turns out nobody had, so I did!”

Entire articles have also been written in honour of Connell’s chain, with one praising it as “so hot“.

The hype surrounding the item has even resulted in a resurgent interest in male jewellery, with sales of neck chains up by 130 per cent at ASOS in April.

Lorna Marie Mugan, the show’s costume designer, told The Times that chain necklace became very important to Mescal during filming.

“Connell has the chain throughout, that’s the thing,” she said.

“It’s a thing he carries through his journey.”

At the end of filming the show, Mugan revealed that Mescal gave the chain to his co-star, Daisy Edgar-Jones, as a gift.