Chanel, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Hermès – how 4 luxury brands are drawing from the past to craft the high jewellery of the future
In high fashion houses, history is always an inspiration – as evidenced by these new jewellery collections from 4 of the world’s most coveted luxury brands
High jewellery is like haute couture, with similar characteristics – artistry, innovation and impeccable quality. Coco Chanel recognised this in 1932 with her first high jewellery collection, Bijoux de Diamants, later reprised as the 1932 Collection, to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the house.
In high fashion houses, history is an inspiration. Patrice Leguéreau, director of the Chanel Fine Jewellery Creation Studio, looked back to Chanel’s engagement with the post-Revolution émigré Russian community of the 1920s with the collection Le Paris Russe de Chanel.
This draws on both imperial and folkloric traditions, the life of peasants as well as the aristocracy, with inspirations as diverse as ears of wheat and military orders.
“For Chanel, there has always been a link with the earth and the values of the rural world, which explains [Coco Chanel’s] love of wheat as a symbol of prosperity,” Leguéreau said at the launch. “It also ties this collection to Russian folklore.”
The collection features motifs that reference Chanel’s intimate details. At first glance, the Folklore bracelet, ring and earrings are presented as delicate traceries of diamonds against deep red enamel studded with colourful gems. Then the diamonds come into focus as camellias, synonymous with Chanel.
Similarly, in the 20 years since the creation of Dior Joaillerie, its creative director, Victoire de Castellane, has included subtle but powerful signals that the spirit of Christian Dior lives on.
Her most recent collection, however, is a departure. Gem Dior, a pun on the French phrase “j’aime” (“I love”) is idiosyncratic and mischievous, rebellious even.
Multicoloured gems – rubies, diamonds, emeralds, paraiba tourmalines, pink sapphires, tsavorite, tanzanite, rubellite, purple garnets, spinels – tumble in glorious chaos, in all shapes and sizes, “abstract but also organic”, as de Castellane says. She best describes it as being like “a throw of the dice”.
