Paris— Louis Vuitton has unveiled its latest High Jewelry collection, “Awakened Hands, Awakened Minds,” featuring House Ambassador Ana de Armas. This collection, comprising 100 exquisite pieces, melds luxurious craftsmanship with the innovative spirit of 19th-century France, showcasing the brand’s rich heritage and pioneering vision.
A Journey Through Time
The collection celebrates the creative explosion during a transformative period in French history. It draws inspiration from the end of royal court rule, which allowed artisans unprecedented freedom to innovate. This era saw a renaissance in various crafts, including jewelry making. Louis Vuitton, arriving in Paris in 1837, epitomized this spirit with his innovative designs for flat, stackable trunks.
Francesca Amfitheatrof, Louis Vuitton’s Artistic Director, has skillfully interwoven this historical narrative with the brand’s legacy. She emphasizes that the craftsmanship of this period laid the foundation for today’s concept of luxury, marking the birth of France’s Art de Vivre. The collection’s pieces blend intricate ornamentation with bold, forward-thinking design, capturing the grandeur and innovation of the era.
Standout Pieces
Splendeur Necklace: Inspired by the ornate mastery of imperial beds with floral patterns, this high collar, transformable necklace is set with 52 rubies. It required the expertise of 17 setters and 30 jewelers, comprising over 2,400 elements and taking 3,217 hours to complete.
Séduction Necklace: Celebrating 19th-century brocade, jacquard, and tassel work, this piece is set with a 12.92-carat Zambian emerald. The design features knot-like, V-shape detailing and cord-style fringing reminiscent of ropes used for Louis Vuitton’s historic trunks. It took 4,276 hours to complete, with over 900 hours devoted to development.
Phenomenal Necklace: This piece radiates the rich beauty of woven textiles, translated into precious metals and stones. It features a bi-color platinum and yellow gold theme, with a voluminous, round collar emerald necklace set in a mosaic of stones.
Elegance Necklace: Reflecting the tremblant jewelry-making art, this piece shimmers with the wearer’s movements. It features graphic interlocking patterns fashioned into diamonds, incorporating the Maison’s signature V shapes and LV Monogram Star cut diamonds.
The Shift to Modernity
As the collection transitions to “Awakened Minds,” it reflects the industrialization and mechanization of the late 19th century. These pieces combine traditional designs with modern, stylized interpretations, showcasing new styles and techniques.
Perception Necklace: This piece features repetitive, geometric patterns crafted in a mix of diamonds, centered around sapphires from Ceylon and Madagascar.
Coeur de Paris Necklace: Inspired by the unveiling of the Eiffel Tower in 1889, this necklace features an inverted Eiffel Tower design set in a bejeweled enclosure. It pulses with light through golden rods and multifaceted upside-down diamond pyramids. At its heart is a 56.23-carat diamond, the collection’s most important and rarest masterstone, with a unique intense pink color and unusual orange tones.
A Tribute to Innovation and Craftsmanship
Louis Vuitton’s “Awakened Hands, Awakened Minds” collection, fronted by Ana de Armas, not only honors the brand’s historical roots but also showcases its ongoing commitment to innovation and excellence in craftsmanship. Each piece is a testament to the timeless elegance and forward-thinking spirit that define Louis Vuitton.
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