The famed Château de Versailles has always been an emblem of luxury and French art de vivre. It was as well Monsieur Dior’s source of inspiration for his very first collection. This year, the iconic palace makes for the starting point of Victoire de Castellane’s latest high jewelry collection for the house of Dior, Dior à Versailles.
However, this time around the château’s architecture and perspective is not the collection’s source of inspiration. The artistic director of Dior Jouaillerie was rather inspired by its artful decorative details.
The diamond drop necklace recalls a crystal tassel from a chandelier, while an earring evokes a curtain tieback in the royal apartments. Moving forward, Rococo-style furniture has inspired a bow, while each of the woodwork in the Hall of Mirrors, candelabras, mirror frames, the mascaron on a door and the graphic arrangement of parquetry have also played their role in this exquisite collection.
“I tried to imagine Versailles by night, with its interior illuminated by candelight that made gemstones sparkle,” she explains. “The women are bejeweled, and if you listen closely you can almost hear the chime of silverware on porcelain!”
Victoire de Castellane has playfully reinterpreted these elements and invites us on a journey to the Château de Versailles in order to explore a mystery directly inspired by the 18th century jewelry-making techniques. The modern meets the traditional in these sophisticated high jewelry pieces through the different diamond cuts, just like today’s greatest artists joined forces to produce the palace’s décor.
Visit the Photo Gallery and dive into the world of Dior’s high jewelry – and the sumptuousness of the Château de Versailles.
