Louis Vuitton: A sparkling arrival in Place Vendome
After taking us on a dazzling
voyage around the world, Louis Vuitton's final installment of the L'Ame
du Voyage, or 'Love of Travel' collection of high jewels called
'Escale á Paris' brings us back to the heart of the city, where the
story began. This set is the final chapter in the tantalising
tale that jewellery designer Lorenz Bäumer has spun in precious
jewels and gold.
The latest arrivals called the
"Place Vendôme" from the 'Escale á Paris' collection map out
the elegant streets and boulevards of Paris in graduated yellow
diamonds that evoke dawn in the 'city of lights'. A map is quite
literally picked out in gems, all leading to the Place Vendôme,
represented by a large diamond cut into the famous Vuitton flower
shape. This set of jewels represents the culmination of the Vuitton
voyage in through the world of high jewellery and pays homage to
the Place Vendôme, which is in the very heart of Paris and the
epicentre of refinement and jewels. The jewels also are a sparkling
tribute to the fact that Louis Vuitton has recently opened a
jewellery boutique and ateliers at 23 Place Vendôme.
Each jewel perfectly crystallises a
moment, a sensation or a mood gathered on this fantasy journey
around the globe. The jewels, like a Vuitton steamer trunk,
preserve the treasures garnered from exotic locations, and
carefully transport them back home. The first travel-inspired
jewels featured cascades of aquamarines, ribbons of spinels and
explosions of diamonds that told tales of faraway kingdoms,
temptuous flamenco dancers, delicate Polynesian breezes or
rock star goddesses. But now that these jewelled souvenirs of
distant locations have been unpacked and displayed, the focus
is on Paris.
With 'Escale á Paris' Lorenz Bäumer
has captured the spirit of this elegant city with a wide range of
inspirations from rings that sparkle with the water of the ornate
fountains of formal gardens of the Jardin des Tuileries. The Champs
Elysées necklace glows with a long stream of red spinels
representing the rear lights of cars heading towards the Arc de
Triomphe and coming the opposite way are diamond headlights. The
photographs by Coppi Barbieri cleverly show how each location has
inspired the jewels. The most dramatic pieces have been saved for
the last and it is fitting that the new jewels are unveiled as
Vuitton opens the doors of its Place Vendôme boutique and
ateliers.
The elegantly cool interiors of 23
Place Vendôme are the work of architect Peter Marino who has chosen
natural materials and soft tones to highlight the
jewels. Peter Marino tells us he chose: "straw, because
it is light, blonde and luminous like gold. Its evident simplicity
does not jar with the sumptuousness of the jewels; it simply
accompanies and complements their radiance."
The serene and calm space is clad
in light rosewood panelling and tobacco leather to allow the jewels
shine. "The jewels are the stars," says Marino, "the decor
must not compete with their radiance; it should show them off to
their best advantage. Every piece of jewellery tells a story, you
have to make room for dialogue and the dream that it inspires in
the customer."
