The Louis Vuitton archives are teeming with iconic motifs, from the LV logo to the graphic monogram with its quatrefoils and flowers, as well as the engraved brass padlock. These rich pickings are often reimagined through new designs, but they always retain that instant connection in the mind of the wearer.
For its latest Lockit jewels, launching this autumn, Louis Vuitton has once again incorporated an updated version of the iconic padlock that was first used by George Vuitton in 1901 on the Maison’s emblematic steamer bag.
A romantic and audacious symbol of devotion, the Lockit collection also references the old tradition of besotted couples attaching padlocks to a bridge and throwing the key into the water to seal their love forever.
Believed to date back to 1930s Hungary, the ‘love lock’ tradition was revived just under a decade ago, with padlocks accumulating on the railings of Pont des Arts bridge in Paris, which is known the world over as the City of Love. Last year, around one million padlocks weighing 45 tons were removed from the bridge to prevent it from collapsing. Since then, the railings have been replaced with glass panels, and couples are encouraged to celebrate their love by taking a selfie on the bridge instead.
For those who prefer to mark their union with something more enduring than a social media post, the latest instalment of Louis Vuitton’s Lockit collection is the perfect answer. Comprising three pendants and two bracelets in white or pink gold, for the first time the collection includes colour with pain de sucre - or sugarloaf cut - gemstones, emphasised by a delicate row of diamonds. The two larger pendants feature pink jadeite paired with pink gold or blue chalcedony with white gold, and would make ideal gifts for a new mother. The bracelets are made from Milanese mesh, making them as tactile, flexible and lightweight as a second skin, while the cleverly designed padlock also acts as the closing mechanism.
Not just a symbol of love, earlier this year Louis Vuitton created a Lockit pendant and bracelet in silver to support UNICEF’s work around the world. On these jewels, the iconic padlock represents the promise of help and protection that UNICEF offers vulnerable children affected by war, disease or natural disasters.
The new Lockit collection will be available to buy in Louis Vuitton stores worldwide as well as the online store from 7 October 2016.
