A SPARK OF COURAGE
Louis Vuitton’s Bravery high jewellery collection interprets the maison’s signatures in gemstones and precious metals to mark the 200th birthday of the man who became a legend
THIS YEAR MARKS the 200th anniversary of Mr. Louis Vuitton’s birth in 1821. Born in the Jura region of France, Louis Vuitton was a teenager when he decided to embark on a journey on foot across France to Paris, where he would become a legendary master trunk-maker. On this note, in honour of his courageous spirit, the French maison created – among others – Bravery, a collection of 90 emblematic high jewellery pieces that celebrate and retrace that remarkable saga in a metaphorical manner, by reinterpreting the Louis Vuitton’s signatures in gemstones and precious metals.
Of particular note is the rarity of the gemstones used throughout the collection. Mind you, it took a three-year global search to source the sapphires, emeralds, rubies, diamonds and other gemstones used on the pieces so as to achieve the desired richness of colour. The stones are also enhanced by peerless jewellery know-how, along with the shimmering harmony of colour lit up by the fire of over 110 LV Monogram-cut diamonds – Louis Vuitton’s signature diamonds and a sparkling reincarnation of the Monogram flower.
“I was surprised that a fashion house like Louis Vuitton was created through the sheer courage of one young man,” remarks Francesca Amfitheatrof, Louis Vuitton’s Artistic Director for Watches and Jewellery. “Driven by his curiosity about the world, he embarked on that incredible journey across France. That’s why we have named this collection Bravery. It’s not a word often used in High Jewellery! Yet these notions of determination and adventure are intrinsic to Louis Vuitton, and we wanted to express them through this collection.”
All that being said, we invite you to discover how the Bravery High Jewellery collection retraces Louis Vuitton’s remarkable saga in eight themes:
La Constellation d’Hercule
A tribute to the birth of Louis Vuitton on August 4, 1821, La Constellation d’Hercule references a constellation only visible at that time of year. It is depicted on a necklace of organic magnificence, whose unique pairing of tanzanites, Australian opals and tsavorites reveals all the splendour of its sparkle illuminated by a mist of LV Monogram Star and Flower-cut diamonds.
L’Élan Vital
Expressing the strength of character that led Louis Vuitton to leave his native Jura for Paris, Francesca Amfitheatrof has created this fluid, rope-like necklace using more than 2,500 brilliant-cut diamonds, which is reminiscent of the way trunks were carried on a journey.
L’ Aventure
To represent the 400km of roads and forests that separate the Jura region from Paris, this necklace intersperses Colombian emeralds in three rows of platinum, yellow gold and white gold which are entirely pavé-set with diamonds in Damier checkerboard stone marquetry. To top it off, the necklace is further enhanced by the presence of a 3+ carat LV Monogram Flower and a 5.21 carat DFL pear-shaped diamond of remarkable color and purity.
The Arrow
Both a metaphor for Louis Vuitton’s journey and a literal interpretation of the V in his name, the diagonally pavé-set Arrow necklace features a central V set with custom-cut rubies, sapphires and diamonds is a nod to the personal emblem of the founder’s grandson Gaston-Louis Vuitton.
Le Mythe
Reflecting on Louis Vuitton’s early use of his personal signature, Le Mythe is a multi-layered piece of jewellery combining several emblematic Louis Vuitton motifs: the Damier pattern, trunk lock-inspired details, studs, rope, and the now-iconic Monogram flower.
La Passion
Inspired by the mallettage that lines the interiors of the maison’s traditional trunks, this lattice necklace in white gold set with diamonds and a precious collection of 75 round rubies was designed to feel like a second skin.
Le Tumbler
Invented by Louis Vuitton in 1890, the patented unpickable Tumbler lock inspired Francesca Amfitheatrof to bring the mechanism’s angular shape to High Jewellery for the first time, reinterpreted in diamonds with Santa Maria-type cerulean aquamarines.
La Star du Nord
As an epilogue to this collection and the light that guides Louis Vuitton on his journey, this set depicts the metaphorical figure of the North Star with two rows of refined, graphic diamonds punctuated by a knot reminiscent of those used on the interior of trunks. Inspired by the night sky, it shows the way to a radiant, luminous future.
The Bravery high jewellery collection is further proof of Louis Vuitton’s unique ability to reinvent itself, drawing inspiration from the universal appeal of its founder. Above all, as a tribute to the Maison’s futuristic vision and a vibrant testimony to its values with its real masterpieces of suppleness and fluidity that adorned with an infinite number of precious details, Louis Vuitton has produced a magnificent celebration of a brilliant 200-year destiny.