Mystery Theater: Louis Vuitton's New Spirit Collection
A new jewelry collection from Louis Vuitton evades routine investigation but leaves instead secret messages in heritage codes and exotic gemstones. Can you decipher Sri Lankan sapphire?
Liberty
What is code for malleable armor?
“I wanted,” says Francesca Amfitheatrof, artistic director for watches and jewelry at Louis Vuitton since 2018, “to break away from Bravery, which was a historical collection in that it drew inspiration from the legacy left by Monsieur Vuitton.” Amfitheatrof has become known for the often elaborate narratives behind her collections—tales of inspiration from armor and Joan of Arc and outer space. “This year has a rather poetic dimension,” she says of her latest high jewelry collection, Louis Vuitton Spirit, her fourth for Vuitton. “I picture the Louis Vuitton woman as a mysterious creature, a strong character with something mythical about her. Those are the concepts I worked with. I wanted these pieces to conjure strong emotions and a powerful energy. Louis Vuitton Spirit brings together concepts that are held dear by the maison: liberty, the idea of taking flight, the notion of infinity—also perpetual movement and soaring to new heights. This Liberty necklace takes the Damier pattern and breaks it up, adding corner motifs from the trunks. It’s like a piece of armor made of white gold and diamonds, embroidered with an exceptional suite of emeralds from Colombia and an ultra-rare 18-carat sapphire. Liberty is very geometrical, and fully articulated it elegantly follows the curves of the body. Our goal with Louis Vuitton Spirit was that these pieces should express the power of Louis Vuitton yet be infinitely supple and wearable.”
(Pictured above: Louis Vuitton Spirit High Jewelry Liberty Necklace in 18k white gold, platinum, sapphire, emeralds, and diamonds.)
Radiance
Would you know a dragon if you saw one?
Though the Spirit collection’s inspiration is more metaphysical than literal, Amfitheatrof’s designs still sneak a seductive storyline in through the precious metals and stones. “We designed these pieces to be like a second skin that protects the wearer,” she says. “Louis Vuitton Spirit channels Riders of the Knights, our 2019 collection, which already touched on the idea of protection. Like the trunks that kept people’s personal belongings safe on their travels, these jewels are designed as fabulous shields that protect women as they make their way through life. Take the Radiance necklace—its gold and diamond scales ward off danger, like a dragon’s hide. What I especially enjoyed about working on this collection was being able to approach the mythology of the dragon and the phoenix in a more modern, nonfigurative way. I felt that I could translate these strong characteristics into jewelry pieces that make an equally powerful impact.”
Grace
Allow yourself a moment to imagine a Morse code of diamonds.
“One characteristic of Louis Vuitton Spirit,” Amfitheatrof says, “is the predominance of triangles and V shapes in the jewelry sets.” Is this a new aesthetic code? “Yes, along with diamonds in a Monogram Flower cut, the Damier checkerboard, and the trunks. All these elements contribute to making up the Louis Vuitton identity. We combine triangles with the Vuitton V to achieve constructions, patterns, and oftentimes textures with an effect that’s both sophisticated and graphic.”
Destiny
How you are meant to read ruby.
In addition to a commitment (bordering on obsession) to acquiring rare gemstones—an 11-carat spessartite garnet in one necklace, an 18-carat Sri Lankan sapphire in another, the 10.28-carat emerald-cut Mozambique ruby here—Amfitheatrof has quickly established a jewelry lexicon for Vuitton. The recurring symbols are set into her designs in increasingly subtle ways. “The V is the main element in the Destiny necklace, inspired by African tribal necklaces, set with an exquisitely matched selection of rubies from Mozambique. We’ve established a coherent style, so our pieces are easy to recognize. We’re constantly raising the bar in terms of know-how and choosing the gemstones. Louis Vuitton is a fully fledged jewelry maison now. I also think women enjoy wearing our jewelry because it speaks to them. When it comes to a piece of high jewelry, the woman knows she’ll be the only one in the world to own it.”
Fantasy
To the monogram. And worlds beyond.
The codes of Louis Vuitton (that LV monogram!) are part of fashion’s cultural vocabulary. Amfitheatrof’s challenge has from the beginning been how to translate that to jewelry design in pieces that preserve a strong Vuitton signature but stand alone as examples of high jewelry craftsmanship. Each collection has presented a proposal in ways of seeing Vuitton through a stone brightly. In addition to creating a jewelry language, Amfitheatrof has also been loyal to Vuitton’s history as a fashion house, both in her focus on how the pieces feel and move against the skin and in the inspiration she takes from textures and fabrics. Here, yellow gold chevrons are mixed with diamond-paved triangular patterns.
This story appears in the October 2022 issue of Town & Country. SUBSCRIBE NOW
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