A flair for great design
By Yang Di |
May 25, 2012, Friday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
FOR anyone interested in the evolution of a high-end jewelry house, the ongoing Timeless Beauty exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Shanghai is well worth a visit.
For the first time in China, more than 370 pieces spanning more than 100 years from Van Cleef & Arpels' archive is presented. The selected pieces highlight some of the company's most emblematic techniques that have been passed down through successive generations of master jewelers.
Nicolas Bos, creative director, vice president and CEO of the Americas, tells Shanghai Daily how the spirit of high jewelry lives on through innovative designs.
Q: Do you think there is a new trend of luxury brands promoting products by holding exhibitions?
A: Only a few luxury brands have an extraordinary history and patrimony archive that provide a true contribution to the history of art or decorative art that can be presented in a museum exhibition. We've seen in the last decade that houses and brands that do have this have paid more attention to organizing archives, giving access to museums. At the same time, more museums have re-opened their programs to decorative arts and there is a growing interest among the public. In a country that people don't know you so well, organizing an exhibition is probably the best way to show the brand and its story.
Q: What is the highlight of the Timeless Beauty exhibition?
A: We've selected representative pieces from the very beginning to the last decade, organized around themes. Some items showcase how French jewelry houses did reinterpret some motifs and traditions from Asian art with a specific focus on Chinese inspiration. It is important to show the tradition of taking inspiration from Chinese art goes back to the beginning of the 20th century. One of the most exceptional pieces we are showing is a chrysanthemum brooch, symbolizing the taste for faraway cultures.
Q: How does the design team come up with new ideas? What is the major source of inspiration?
A: High jewelry is, in general, creating sophisticated, complex, unique pieces. For jewelry design, it's always a fine line between taking inspiration from the historic archive, our strong patrimony and never copying the past but trying to open new doors. One way we've developed the brand is by taking inspiration from stories, artwork, universes, elements that are not directly coming from the world of jewelry but we can use as a source of inspiration for collections.
Q: What is more important for a high-end jeweler, heritage or innovation?
A: It's a mix of both. Once again, we can't create and be successful if we don't respect the heritage. But if we just merely reproduce the heritage then it doesn't mean anything.
Q: As creative director, how do you approach the job? How much is your personal taste involved in the collections?
A: It's more orchestration and trying to steer people around the project and create vision. It's a collective process. My role is to select a theme and finish the project by making sure everything goes into the collection.
Q: What comes first? Craftsmanship, concept or materials?
A: It's a combination of the stones, the craftsmanship and the inspiration. It depends on each piece. It's like cooking. You need different elements and sometimes they just don't come on the same level.
For the first time in China, more than 370 pieces spanning more than 100 years from Van Cleef & Arpels' archive is presented. The selected pieces highlight some of the company's most emblematic techniques that have been passed down through successive generations of master jewelers.
Nicolas Bos, creative director, vice president and CEO of the Americas, tells Shanghai Daily how the spirit of high jewelry lives on through innovative designs.
Q: Do you think there is a new trend of luxury brands promoting products by holding exhibitions?
A: Only a few luxury brands have an extraordinary history and patrimony archive that provide a true contribution to the history of art or decorative art that can be presented in a museum exhibition. We've seen in the last decade that houses and brands that do have this have paid more attention to organizing archives, giving access to museums. At the same time, more museums have re-opened their programs to decorative arts and there is a growing interest among the public. In a country that people don't know you so well, organizing an exhibition is probably the best way to show the brand and its story.
Q: What is the highlight of the Timeless Beauty exhibition?
A: We've selected representative pieces from the very beginning to the last decade, organized around themes. Some items showcase how French jewelry houses did reinterpret some motifs and traditions from Asian art with a specific focus on Chinese inspiration. It is important to show the tradition of taking inspiration from Chinese art goes back to the beginning of the 20th century. One of the most exceptional pieces we are showing is a chrysanthemum brooch, symbolizing the taste for faraway cultures.
Q: How does the design team come up with new ideas? What is the major source of inspiration?
A: High jewelry is, in general, creating sophisticated, complex, unique pieces. For jewelry design, it's always a fine line between taking inspiration from the historic archive, our strong patrimony and never copying the past but trying to open new doors. One way we've developed the brand is by taking inspiration from stories, artwork, universes, elements that are not directly coming from the world of jewelry but we can use as a source of inspiration for collections.
Q: What is more important for a high-end jeweler, heritage or innovation?
A: It's a mix of both. Once again, we can't create and be successful if we don't respect the heritage. But if we just merely reproduce the heritage then it doesn't mean anything.
Q: As creative director, how do you approach the job? How much is your personal taste involved in the collections?
A: It's more orchestration and trying to steer people around the project and create vision. It's a collective process. My role is to select a theme and finish the project by making sure everything goes into the collection.
Q: What comes first? Craftsmanship, concept or materials?
A: It's a combination of the stones, the craftsmanship and the inspiration. It depends on each piece. It's like cooking. You need different elements and sometimes they just don't come on the same level.
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