TREASURE TRUNK
For his fine jewellery line, LOUIS VUITTON’s Hamdi Chatti turned to the French house’s iconic travel cases for inspiration
When you hear the name Louis Vuitton, one imagines quatrefoils and flowers, or the damier canvas pattern (also known as the two-toned check). You think bags, trunks, and even clothes now. But what you may not associate it with instantly, is fine jewellery. And rightly so, given that for the 160year-old brand, it is a relatively new genre. The first piece of jewellery Louis Vuitton ever created was in 2001, a gold charm bracelet designed by Marc Jacobs. It fittingly cost US $20,000, and has spawned numerous charm collections since.
This year, the brand has shifted its focus slightly to present Emprise, a fine jewellery line inspired by the monogrammed trunk. Spearheaded by Vuitton’s watch and jewellery division’s vice president, Hamid Chatti, who has previously been associated with Montblanc, Harry Winston, and Piaget, the new range is steeped in the brand’s ethos. “Emprise takes inspiration from the brand’s heritage, specifically the iconic monogrammed trunk,” says Chatti. “We wanted to take the essence of its design and to translate it into a watch and a whole collection of jewellery. The models reflect distinct elements of our trunks: The metal reinforcements pieces, the locks, and the nails have each been transformed into minutely repeated decorative themes, outlining perspectives, displaying a distinct femininity, and forming a strong signature for a collection deeply rooted in the history of Louis Vuitton.”
It is easy to see how this has been done. Features of the famous Malletier’s trunks have been morphed to create octagonal pendants, rings, bracelets, and watches in the new collection. The trunk’s beechwood, brass nails, and canvas have been interpreted as square chunky shapes of the pendants, and there are little edgings of gold nails on the bangles. The stones used include amethyst, citrine, tourmaline, morganite, lemon or smoky quartz, and diamonds. In the pendants, the gems are almost caged in their setting, and hung on long chains with tassel drops that are reminiscent of the swinging ’70s. The rings have been digitally customised and cut by in-house artisans, employing the same master skills that are used on Louis Vuitton’s trunks.
Features of the monogrammed trunk are evident in the square watches as well—in the gold version, the dial is padded, much like the inside of a Vuitton trunk. The straps are in satin or leather embossed with grosgrain patterns and delicate diamonds adorn the bezel. The dial is bare, save for a small ‘LV’ at the five o’ clock position, “reminding us that style is timeless,” says Chatti.
The collection delivers a sense of strength and modernity, yet has a timeless, classic appeal. The pieces are strong, bold, singular, and unique; much like the women the brand envisages wearing them: “The collection is designed for a mighty woman,”says Hamdi.
Unlike haute fashion, the world of haute joaillerie is neither manic, nor as fast moving. Styles tend to remain timeless, as do crafting techniques and the players in this field. Louis Vuitton may have taken some time to find its savoir-faire when it comes to this genre, but they have certainly found a dramatic way to establish their expertise with this latest line.