The famous Cartier digs into its archives to reimagine a coveted classic collection. For the big presentation of Cartier's Grain de Café jewelryline, which took place earlier this month, the luxury Maison drew inspiration from the golden age of Hollywood as well as the elegant richness of the Côte d'Azur in the 1950s.
A Reimagined Classic Inspired By Hollywood Glamour And The French Riviera
Jeanne Toussaint, the famed creative director of Cartier, discovered an odd source of inspiration in a coffee bean and used that to come up with the idea for the collection, which was first introduced in 1938.
Grace Kelly, an American movie siren, donned items by Grain de Café during a trip to the French Riviera some decades after the brand's first launch. During that trip, Grace Kelly wore numerous pieces that had been given to her by Prince Rainier III as wedding gifts.
After reaching its pinnacle in the 1960s, production of Grain de Café ceased, and the remaining pieces in the series are now highly sought after by collectors.
The collection has been brought back by Cartier with a reinvented, limited-edition suite of new pieces and a reissue of a necklace that was originally released in 1955.
The delicate pieces, which need the combined efforts of thirty skilled artisans to construct, are a study in shine and movement. They mix sensuality and fluidity.
Alex Prager, a photographer, and filmmaker who has enthralled audiences in the art world and the fashion industry with her astute twists on cinematic cliches was recruited by the historic house to direct a dazzling advertising campaign that pays homage to vintageHollywood blockbusters in order to celebrate the event.
Bewitching blonde Elle Fanning, who plays the role throughout the series, personifies the carefree attitude of the era while also calling to mind the leading ladies of Alfred Hitchcock's films.
Prager, who has been immersed in the film industry in Los Angeles since childhood, was a logical fit to develop this contemporary spin on midcentury motion films and the South of France because of her particular aesthetic, which is marked by meticulously constructed cinematic scenes.
The aesthetic that Prager aims for also chimes well with the ethos of the collection. Grain de Café was created with the intention of elevating everyday motifs by using expensive materials and great craftsmanship.
This was accomplished by combining engraved goldbeads with inlaid obsidian, princess-cut diamonds, and cabochon rubellites.
Prager, by utilizing her expertise with light, vividly showcased Cartier's exquisite jewelry and what it represents: appreciating beauty in the unexpected, as Toussaint always sought—even in an object as mundane as a coffee bean. This was accomplished by utilizing Prager's expertise with light.