History Repeats itself with Archival Inspired Fine Jewelry Lines
Designers in general often look to their predecessors’ work for inspiration. This is clearly evident in a number of fine jewelry lines popping up around the world lately.
One example of this window to the past is Van Cleef and Arpels nod to a past collaboration with George Balanchine. Ballet master Balachine’s mystification by the Fifth Avenue Van Cleef and Arpels window display of rubies, diamonds and emerald was the jumping off point for collaboration between dance and precious stones in the 1960s.
New York City Ballet dancer Suzanne Farrell models Van Cleef - Arpels jewelry with Claude Arpels and George Balanchine in 1976
The result was a ballet designed by Balanchine in collaboration with Claude and Pierre Arpels called Jewels that was meant to evoke the quality of the precious stones Balanchine found so inspiring. “Jewels” now re-appears on the drawing board of inspiration for the luxury jewelry house with a line of bespoke pieces called Ballet Précieux, such as tiny ballerinas, all given the emerald, ruby and diamond treatment.
Cartier and Chanel are two other large design houses that are leveraging on past jewelry design successes by re-introducing them in new ways this season. Cartier designs a present day collection, Inde Mysterieuse, evocative of their history in creating jewels for Maharajas and the Indian elite. 
Chanel dug through archives to surface with a collection called 18 Place Vendome whose name even references to the original Chanel Jewelry Store’s address. Pieces from the collection resemble original Coco Chanel design altered for the modern day woman.
There is great significance in redesigning the jewelry blueprints of the past. We let the original genius live on by giving it present day adaptation. You don’t have to be a large European design house to have access to archives. The Museum at FIT is one of many resources available to designers who want to draw inspiration from previous greats. What do you prefer to wear: present-day adaptation of past trends or the actual vintage pieces?
*photo credits: elle.com, cartier.com
