PRECIOUS TRACES: There’s extra sparkle to the latest LV Diamonds fine jewelry collection introduced this week by Louis Vuitton in Paris: digital certificates that trace stones from mine to finger.
Backed by the Aura Consortium Blockchain, the certificates, which are only available for central stones for now, contain information on every step the diamond has gone through, from where it was extracted to where it was sorted, polished and set.
Owners will even have access to a video showcasing the rough from which their gem has been cut.
Louis Vuitton is the first among the major players on Place Vendôme to offer detailed end-to-end insight on its diamond sourcing, as the Sept. 1 deadline looms for implementing traceability-based verification and certifications as part of the G7 and European Union bans on diamonds of Russian origins announced last year.
De Beers was among the first to make a move on blockchain-based traceability with the 2022 launch of Tracr platform that follows 100 percent of the stones it produces all the way to stores.
Five years in the making, Louis Vuitton’s certificates were developed in conjunction with the LV Monogram Star diamond cut that first trickled into bespoke designs then launched in high jewelry in 2021.
Vuitton’s cut has also been recognized by the Gemological Institute of America, which means it will be indicated on GIA certificates that accompany Vuitton jewels. The previous shape to be recognized was the princess cut that appeared in the 1960s.
The shape is inspired by the flower monogram invented by George Vuitton in 1896 and called for groovers, specialized artisans who shape the clefts, a rare skill that almost vanished when cuts like hearts fell out of favor.
With 53 facets and four petals, the brand said it takes 40 percent more time to cut the LV Monogram Star and that the resulting faceting makes gemstones appear 20 percent larger than similarly sized ones in conventional diamond cuts.
Teased last year with limited releases in the U.S. and Japan, the 22-piece bridal-inflected LV Diamonds collection is the first time the luxury house has used its signature cut for fine jewelry designs with central stones stones between 0.30 and 2.99 carats.
In the collection, artistic director of watches and jewelry Francesca Amfitheatrof played with the flower-shaped diamonds but also house codes such the Damier motif and V shapes, with an eye toward stacking possibilities.
Prices for the LV Diamonds fine jewelry collection start under 1,000 euros and go up to six figures. — LILY TEMPLETON
TO THE FORE: Tommy Hilfiger, which is owned by PVH Corp., is collaborating with DJ Khaled to reimagine the classic golf polo.
Building on a legacy of fusing fashion and sport, the duo worked together to combine Hilfiger’s classic and cool American DNA with Khaled’s creative vision, bringing a contemporary twist to golfing apparel.
The collection of polos for men, women and kids will be exclusively available at wethebeststore.com and the We the Best flagship in Miami starting Thursday.
“DJ Khaled’s energy is unmatched; he’s a creative force and we share a natural urge to disrupt the status quo,” said Tommy Hilfiger. “Throughout my career, I’ve worked with icons like Lewis Hamilton and Rafael Nadal who provided the inspiration to break conventions as we created collections that blend fashion and sport. This collection continues that legacy as Khaled reinterpreted ’90s colorblocking from his favorite archival pieces to rewrite the codes of golf.”
The Tommy x We the Best polos are crafted of cotton piqué fabric and showcase archive-inspired patterns in the brand’s signature red, white and blue, as well as varsity yellow and green. Details include contrast sleeves, the Tommy flag and We the Best logo. Mesh material is used so they are lightweight, quick-drying and breathable. Prices range from $59.50 for kids to $99.30 for adults.
“Golf is a beautiful game and Tommy is an icon,” said DJ Khaled, the DJ, record producer and record executive. “These polos will inspire me to be the best on the fairway, like Tommy inspires me to be the best in fashion. This collection was about rewriting the golfing mindset and we hit it right down the middle. I can’t wait to go golfing in these.”
All profits from the collaboration will go to the We the Best Foundation, an organization dedicated to enriching the lives of the next generation — from childhood to adulthood. The foundation supports nonprofits and individuals in underserved communities in efforts that aid them toward becoming the best versions of themselves. — LISA LOCKWOOD
JW ON THREE: Just in time for New York Fashion Week, Nordstrom is rolling out a pop-up shop for the much sought-after JW Anderson collection.
The pop-up is the latest designer installment at the retailer’s New York City flagship near Columbus Circle. Through March 11, shoppers can find a smattering of ready-to-wear, accessories, shoes and other items from the London-based operation. Earlier this week JW Anderson drew back the curtains on another pop-up in Beijing, which blends elements from its flagships in London, Milan and Tokyo.
A giant JW Anderson Cornishware teapot will be the anchor piece on display in the pop-up shop on the New York store’s third floor. Instagrammable as the teapot is, it also is a wink at the Irish-born Anderson’s personal heritage. With last month’s JW Anderson menswear show in Milan, which featured predominantly pant-less models, he lived up to his reputation as being one of the most daring designers in fashion today.
Rickie De Sole, women’s fashion director at Nordstrom, said, “We’re thrilled to spotlight Jonathan Anderson’s talent with this energetic collection — including select Space exclusives — that turns beloved pieces upside down with a twist.”
The JW Anderson designs at Nordstrom are offered in blues and crisp whites, as well as neutrals and mint. The exclusive offerings, which are also available on the retailer’s e-commerce site, retail for up to $1,350 for a tote bag. There is a $190 scarf, a $220 baseball cap and a $990 small corner bag. One item that is certain to get a lot of attention is a $115 unmistakably phallic charm. — ROSEMARY FEITELBERG
PALM BEACH CHIC: Lilly Pulitzer is forever synonymous with Palm Beach fashion, but the exhibition “Endless Summer: Palm Beach Resort Wear” covers the bigger picture. On view at the Richard and Pat Johnson Palm Beach County History Museum through May 25, and guest curated by vintage collector and expert Cameron Silver, it culls about 120 pieces spanning the history of the island, from Henry Flagler’s arrival at the turn of the century and its development into the American Riviera to today’s caftans.
“Palm Beach is the birthplace of the resort category in the modern era,” Silver said. “A Northerner completely abandons her all-black wardrobe when crossing the bridge for the season and pivots to bold prints and colors.”
He and the museum’s chief curator Debi Murray and research director Rose Guerrero climbed through closets up to the minute of the opening. The major group effort involves designers, extant and defunct stores, society clothes horses like Iris Apfel, Jane Holzer and Jean Shafiroff, and a slew of fashion houses, collections and archives. Local resident Tommy Hilfiger narrates an introductory video attired in Palm Beach’s signature aesthetic that often serves as inspiration for the namesake brand he founded; a similar women’s outfit by Tommy Hilfiger is featured.
A recent windfall for the museum that’s a prominent part of the show resulted when New York and South Florida retailer Martha Phillips’ grandson permanently donated the family’s archives of photographs, invitations and other ephemera. The cache includes a large-scale version of Gideon Lewin’s photograph for W Magazine that depicts Phillips’ daughter and successor Lynn Manulis surrounded by then next-gen designers Mark Badgley, James Mischka, Zang Toi, Joanna Mastroianni, Jeanette Kastenberg, Christian Francis Roth, Josie Natori and Randolph Duke. Many of them have pieces dating to the ’90s on display that offer a completely different take on resortwear than pink and green prints. Manulis mastered the thrill of the hunt for emerging talent from her mother.
“As one of the most philanthropic parts of the country, Palm Beach incubated a lot of local talent and the legendary retailer Martha Phillips was instrumental in the development of the businesses of some of the most heralded names of 20th-century fashion such as Valentino, Bill Blass and Halston,” Silver said.
Each designer’s link to the locale is told through a vignette of current and vintage fashion or both as well as text and ephemera. A vintage Valentino coat dress in an archival logo print that the brand reintroduced in a recent collection, according to Silver, is complemented by a photo collage of Valentino with Manulis, his fashion shows for her store and dining with his partner Giancarlo Giammetti.
Silver was happy to secure Roth’s M&M’s jacket and a never-before-displayed caftan among a multidecade grouping of the silhouette in various prints and embellishments by Oscar de la Renta. Other designers include Zandra Rhodes, Chanel, Arnold Scaasi, Patrick Kelly, Lisa Perry, Carolina Herrera, Gucci, James Galanos, St. John, Pucci, Pauline Trigère, Norman Norell, Lilly Pulitzer and fellow Palm Beacher Philip Hulitar, a longtime promoter of fashion and preservation on the island. Stubbs & Wootten slippers and Buccellati jewelry speak to the market’s must-have accessories, while Florida-based specialty chain Maus & Hoffman represents the local men’s wear aesthetic such as a blue and white regatta blazer by Bullock & Jones.
“I never knew that Maus & Hoffman travels to Italy to create its own custom pieces. It’s fascinating that a local store goes to such extremes,” Murray said.
Describing himself as a perpetual student, Silver said he learned that Saks Fifth Avenue opened its second store in 1926 in Palm Beach. History buffs can dive deeper with the show’s maximalist approach that extends from mannequins to walls chock-full of timelines about the island’s evolution and insider tidbits about retail and celebrity lore and memorable galas and luncheons of yesteryear. Blown-up graphics, lifestyle photos and signature prints further immerse viewers.
“Palm Beach taught people how to ‘dress up’ when their world-weary defenses were down, and vacation chic became their mode for the season,” Silver said. “This has only grown with each decade but skyrocketed in the last few years.” — REBECCA KLEINMAN
MDV x IED: Marco De Vincenzo is adding the role of mentor to his résumé.
The creative director of Etro has been named academic mentor of IED, an acronym for European Institution of Design. He will serve in the Milan campus of the fashion school, mentoring about 500 undergraduate students of the fashion design and shoes and accessories design courses.
This marks a return to his roots for the Sicilian designer, who graduated from IED in Rome in 2000. “I have never really left the school behind. Several years ago it represented a magical, enlightening moment for me, one of great sharing of my passion with [similar] people. So going back to school renews this feeling,” said De Vincenzo.
“Only today I have the experience that I didn’t have back then and that I can now offer to people in the same way others did with me. It’s like a handover,” he added.
De Vincenzo will oversee specific sessions with students from the different classes, touching on many themes to inspire and support talents in defining the concept they will base their collections on, as well as help with their development. Topics will range from enhancing cultural identities to attention to environment and resources, as well as exploring the relationship between human touch and new technologies.
The latter include AI, which De Vincenzo recently experimented with. As reported earlier this week, he collaborated with digital artist and prompt designer Silvia Badalotti on creating the new, AI-generated advertising campaign for Etro.
“AI looks scary because we don’t really know everything about it but we’ll learn to use it. I was very fascinated by it,” said De Vincenzo, mentioning that the project he worked on “showed me that the human figure remains fundamental in the process.”
“AI is a medium like a camera or a computer, it’s nothing more than that. As far as I know, the filter of the human person that guided me into this parallel world was fundamental,” he added.
Olivia Spinelli, head of the IED Milano fashion school, praised De Vincenzo for bringing an interesting and “cultured vision of fashion, made up of a series of elements which he effectively transfers into the clothes and collections he designs.”
“In addition to his creative standpoint, he is also extraordinary from a human point of view. A person with the right ability to listen and to interact empathically: great values, also in fashion,” added Spinelli.
In addition to overseeing the women’s, men’s and home collections for Etro since 2022, De Vincenzo still retains his role as head designer for leather goods at Fendi, which he first joined in 2000.
De Vincenzo launched his namesake label of womenswear in 2009, when he also won the Vogue Italia “Who Is on Next?” talent search competition and joined the Milan Fashion Week schedule. His eye for bold colors, optical effects, rich fabrics and sophisticated embellishments quickly caught the attention of press and buyers, as well as of LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, which struck a joint venture with the Rome-based designer in 2014.
In 2021, he bought back his namesake brand from former partners LVMH and MMGP Srl, a company that also controls Cieffe Milano, the manufacturing firm that used to produce the Marco De Vincenzo collections. In February 2022, he returned to Milan Fashion Week after a two-year hiatus to present an upcycled collection breathing new life into garments he scouted at thrift stores.
As academic mentor, De Vincenzo is joining a pool of designers that had side gigs in education in Italy, ranging from Kris Van Assche serving as mentor at Polimoda and Sunnei’s Loris Messina and Simone Rizzo at Naba school to Massimo Giorgetti and Paul Andrew at Istituto Marangoni, to name a few. — SANDRA SALIBIAN
