The new LV Volt jewellery collection by Artistic Director, Watches and Jewellery for Louis Vuitton, Francesca Amfitheatrof, puts the spotlight on the capital L and V letters. These iconic initials are a metaphor for movement, an allegory for momentum, an apologia for the essential and a symbol of speed. Together they form an architectural design whose main lines become a unit of measurement in a universal language, whose powerful graphic nature transcends borders and genders.
In the first chapter, the L and V are authentically showcased in their pure form.
The lines cut through space, creating angles inside, in which brilliant gold and fiery diamonds play off each other. The two capital letters come together, split apart, gather, fall away, contrast, blend, stack up, interact and complete each other, bringing to life a scene of symbols exploring light, space and rhythm through their unexpected yet inextricable resources.
The rhythm picks up in the second chapter as the ranges become more intricate. L and V become chain links of myriad textures, volumes, finishes and dimensions. Then, the initials materialise one set after another, emerging as prismatic figures, presenting themselves as tubular structures. The collection comes to an end with an escape from the abstract, as the two letters turn into claws to be stacked on fingers and flow onto bandanas as embroidery in motion.
On each piece of jewellery, Louis Vuitton’s craftsmanship gives way to a conversation between precise, clean lines and soft, smooth contours. Overlaying the graphic power of the leitmotif and the bold statement of manifesto, barring no combinations, this decidedly unisex collection draws on the House’s cherished abstract art forms to find its energy, drum its tempo, establish its cadence and refresh its beat.
Photographers: Oliver Hadlee Pearch / Eric Sauvage
