How haute couture is inspiring new high jewellery collections, from Dior and Chanel, to Van Cleef & Arpels’ Legends of Diamonds, Chopard’s Red Carpet and Cindy Chao’s Gentlewoman Ribbon Cuff

Dec 29 , 2022

Houses like Van Cleef & Arpels are featuring couture in their new high jewellery collections. Photo: Van Cleef & Arpels

Jewellery 2022

Couture-inspired high jewellery featured in these striking new collections, from Dior’s braid trims and transposed print florals to a magnificent ribbon cuff seven years in the making from Cindy Chao

Van Cleef & Arpels patented a jewellery version of the zip fastener in 1938, which became one of its most avant-garde creations, while Chopard’s Red Carpet collection is a nod to Hollywood glam

Couture is an endless source of inspiration for jewellery designers: beautiful laces, feminine bows, drapery and sassy fringes that bring lots of movement to a jewel are as integral a part of the designers’ language as the natural world. Unsurprisingly, it is the heritage that plays a key influence on the high jewellery collections from couture maisons Dior and Chanel, especially for Victoire de Castellane, director of Dior Joaillerie.

In her last few high jewellery collections, she explored delicate lacework, tie-dye-coloured effects and, most recently in her January 2022 collection, braid trims. Her latest collection, unveiled at an exclusive event in Sicily in June, captures the look and feel of printed fabric. The whimsical concept transposes a two-dimensional fabric into three-dimensional jewellery with stunning results. Checks, stripes and ditsy Liberty print florals are transformed into fluid ribbonlike jewels with the patterns picked out in precious gemstones.

Dior Print earrings with diamonds, emeralds and pink sapphires. Photo: Dior

“When ribbons undulate, the print must follow,” explains De Castellane, who demanded that the checks and stripes perfectly match the movement and contours of each jewel, meaning special attention was given to relief and perspective. “As with couture, it’s a process that requires a series of adjustments. The work is all the more precise due to the settings’ curved surfaces, which distort prints and lines.”

Some serious technical wizardry therefore is necessary to achieve effects like the undulating, articulated multi-ribbon necklace, but the results are truly realistic.

Diamonds, emeralds, rubies, sapphires, paraiba-like tourmalines and precious gems adorn the Dior Print high jewellery necklace. Photo: Dior

Fringes, tassels, braids and ribbon bows are undoubtedly part of the design language at Chanel, and also maisons like Boucheron and Van Cleef & Arpels, who do not possess a direct history with couture-making, but naturally have served similar clients over the past decades. Gold rope-like cords, ribbons and supple, undulating settings have filled Van Cleef & Arpels’ collections from the outset, but the true ingenious masterpiece is the Zip Necklace, one of their most avant-garde and iconic creations.

The Vagues Etincelantes high jewellery necklace. Photo: Van Cleef & Arpels

The humble zip fastener first appeared in haute couture in one of Schiaparelli’s collections, inspiring Van Cleef & Arpels to patent a jewellery version in 1938, which only eventually appeared in 1950. They spent years figuring out how they could make the jewel functional.