If anyone is in a good position to talk about the evolution of luxury jewelry, and its increasingly difficult landscape, it is Francesca Amfitheatrof, artistic director of Louis Vuitton (previously Director of Design at Tiffany and Co.).
She has just launched her own jewelry brand, Thief and Heist, which offers a single piece: a men's nylon bracelet with a silver clasp, somehow something similar to a men's cord bracelet.
Definition of luxury
“Luxury is a personal concept, which is constantly evolving. As a jewelry designer, the pieces you create need to have a certain lifespan," said the experienced designer. “ When you are able to play with materials and time, that means you are truly in the luxury business. »
Indeed, this philosophy can explain the positioning of this bracelet for men or women, which almost seems to be anti-luxury. In a way, this $125 cord bracelet twists the neck of the very notion of luxury, at least in the idea of extravagance it induces. But it also responds to a more contemporary need for luxury, namely to ensure a constant and more measured presence. Or to be both easy to wear and practical.
“It acts like a time capsule. This nylon bracelet offers a perfect lifespan. You measure the desired length of cord, you cut and the bracelet is ready. You don't need to think a lot. From then on it's your jewel." Amfitheatrof has already managed to convince some of his close friends with his unisex bracelet. Among them are director Sam Taylor Johnson, model Karolina Kurkova and photographer Phil Poynter.
This men's or women's nylon bracelet is currently available in black or white. Francesca Amfitheatrof plans to create new variations of this unisex bracelet which has been designed with an inclusive spirit. "Aeveryone can wear this cord bracelet, as long as it means something to the person who puts it on their wrist," she concluded.