Small Talk NICOLAS BOS
The CEO and president of Van Cleef & Arpels discusses the maison’s long relationship with dance and how it translates to jewellery-making
Van Cleef & Arpels has long supported ballet. Can you share the motivation behind branching out to more modern genres through the Dance Reflections initiative?
Van Cleef & Arpels has a long history with dance, which is reflected in our jewellery creations. In the 1960s, the maison supported the choreographer George Balanchine, who knew how to bring a form of renewal to the world of dance. Modern dance and contemporary dance have helped write a fascinating history that has continued to evolve from the foundations of classical.
It therefore seemed essential to us to also contribute to the preservation of this repertoire and to support contemporary creation. We have a strong link with dance, which translates today into a resolutely holistic approach. Dance Reflections by Van Cleef & Arpels marks the maison’s desire to be respectful of history and tradition while being rooted in the present and modernity.
How did you work with choreographer Christian Rizzo for Le French May? What was the creative process like and what did you hope to achieve? Dance Reflections by Van Cleef & Arpels supports dance on an international scale. We wanted to organise a choreographic event in Hong Kong in partnership with local actors, and Le French May appeared to be an ideal partner to carry out this project remotely. With Le French May and Freespace, we chose to collaborate with Christian Rizzo, an artist who knew how to adapt to this constraint. Rizzo is a choreographer who has experience of the Hong Kong scene and with whom we have worked for several years. When we organise an event, it is essential that [local] artists are involved. Freespace welcomed Rizzo’s
Carte Blanche, composed of several events all orchestrated from France, including choreography developed remotely and performed by dancers from Hong Kong. I hope that through this project we can present the work of an important choreographer, initiate a fruitful dialogue between artists and excite Hong Kong.
Tell us about how the maison brings this love for movement into its jewellery pieces.
Over the decades, Van Cleef & Arpels has drawn boundless inspiration from dance. Since the beginning, the art of ballet has conveyed poetry and a graceful flair into the maison’s high jewellery pieces and feminine figures which are always delicate and captured in motion. The maison’s first ballerina clips were created in the early 1940s and have become Van Cleef & Arpels’ signature pieces. Featuring a gold or diamond face complemented by a precious head ornament, dancers are depicted with pointe shoes and a tutu set with diamonds or coloured stones that seem to flow, echoing their movements.
Could you tell us about some of the newest launches by Van Cleef & Arpels?
During Paris Couture Week in June, we presented our Legends of Diamonds Collection: a set of 25 mystery set high jewellery pieces featuring exceptional white diamonds mined by our long-time partner, diamond dealer Tache. The pieces from this collection were carved from the fifth-largest rough diamond—in both size and quality—ever mined, weighing 910 carats. The appearance of this extraordinary rough stone gave us this unique opportunity to tell a story around the diamond.