Like in the modern era, gender roles were evolving a century ago.
Flappers were abandoning corsets and other oppressive clothing for silhouettes previously considered more masculine, like dresses that showed no hint of a woman’s waist.
In the 1920s, a Parisian woman’s uniform might have centered on high-waisted pants, plunging necklines, long necklaces and short hair, Boucheron noted.
It was this style evolution that lured Creative Director Claire Choisne into the Boucheron archives, channeling the spirit of this modern woman through the maison’s rich archive of Art Deco-era pieces.
Choisne found parallels between attitudes a century ago and today’s evolving gender roles, in which it has become a style statement for a man to don a pearl necklace.
The cultural epitome of this boundaryless, and infinitely more fun, approach to men’s fashion is Harry Styles’ Vogue editorial last year in which he wore a Gucci jacket and dress on the magazine’s cover.
Translating this current evolution into a high jewelry collection, Boucheron created a long white gold necklace inspired by a tie, with a detachable brooch featuring an 8.02-carat emerald with onyx and black lacquer. The piece is meant to be worn by either gender, as a tie, necklace, pendant or brooch.
Providing a more approachable and lighthearted attitude to haute joaillerie is a diamond chevron-pattern jewel set on a ribbon. Its suggested uses include as a belt with a man’s tuxedo, as a headband or choker for a woman, or as a set of two unisex bracelets.
Convertible and Art Deco are the themes throughout the collection, which features emeralds as pops of color against a white gold, white diamond and black onyx and lacquer backdrop.
Boucheron’s classic bow-tie ring can be detached and pinned for use as an actual bow tie on a suit, or worn on a dress or in one’s hair.
Breathtaking earrings, rings and necklaces are intended to be genderless.
Highlights include a sliding, adjustable Y-necklace with white diamond chevron pattern, adorned with dangling 61.35-carat Zambian emerald drop (pictured at top of article, left), and a graphic descending rock crystal and emerald necklace.
See the collection below.
Source: National Jeweler 28-02-2021