Gucci has opened its first boutique dedicated to fine and high jewellery at 16 Place Vendôme in Paris, with a first collection designed by Alessandro Michele, creative director of the Kering group’s leading label. The new line is available at the place Vendôme boutique alongside Gucci’s gold jewellery.
The collection, called Hortus Deliciarum, consists of over 200 pieces, the majority of them unique. They are all made in Italy and predominantly feature coloured gems. For this project, Alessandro Michele has delved into the depths of his eclectic imagination, picking out “designs that are dear to him and are now part of the canon of [Gucci’s] iconography,” stated the label in a press release.
The designs centre around three themes (eternal love, the animal kingdom and solitaires), reinterpreted through the prism of a mythical garden. “Each gem is uniquely defined, a manifestation of what Alessandro Michele calls ‘discordant symmetry’, and each is mounted in a slightly different manner, embodying the spirituality of imperfection,” wrote Gucci.
The house confirmed that all of the diamonds bought by Gucci come from legally certified sources. Unlike Gucci’s other stores, the interiors of the place Vendôme boutique have a rather understated feel. The jewels are displayed within dark wood cabinets upholstered in faded green satin, to enhance the brilliance of the gemstones. The black and white marble-tiled floor, the ceiling mirrors and the drapery all contribute to give the store the look of an antique showcase.
Kering’s CEO François-Henri Pinault said very clearly at the publication of the group’s annual results: the launch of a fine jewellery line “will further strengthen Gucci’s very high-end positioning.”
Discover Opulent Club on Apple News.