Paris Fashion Week is the place to spot trends, both on the catwalk and, increasingly, in jewellery. The latest floral jewels added to the Louis Vuitton Paris collection entitled Blossom are inspired by the two floral motifs found on the famous Monogram canvas, and confirm that laidback chic is a strong theme in fine jewellery for the year ahead.
True to the Maison’s philosophy of easy elegance, all these jewels are easy to wear and can be combined with other pieces or worn on their own. The Louis Vuitton earrings are sold as singles, encouraging us to mix it up; the long sautoir-style necklaces hang loose and easy, as happy under a blazer as with an evening dress.
The rings with either mother-of-pearl petals or diamonds beg to be stacked, and the skinny bracelets are perfect to wear alongside your watch or as a happy hoard on the wrist. Even the impressive, one-off Louis Vuitton necklaces have a relaxed feel about them thanks to their bold design and fluid lines, which sit close to the skin.
Carnelian, tiger’s eye and grey mother-of-pearl add colour to this range of flower jewellery. The rich red of the carnelian and caramel warmth of the exotic stones remind me of well-worn Louis Vuitton luggage and trunks, while the grey mother-of-pearl, with its misty allure, suggests understated French chic. Each stone is hand-carved and polished to achieve a glossy finish, while adding volume to the jewels. The stones almost ooze out of the highly polished gold mounts, and the temptation is to fiddle with their smooth curves like worry beads.
There are also six new Louis Vuitton watches. These Tambour women's watches, made at Vuitton’s Fabrique du Temps facility in Geneva, all feature a carved mother-of-pearl flower on the dial. The tantalising graduated shimmer of the pink or blue flower is achieved by carving the mother-of-pearl and then hand-painting the back of the material. You can choose between a sophisticated tourbillon movement, a clever Spin Time mechanism, or simple three-hand model.
These fresh new pieces of Louis Vuitton jewellery, together with the watches, shows us how to play with colour in style thanks to the careful balance between the well-known Vuitton Monogram flower logo, refined craftsmanship, and a generous dose of je ne sais quoi - that famous ingredient found in the best of French design.
