Imagine dancing in a gilded hall lined with mirrors, wearing a ball gown covered in lace and jewels that sparkle in the light. Baroque music floats through the air in the halls of the Sun King himself.
This is the fantasy that Dior’s latest high jewelry collection emulates. The new collection debuted this week at Paris Haute Couture week, and it is inspired by the Palace of Versailles. Designer Victoire de Castellane said of the collection to Vogue, “If there’s a single image of Versailles that dominates for me, it’s the idea of jewelry illuminated by candlelight. That kind of light is just marvelous, but I wanted to illustrate it through the prism of memory and not interpret it literally.”
The collection’s jewelry uses 18th century techniques, using darkened silver, rose gold, white gold and platinum against clusters of diamonds. The effect is stunning and brings to life Versailles’ famous hall of mirrors, the Galerie des Glaces.
Other rooms in the palace have also inspired pieces in the collection, such as the Salon de Mercure bracelet, which mimics the room’s red walls with rose gold, platinum, darkened silver, white diamonds and a stunning ruby centerpiece.
Another important piece in the collection is the Chambre du Roi, or King’s Bedroom, necklace, whose centerpiece is a beautiful, large blue sapphire.
Every sparkling piece in the collection has a baroque-styled elegance, a grandeur that calls to mind the opulent jewels of King Louis XIV and Marie Antoinette. This collection promises to make any wearer feel like a French queen.
