With this new collection, Louis Vuitton pays tribute to the powerful vision that impelled so many medieval heroines to transcend their limitations and forge their own destiny. These women made a lasting mark on the man’s world they inhabited, shaping their fate. They are the very embodiment of determination and independence, values that reflect the Louis Vuitton woman.
In homage to them, the House conjured up a suit of armour made of light, a luminous blaze that expresses the inner radiance of she who wears it. It irradiates outwards in a luminous choreography of glittering gems and diamonds – tens of thousands of them, initially in a line of some fifty designs, to be extended in due course with fifty more pieces.
One jewel foregrounds a beautifully velvety royal blue sapphire weighing 19.31 carats, set against a luminescent mesh woven with some 1,600 diamonds. The Royaume has refined, architectural lines that borrow from design components of a medieval fortress, such as a portcullis, chains, and a drawbridge. With a shape inspired by the gorget – a special piece of armour designed to protect the throat – the Royaume is remarkable for its exquisitely delicate enamelling and the supple way it drapes against the skin.
A richly vibrant royal blue sapphire – the most regal of gemstones – takes centre stage to symbolise the protection of the Kingdom.
Another piece, the Cavalière necklace, showcases spinel, a precious gem that symbolises ardour and courage. Here, it is cut after setting to contrast with diamonds. Spinels are distinctive for their deep red colour, infused with flashes of orange. This amulet features a central medallion of Lapis Lazuli, polished to an infinitely silky finish that sets off the emerald’s crystalline brilliance and highlights the lapidary’s painstaking work. A carefully crafted complementarity between round – and baguette – cut stones amplifies the play of light, while the intricate delicacy of a bracelet’s settings conceal the promise of love.
It took many months to assemble the 70 sapphires and 100 emeralds that combine to encircle the neck.
The narrative force of this collection gives free rein to design, in a sculptural collection that overturns all frames of reference. With its visual vocabulary of pure lines, chiaroscuro light-play, sensual loops, and rigorous symmetries contrasting with asymmetries, it directs the spotlight firmly at the spectacular gemstones.
On the Reine necklace, nine dazzling aquamarines of a Santa Maria-like blue – combined weight 153 carats – evoke the magnificence of dynastic jewels and sovereign power.
