Derek Hough's Elaborate Brooches and Pins Have Drawn Attention on 'DWTS'

The Gist:

• Dancing With the Stars fans have noticed that Derek Hough often wears a brooch or pin on his lapel.
• Derek has never explained why he loves brooches, but he gets many of them from designer Mindy Lam.
• When Derek got married, Mindy designed a custom pin meant to tell the story of his relationship.

After a successful run as a professional dancer on Dancing With the Stars, Derek Hough joined the judges' panel in Season 29. Since then, fans have been impressed by his willingness to go all out with his outfits, which are often tied to the theme of that week's competition.

Sometimes, though, fans' eyes are drawn to Derek's elaborate broaches and pins, which he attaches to the lapel of his suits. These brooches are often remarkably eye-catching, which has naturally led many to wonder why the judge wears them so regularly. Here's what we know.

The long and short of it seems to be that Derek just really likes brooches. He buys most of them from designer Mindy Lam. Derek, who is a much more reserved dresser than fellow judge Bruno Tanioli, may like the brooches in part because they're a way to ensure he isn't just wearing a suit and tie every week.

In addition to off-the-rack purchases, Mindy also takes custom requests. She even designed a brooch specifically for Derek's wedding day.

Mindy posted the brooch on her Instagram page and provided an explanation for what each element of the brooch means. She even wrote an entire narrative to explain the brooch, which featured a prominent golden dove, a pearl, and a budding flower.

"In the magical forest, lives a special golden dove. It’s magical to see the flight of the sweet dove as he makes every movement into art. Making his body seem weightless as he glides and spins throughout the forest," she wrote.

"One day, our sweet golden dove realized that he had built a secret sanctuary around his favorite nook. His love for his home allowed for rare pearl blossoms to grow abundantly. As he continued to care for his haven, he noticed one of the budding pearl blossom manifest itself as the Queen of Grace. Mesmerized by her brilliance and elegance, love for the sanctuary grew stronger," the explanation continues.

"Realizing the grand pair developed a deep connection, the nook extended its golden branches, thriving and spreading as their devotion for each other grows. Together they nurtured a new pearl blossom, as they continued to build and cherish each new spark of life," the post concludes.

Mindy has a number of high-profile clients, but Derek is certainly among her most well-known and regular customers.

While Derek has never explicitly discussed his love for brooches, he doesn't hide his connection to Mindy. The brooches themselves certainly draw attention in the way he likely wants them to. It isn't clear how many brooches he owns, but with customers like Derek, Mindy will likely be in business for years to come.