From Calle Ocho to the Met Gala: Marcello Hernandez spotlights azabache charm

Comedian and “Saturday Night Live” star Marcello Hernandez turned heads at the Met Gala this week not only for his fashion but for proudly spotlighting his Miami and Cuban roots on one of fashion’s biggest stages.

Hernandez, who walked the carpet wearing an azabache, a traditional black Cuban protection charm often gifted to babies to ward off negative energy, gave a shoutout during interviews to Miami’s Calle Ocho and Sammy’s Joyeria, the Little Havana jewelry shop where his mom sourced the piece.

The mention quickly sparked attention back home in Miami’s Cuban community, where Sammy’s Joyeria said calls for azabaches surged almost immediately after Hernandez’s appearance.

“Imagine, we were not expecting this whatsoever,” said Martha Lima, co-owner of Sammy’s Joyeria in Little Havana. “His mom called and just asked if we had azabaches. And all of a sudden, now we have people calling for them constantly the whole day.”

The azabache, traditionally made with black stones or coral and often attached to bracelets or pins, has long been associated in Cuban and Latin American culture with spiritual protection, particularly for infants. Hernandez’s embrace of the symbol on the Met Gala carpet transformed the deeply personal cultural item into a broader fashion statement.

“It was great when he said that,” said Julio Lima, co-owner of the shop. “He’s always talked about his roots, and he’s always representing the Hispanic community.”

Located in the heart of Little Havana along the famed Calle Ocho corridor, Sammy’s Joyeria has sold azabaches to generations of Cuban families in Miami. Julio Lima said Hernandez’s mention brought renewed visibility not only to the jewelry, but to Miami’s Latino culture overall.

“It’s great that he’s putting Cubans on the map, not only Cubans, Latinos in general,” Lima said.

Martha Lima believes Hernandez’s appearance may push the decades-old tradition into mainstream fashion.

“I think this will be a trend now,” she said. “I think people will start wearing it a lot to protect themselves.”

-Maria Alejandra Cardona/Reuters