Cartier: 50 Years of LOVE

50 YEARS OF

AN EXHIBITION

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C O N T EN T S LEGACY OF LOVE 8 INTRODUCTION Cartier

Aldo Cipullo

New York City 16 THE LOVE BRACELET Inspiration Design Production 22

1970’s MARKETING Sales Experience Celebrity Influence Status Symbols

AN EXHIBITION OF LOVE 32

PHOTOGRAPHY Inez & Vinoodh The Portraits & Their Stories

38 EXHIBITION

The Lowline

Design & Experience 44 CONCLUSION

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THE

LEGA

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INTRODUCTION “What ‘tis to Love?” Shakespeare said. Love can be described as the most powerful emotion a human can feel, even more powerful than the sex drive which W.H. Auden called an “intolerable neural itch.” Around the world throughout all of time it can be seen that humans are willing to do nearly anything and everything all in the precious name of love. People live for love. They kill for love. They die for love. There are countless songs, poems, novels, sculptures, paintings, myths, legends all based on the essence of love. Some have gone to great leaps and bounds to defend their love and maintain exclusivity of their lovers.

How far would you go for LOVE?

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IN TRO DU CT I ON

CARTIER “ The Maison Cartier has kept a pioneering spirit since 1847.

”

The Cartier brothers traveled the

Cartier cultivates a unique style that

world at the dawn of the 20th century.

is borne from daring and boundless

Learned aesthetes and collectors,

curiosity and constantly inspired by

they marked the Maison with their

all that is extraordinary. Gracefully

insatiable curiosity and passionate

transcending time and driven by the

spirit. An exceptional woman shared

sparkle of distant horizons, Cartier

their convictions: Jeanne Toussaint.

gives life to exceptional pieces.

For many years she was the director

Cartier jewelry of renowned beauty

of the Jewelry department and a

has crowned kings, queens and

charismatic muse, who liberally and

maharajahs. The Maison’s legendary

elegantly communicated the brothers’

creations have conquered the world.

extraordinary journeys. This bold spirit is kept alive at 13 rue de la Paix, Cartier’s heart and soul.

Opposite Page Vintage Cartier advertisement, circa 1950. Photography

by Jean Larivière.

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IN TRO DU CT I ON

ALDO CIPULLO “ Jewelery should be part of the body.

It should not stick out from it.

It should enhance the person wearing it.

”

Born in Rome in 1936, Aldo Cipullo

and broadened his range to include

came from a distinguished jewelry

textiles. He loved to use themes of

background. His family owned a

nails, knots, dollar signs and ropes in

jewelery company specializing in

his creations.

costume jewelry where Cipullo began his career. He moved to New York

Aldo Cipullo’s life was cut short at

in 1959 to study at the School of

the age of 48, when he died of heart

Visual Arts. He then worked as an

failure. His unique designs, however,

assistant designer for David Webb,

live on. He once said, “Jewelery

before moving to Tiffany, and then to

should be part of the body. It should

Cartier. Mr. Cipullo is most well know

not stick out from it, but it should

for creating the LOVE Bracelet in 1969

be part of it. It should enhance the

exclusively for Cartier.

person wearing it.”

Eventually

he opened his own design studio,

Opposite Page Portrait of Aldo Cipullo adorned with his LOVE bracelet and his other designs.

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IN TRO DU CT I ON

NEW YORK CITY “ It was the marking of a transition to something totally different which nobody was doing.

”

When Aldo Cipullo joined Cartier

The visionary designer’s range of

New York in 1969, the jeweler was

themes reflected life in New York City:

moving at a pace as fast as the city

modern love, the Women’s Movement,

itself. Dynamic plans for the coming

Pop Art, Minimalism, signs of the

decade involved the development

zodiac, backgammon and good luck

of contemporary collections for

charms. Delightful Cipullo creations

women - and men - to wear from the

are inextricably linked to the era.

office to the nightclubs. Cipullo had

Others have long since withstood

countless ideas about how this jewelry

the test of time. Indeed, during his

would look. “It was the marking

tenure at Cartier, Cipullo conceived

of a transition to something totally

some of the House’s iconic modern

different which nobody was doing,” he

jewels.

explained.

Opposite Page New York City.

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THE LOVE BRACELET

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THE LOV E BR ACELET

INSPIRATION “ Fascinated by the tales of medieval warriors ‘locking up’ their wives

around the waist with iron chastity belts...

”

In the Summer of 1969 a New York

belts to protect their marriage’s

Cartier jewelry designer, Aldo Cipullo,

fidelity before going off to battle,

began to craft a piece of jewelry

Cipullo created an 18k gold modern

that was a modern embodiment

interpretation.

of security, exclusivity, chastity, and love. Cipullo’s fixation with

The circle used of course for

reinterpretations of historic designs

functionality but also as a symbol

lead to the most famous status symbol

of eternal love shared between

of our age - Cartier’s LOVE bracelet.

two lovers. The screw-head motifs adorning the surface of the bracelet

Fascinated by the tales of medieval

were symbols of dedication and

warriors “locking up” their wives

solidified monogamy.

around the waist with iron chastity

Opposite Page A medieval castle in Sicily represents Italian design and eternal romance.

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THE LOV E BR ACELET

DESIGN & PRODUCTION

“ Jewelry that seals a passionate bond.

”

Cartier craftsmanship is the passionate

qualities is a symbol of permanence

communication between precious

and eternity. What other material

materials and the hand of man.

would better guard one’s love?

Historically, gold was reserved for

A gentle revolution, combining

elite classes in societies and was a

technical mastery and a quest for the

symbol of divinity, power, purity,

unexpected. Jewelry that seals a

royalty, and the sun.

passionate bond. Invisible perfection.

Precious interpretation. The drawing

For over one and a half centuries,

is unleashed. The piece takes shape,

Cartier has been reinventing jewelry.

airy and bright.

Gold, due to it’s ever-enduring Opposite Page 18K yellow gold LOVE bracelet and precious ergonomic screwdriver.

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MARKETING IN THE 1970’s

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M A RK E TI N G I N T H E 197 0’S

SALES EXPERIENCE

“ Our customer is intelligent, sophisticated, and conscious of corporate-social responsibility.

”

The idea to tie modern aesthetics

proper wrist size of their partner

with historical reference was that

in order to make a purchase as the

Cartier would only sell a bracelet

bracelet would be screwed onto

to those who would be purchasing

that partner’s wrist with a signature

for their significant others and not

Cartier LOVE screwdriver and then

for themselves - this meant that the

given to the purchaser to wear around

customer would have to have the

their neck as the “key.”

Opposite Page A photograph of the LOVE bracelet being fastened to an early adopter in the early 1970’s.

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M A RK E TI N G I N T H E 197 0’S

CELEBRITY EMBRACE

“ As style icons of the times, these celebrities played a vital role

in the successful adaptation of the LOVE bracelet.

”

The LOVE Bracelet gained mass

the successful adaptation of the

popularity appearing on the writs of

LOVE bracelet. Everyone can show

Hollywood royalty such as Elizabeth

commitment by diamonds and rings,

Taylor, Richard Burton, and Cary

but only the stars seal their love

Grant - to name a few. In it’s initial

with a golden Cartier bangle. The

production, the LOVE bracelet was

screwdriver also became a modern

only offered to A-list celebrities and

“key to the heart“ when worn by the

other high net worth individuals.

lucky recipient’s beloved.

As style icons of the times, these celebrities played a vital role in Opposite Page Elizabeth Taylor accompanied by husband and fellow actor Richard Burton.

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M A RK E TI N G I N T H E 197 0’S

STATUS SYMBOL “ When I was younger I saved up to buy my first

LOVE bracelet in lieu of a car!

”

Today the collection has expanded

while maintaining it’s value and

into cuffs, rings, earrings, cuff-

collectibility.

links, and the use of other metals including white gold, rose gold, and

As an iconic status symbol of the 70’s,

platinum with options of including

the LOVE bracelet is still a timeless

diamonds in place of the screw shapes

piece worn by celebrities and non

or pave in between. The simple

alike. When asked about his youth,

lines and repeated screw-like shapes

designer Philip Lim stated “When I

circling the band make this creation

was younger I saved up to buy my first

still very modern and wearable

LOVE bracelet in lieu of a car!“ Opposite Page Designer Philip Lim poses with his stacks of LOVE bracelets for the Target & Neiman Marcus collaboration of Holiday 2012.

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AN

EXHIBI 30

BITION

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PHOTOGRAPHY

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P H OTOGR A P H Y

INEZ & VINOODH

“ Inez and Vinoodh are extremely rare in managing a successful

art career in parallel to these phenomenal commercial activities.

For over 25 years, Inez van

in parallel to these phenomenal

Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin

commercial activities. They have

have worked in the field of fashion

staged many solo exhibitions and

photography. Working together since

collaborative projects at the world’s

1986, the award-winning Dutch

foremost galleries, participated

partnership has built a peerless

in scores of international group

archive of work that is consistently

shows and their artworks are held

setting new standards. Inez and

in numerous private and museum

Vinoodh are extremely rare in

collections.

”

managing a successful art career Opposite Page Photographers Inez and Vinoodh pose for a portrait of themselves

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P H OTOGR A P H Y

THE PORTRAITS & THEIR STORIES “ I was changing my outfits, my look, my wigs, sometimes multiple

times a day. That’s when I know my soul is restless.

It has been said that a photograph is

the experience as well as a source of

worth a thousand words. Celebrities

reflection.

”

and non each have a story to tell, therefore the LOVE Exhibition will

One of the featured portraits will

feature famous and common faces

be of Lady Gaga where she reflects

shot through the honest lens of Inez

on finding love in her gypsy life

and Vinoodh. Beside their portraits in

- stripping back her spectacular

the exhibition, the subjects will have

image to reveal a passionate, young

a thousand word story available to

woman, trying to make sense of the

viewers on limited edition note cards

extraordinary events of the last

to take with them as a memento of

decade.

Opposite Page Lady Gaga photographed by Inez & Vinoodh on location at Avatar Studios, New York, featured in PORTER Magazine.

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THE EXHIBITION

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THE E X H I BI T I ON

THE LOWLINE “ Artificial lighting would be used to supplement the redirect sunlight,

and at night when the sun is obscured by clouds.

The Lowline, formally known as the

beneath the city streets. Light

Delancey Underground, is a proposal

collectors would be placed at ground

for the world’s first underground

level, with suggested locations,

park in the New York City borough

including the median on Delancey

of Manhattan that would be located

Street. Artificial lighting would be

under the eastbound roadway of

used to supplement the redirect

Delancey Street on the Lower East

sunlight, and at night when the sun

Side, adjacent to the Essex Street

is obscured by clouds. The area,

station. Co-founders James Ramsey

with ceilings 20 feet high, extends

and Dan Barasch have suggested

three blocks east from Essex Street

natural light would be directed below

to Clinton Street and was used until

ground using fiber optics — described

1948 as a station and balloon loop for

in the proposed plan as “remote

streetcars crossing the Williamsburg

skylights” — to provide an area in

Bridge to and from Brooklyn.

”

which trees and grass could be grown

Opposite Page A constructed rendering of the Lowline’s proposed light source.

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THE E X H I BI T I ON

THE DESIGN & EXPERIENCE “ Guests will glide between golded walls and feel feel how they radiate with LOVE.

”

The guests of the exhibition wander

The event will be one of the first

through the gilded walled structures

private events held in the Lowline,

commissioned of Richard Serra. They

thus demonstrating it’s innovative

will be met with a chronological

design and intimate, yet refreshingly

retrospective of Cartier’s LOVE

natural, setting underneath the

bracelet featuring candid portraits

bustling streets of the Lower East

captured through the lens of Inez and

Side.

Vinoodh. An opening reception will be held for distinguished guests who will gain initial access to the all new limited edition LOVE collection.

Opposite Page Gold-colored rendering of the LOVE exhibition inspired by artist Richard Serra’s Big Stuff.

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CONCLUSION When we say I love you to that special someone in our lives, what does that statement truly mean? Is it a promise to always be faithful and supportive of a partner unconditionally, or is it a cute comparison to garments that you also love. Has this sentiment become so trivialized and commercialized that it has lost its power or literary effect? Would there be nothing more profound than to be locked to your lover’s heart in precious metals? Monogamy, exclusivity, and fidelity seem to be testaments to love made in almost every culture throughout time. Cartier’s LOVE bracelet is a symbol of love that transcends time and is a voluntary promise of chastity.

HOW FAR WOULD YOU GO FOR