OBJECTS OF DESIRE

Master craftsmanship, effortless style and timeless appeal; this month’s must-haves and collectibles

Dior Cruise 2024

Presented in Mexico City, Dior’s Cruise collection takes a deep dive into the South American country at large, Maria Grazia Chiuri engaging with a select group of artisans skilled in traditional techniques to produce pieces big on embroidery and weaving. They include Hilan Cruz

Cruz, a Nahua weaver who was invited to collaborate on a series of shirts and dresses incorporating embroidery which reflect the flora and fauna of his community’s environment. The collection also features jewellery items created using native goldsmith techniques.

Hublot Big Bang Unico Nespresso Origin

In what’s a world first, Hublot has partnered with Nespresso to transform used coffee grounds from the latter’s capsules into watch straps, while the aluminium capsules themselves are recycled and used to create the bezel, crown, and the pusher. Recycled aluminium, of which 28% comes from Nespresso capsules, is also the key component of the watch’s 42-mm case, anodised in vibrant green. In all, it took Hublot a whole year to uniformize the colours of the seven different materials that make up the watch. Time well spent.

Saint Laurent’s staple chain bag, the Jamie 4.3 (christened after Jamie Bochert), enters the new season with its signature codes enhanced. Made in Italy, it comprises soft black lambskin, Le Maillon chain rings, and the Carré Rive Gauche patchwork motif have been amplified to an attention-grabbing XL size, with a large flap that’s secured by a magnetic snap closure and, inside its leather lining, both zipper and patch pockets, useful to house personal items. Moreover, the sliding chain allows for its length to be adjusted for a tailored fit.

CLEEF & ARPELS ALHAMBRA

Drawing inspiration from the good fortune a four-leaf clover is said to grant its holder, the Alhambra motif was introduced by Van Cleef & Arpels in 1968, first in the form of a long necklace comprising 20 motifs that, as luck would have it, was so successful it became a staple of the house’s offering. Continuing to evolve over the course of the intervening decades, the collection has now been bolstered by a new bracelet, reversible ring, necklace, and watch.

Loro Piana

FALL WINTER 2023-2024 WOMEN’S COLLECTION

So thorough is Loro Piana in its quest to find only the very best fibres, that this collection alone features finds from New Zealand and Australia (wool), to Peru, Bolivia, Argentina (vicuna), and Mongolia (cashmere), countries which further inform the designs; shearlings and chunky knits in natural fleece tones reflective of Mongolia, rich wools and leather in natural hues reminiscent of New Zealand’s scenic landscape. Feminine shapes mingle with masculine lines across the collection, with products as distinct as they feel.

“Between a tribute to the glamour of great film stars and evoking the world of fun to be had with aerobics, sports, and roller skating, between the dream on one hand and what you want to wear on the other, it’s all a question of balance,” said Virginie Viard in her show notes.

2023/24

So it was no surprise that Los Angeles was the setting for a collection that runs through the decades with unbridled joy, from the 1920s and 30s to the 1970s and 80s, each illuminated by a multicoloured palette and shades emblematic of the house.

GEMFIELDS X HOUSE OF MERAKI J’AIME

Prior to forging her reputation as the ‘Emerald Lady’ via her own fine jewellery brand, House of Meraki - the first to focus on emeralds - Gargi Rathi would spend her childhood summers in Zambia admiring the treasures unearthed by emerald miners at a weekly market. It sparked an undying love of the gemstone that’s further indulged by a new collaboration with Gemfields, who have mined the exquisite emeralds for a wide collection of earrings, rings, and necklaces exclusive to Net-a-Porter.