Of Courage & Conviction
Louis Vuitton celebrates its founder’s bicentenary with an exceptional 90-piece high jewellery collection.
The journey of two hundred years may very well have started with a single step. But to decide to trek a 400-kilometre journey from one’s hometown to go and make one’s mark in the big city, at the tender age of 13? Now, that takes courage. Oh, did I mention the journey was on foot? (Read more on pgs. 24-27). Such was the determination of the boy who the world now recognises as Louis Vuitton, the founder of the namesake brand that practically defines luxury. This month, in honour of his bicentenary, Louis Vuitton the brand reveals a High Jewellery collection designed to represent the remarkable heritage of its founder in the most resplendent and jaw-dropping fashion. Fittingly, this 90-piece collection is called Bravery.
“I was surprised that a fashion house like Louis Vuitton was created through the sheer courage of one young man,” admits Francesca Amfitheatrof, the artistic director for watches and jewellery at Louis Vuitton. “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.”
Perhaps moved by Vuitton’s own odyssey—one that took him a good two years to walk from his hometown in Jura all the way to Paris—Amfitheatrof and her team spent a good three years scouring the globe in search of only the perfect sapphires, emeralds, rubies, diamonds and gemstones for this collection. Crafted and manipulated by the virtuoso savoir-faire of the maison’s artisans headquartered in their jewellery workshops at Place Vendôme, the Bravery collection is divided into eight separate themes, each emblematic of a certain aspect of Louis Vuitton the man, his dreams, as well as the destiny and heritage of the brand he built.
THE COLLECTION, UP CLOSE
The first set of high jewellery pieces pays tribute to Vuitton’s birthdate. La Constellation d’Hercule (The Constellation of Hercules) references a constellation that was only visible during Vuitton’s birth, on 4 August 1821. Manifested as a celestial-like necklace comprised of 209 carats of tanzanites, 50 carats of Australian opals and nearly 34 carats of tsavorites, further illuminated by LV’s very own patented Monogram Star and Flower-cut diamonds, this gorgeous symphony of blue, green and purple is made all the more supple (and oh-so-remarkable) by the diamond-set rope that holds the necklace. This diamond rope is a nod to the very ropes that Vuitton once used on trunks and luggage. The necklace is complemented by three rings, two pairs of earrings and a precious brooch.
The diamond rope element finds pride of place in L’Élan Vital, a set designed to symbolise the young Vuitton’s strength of character. The signature white-gold and diamond ropes necklace is the result of the gem-setting of 2,000 brilliant diamonds. This sensual and fluid necklace carries the perfect cascade for greater wearbility, embracing one’s body movements. Rounding up this monochromatic set is a selection of bracelets, earrings, chokers and rings.
L’Aventure (The Adventure) takes its cue from the 400 km stretch of roads and forests between Jura and Paris. Taking 1,600 hours to complete, the necklace design finds inspiration from the brand’s own Damier checkerboard motif, translated into stone marquetry consisting of a series of links, each presenting four different settings.At its centre, the most exceptional Colombian emeralds are enhanced by an LV Monogram Flower and a 5.21 carat DFL pear-shaped diamond, placed in three rows of platinum, yellow gold and white gold, all pavé-set with diamonds. A set of three rings, a bracelet and two pairs of earrings complete this set.
Familiar to fans of the Pure V collection released earlier this year, The Arrow set utilises the brand’s iconic V as its main motif. At the centre of the necklace features the three-coloured V set with rubies, sapphires and diamonds, said to be a nod to the personal emblem of GastonLouis Vuitton, the founder’s grandson. Showcasing perfect symmetry and a modern edge, the necklace can be worn in three different ways and is part of a set that includes a solitaire with an extremely rare velvety-blue 18.62 carat sapphire.
The brand’s myriad of signature emblems—the Damier, studs and motifs inspired by trunk locks, rope, and the Monogram flower—become the very design codes in Le Mythe (The Myth). The three-row necklace presents three sugarloaf cabochons of a 19.70 carat Sri Lankan sapphire, an 8.64 carat Colombian emerald and a vibrant 7.11 carat Madagascan sapphire. This centrepiece can be worn in 12 different ways and the set also includes matching bracelets, rings and pendant earrings. Also inspired by the LV trunk, in this case its mallettage interiors, La Passion (The Passion) is represented by an ornate lattice necklace designed to feel like a second skin. The necklace is completely articulate, and is made up of a whitegold collar set with diamonds and a precious collection of 75 round rubies. This necklace is anchored by three bright Mozambique rubies weighing 5.03, 3.52 and 2.24 carats and ends with a 3.29 carat LV Star-cut diamond set in a double diamond rope. Also available are a cuff bracelet, two rings and clip earrings designed in the same vein.
An homage to the unpickable Tumbler lock, originally invented in 1890, Le Tumbler is among the most colourful of the Bravery collection: with over 130 gemstones that include aquamarine, citrines, tourmalines, peridots, amethysts, iolites and rhodolites. The necklace is adorned with a cerulean aquamarine of over 24 carats, and comes with a matching set of bracelets, earrings and rings.
Lastly, we have La Star du Nord (The North Star), showcasing a diamond choker that depicts every explorer’s guiding light in the sky. The knotted aspect of the necklace—reminiscent of knots used in the interior of trunks— is paired with an LV Monogram Star cut diamond of 10.07 carat. The set also carries a ring, a bracelet and matching earrings.