A DREAM OF PARADISE
Chopard’s Red Carpet Collection 2021 unveils 74 breath-taking high jewellery pieces inspired by the majesty of the natural world
Chopard returns to enchant and delight with another year of reinventing the miracle of the Red Carpet Collection. Co-president and artistic director of Chopard, Caroline Scheufele, explores the concept of Paradise in this year’s theme, bringing to life a supernatural vision of nature.
The new collection made a stunning debut on the panoramic terrace of the Hôtel Martinez, refurbished to resemble a garden overlooking the sea to highlight the Paradise theme. Here, Chopard hosted prestigious guests for a star-studded Paradise Dinner that enjoyed the presence of Bella Hadid, Isabelle Huppert, Eva Herzigova and Catrinel Marlon.
The collection salutes the maison’s longstanding partnership with the Cannes Film Festival, designed to be worn by starlets gracing the red carpet on their famed ascent to the Palais des Festivals. First introduced i n 2007 to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Cannes Film Festival, the Red Carpet Collection has since designed new pieces corresponding to ever y year the festival has existed.
This year’s collection features 74 carefully articulated models, including flowers, elemental forces, and playful creatures. Artisans of Chopard’s Haute Joaillerie ateliers in Geneva apply their well-honed expertise in more than 30 different jewellery-making techniques to capture the essence of Mother Nature.
Nature is a subject Scheufele remains enthusiastic about as the initiator of Chopard’s Journey to Sustainable Luxury. Since 2013, the collection reflects the maison’s dedication to promoting sustainable luxury within the luxury industry. Chopard commits to this project by crafting solely with Fairmined-certified ethical gold and diamonds sourced exclusively from suppliers certified by the Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC).
The new Paradise-themed assemblage distinctly expresses Scheufele’s rich inner world through emblematic pieces with a baroque, fanciful spirit that invite the viewer on an odyssey through a fantastical Eden. Scheufele is experienced in the exploration of environmental motifs, having explored the subject matter on numerous occasions. Last year, the theme of nature envisioned birds of prey and lucky floral
charms. For the 2019 Red Carpet Collection, lifelike orchid designs won hearts as expressions of Love which was the chosen theme.
Before that, Chopard’s 150th anniversary in 2010 saw 150 high jewellery creations dubbed the Animal World collection. The series featured necklaces, rings, earrings, and bracelets made with precious stones whose original shapes evoked vivid renditions of animals and plants.
Paradise transports us to a surreal and fertile dreamland, thrumming with wild flora, fauna, and the forces of nature itself. It is a realm of infinite possibilities within oneself, shaped by imagination and desire. Talented lapidaries, sculptors, jewellers, gem setters and polishers have created a bountiful Garden of Eden through wearable works of art.
A highlight from this year’s collection features an aristocratic necklace with yellow diamonds. Crafted from ethical Fairminedcertified 18-carat white and yellow gold, the necklace features a striking 32.26-carat rectangular-cut fancy vivid yellow diamond with diamonds of various cuts totalling 61.26-carats.
Another remarkable creation is a floral choker necklace made from ethical Fairminedcertified 18-carat white and rose gold. Precious stones are thoughtfully cut, appearing as invitingly lush, dew-kissed berries. The choker includes briolette-cut rubies totalling 1,068.61-carats alongside an oval-shaped ruby totalling 126.29-carats, round-shaped tsavorites at 27.81-carats, pink sapphires totalling 22.11-carats, 19.73-carat amethysts, and 1.11-carat rubies. Leaves and petals form with an organic flow resulting in a decadent, lifelike fairy-tale piece.
While several pieces are asymmetrical, Chopard also explores geometrical designs. An example of this is a floral bracelet created with ethical white gold and titanium. The creation features a spessartine garnet totalling 24.09-carats and sculpted mandarin garnets. Tsavorites, tourmalines, sapphires, lazulites and amethysts form petals. Vibrant and geometrical, the decadent creation flaunts a certain Byzantine flair.
Besides flowers, an iconic dog necklace conveys the energetic and playful spirit of man’s best friend. Incredibly detailed, the ethical 18-carat white and rose gold set comprises white diamonds, coloured diamonds and 22 round multicoloured pearls. Thirteen popular dog breeds come to life, including a Newfoundland, Saint Bernard, Afghan Hound, Border Collie, Terrier, Poodle, Weimaraner, Boxer, Schnauzer, King Charles spaniel, Pug, Yorkshire, and Chihuahua held together by a diamond-set bone-shaped clasp.
Among the Chopard Haute Joaillerie collections, the Red Carpet collections best reflect Caroline Scheufele’s curious and wondrous view of the world. The series highlights the extraordinary work of the maison’s master artisans, emphasising the creativity, genius and expertise required to deliver a collection of this magnitude.
The Red Carpet Collection offers an overwhelmingly positive indication of the maison’s continued devotion to its passion for classic jewellery-making. It is evident that as technologies improve, Chopard will continue to push the envelope in the pursuit of forging increasingly realistic creations while simultaneously bringing dreamscapes to life.