Hermès’ artistic director, Pierre Hardy, has embarked on a captivating journey to give shape to colors in their latest high jewellery collection, ‘Les Formes de la Couleur’. Hardy explains in press notes, “I wanted to find a way to express this fundamental phenomenon,” aiming to create jewellery with a “strong, autonomous and independent identity.” This collection pushes boundaries, taking the abstract notion of color—a phenomenon born from light—and giving it a concrete, physical form.
One captivating series, aptly titled ‘Portraits de la Couleur’, connects specific shades with geometric shapes. Red, for example, is rendered as a square, fashioned from baguette-cut garnets and rubies, with a square-cut rhodolite garnet at its center. Blue, on the other hand, takes the form of a circle, specifically a 1.11-carat round brilliant-cut blue sapphire surrounded by bulbous chalcedony cabochons. Green, meanwhile, embodies a slick quality in a mono-earring mimicking a fresh brushstroke of paint, crafted with monochromatic tsavorite garnets.
In the ‘Arc en Couleurs’ chapter, the focus shifts to undulating shapes that gracefully adapt to the curves of the body. Selected gemstones, showcasing a soft palette of colors, create a delicate effect, whispering their beauty rather than making a bold statement against the skin. Necklaces and bracelets feature highly technical mesh structures, with some necklaces boasting over 1,400 stones to create a stunning color gradient.
The ‘Supracolour’ chapter explores light through diffraction, the process of splitting the spectrum into its individual colors. This concept is beautifully embodied in a one-of-a-kind necklace, featuring a rutilated quartz center, a triangle-cut diamond, and strands of black and grey spinel beads alongside moonstone beads. These strands are further adorned with a variety of colored stones, including moonstone, chalcedony, chrysoprase, rose quartz, and pink tourmaline. This piece is arguably the most mesmerizing and unusual design in a collection that undoubtedly represents Hermès’ most daring venture into the world of color in high jewellery.
The September ‘Kitsch’ issue of Vogue Singapore, now available online or on newsstands, showcases the captivating beauty and craftsmanship of this extraordinary collection. ‘Les Formes de la Couleur’ is a testament to Hermès’ innovative spirit and dedication to pushing the boundaries of art and design.
