Gem Session: Discover The Secrets Behind Dior's Gem Clutch
To say that Christian Dior loved flowers would be a bit of an understatement. The maestro’s passion for couture was rivalled only by his ardour for the botanical world, rooted in a childhood spent in Villa Les Rhumbs on the coast of Normandy, where his mother Madeleine cultivated a veritable treasure trove of horticultural delights. This love of nature stayed with the couturier his entire life, and prompted some of his most fabled designs, including the revolutionary New Look with its undulating “corolla” curves (the term corolla refers to a whorl of petals). Even today, flowers continue to inspire the maison, especially roses, which were Monsieur Dior’s absolute favourite. Such is manifest in the new Gem clutch, wherein pride of place is given to a rose – in diamonds, no less.
Born from the union of leather goods and jewellery savoir-faire, the Gem is the joint creation of Maria Grazia Chiuri and Victoire de Castellane. Handcrafted in emerald green satin, the clutch is embellished with a scintillating gemstone blossom in the style of the Rose Dior Bagatelle series. Named after the Parc de Bagatelle in Paris, where 1,200 varieties of the flower thrive, the Rose Dior Bagatelle employs a “two-bead” technique so as to enhance the brilliance of the precious stones used. And the result is truly extraordinary – delicate petals of white gold and diamond unfurl against the vibrant satin slate to reveal a heart of tsavorite, a “garden” like no other.
Curious about how the Gem is made? Watch the video below to discover its secrets:
