Sparkling creative displays by iconic brands
Actress Dilireba in MIKIMOTO jewels
MIKIMOTO
Originator of cultured pearls, MIKIMOTO recently launched its “The Eyes and Hands” pop-up exhibition at Shanghai International Financial Center to mark the grand opening of the IFC flagship store.
Chinese actress Dilireba, its brand ambassador in Asia, joined the ceremony in MIKIMOTO’s latest high jewelry collection of aquamarine, pearls, diamonds, platinum and tanzanite.
The exhibition displays some of the brand’s most famed collections. The Jeux de Rubans of 18K white gold, Akoya cultured pearls and diamonds features fluid and graceful lines of the necklace, inspired by a light, airy ribbon fluttering in the wind. Its earrings in the shape of a knot of ribbon to be undone of the asymmetric design is a whimsical luxury at its best.
"Kofuku no ki" (Trees of Happiness) is a collection of gemstone brooches designed in the shape of a coral branch, believed to bring wearers good luck and happiness.
The high jewelry collection Jardin Mystérieux beckons people to enter a garden of magical beauty with its heavily embedded brooch, shaped in a garden’s door hidden under lush plants made of sapphire, tourmaline, garnet, diamonds and natural freshwater pearls, while the collection’s necklace features a large number of Akoya cultured pearls, inlaid with 18K white gold, ruby, sapphire, aquamarine, amethyst, garnet and diamonds.
Earrings of the YI Collection
YI Collection
Shanghai-based fine jewelry brand YI Collection, along with HdM Gallery, has been selected to join the Shop Project at the Middle House in Shanghai.
Launched in May, the Shop Project invites selected designers and artists from Shanghai to present their collections and spark creative dialogue. The fashion and art pop-up in the lobby showcases YI Collection’s modern handcrafted jewels along with artist T’ang Haywen’s abstract works till July 14.
YI Collection’s gemstone creations set in 18K gold and bold gold-plated pieces give a modern, fresh and fun spin to fine jewelry, using emeralds, rubies and diamonds. Designed to be worn in a “non-precious” way, each unique piece exudes a simple modern elegance that reflects designer and founder Yi Guo’s personal esthetics.
“I play with proportions, colors and movement. What is the most important is that each piece of YI Collection has a uniqueness that gives it a soul,” Yi said. “I refer to some pieces of jewelry as ‘her’ because ‘she’ has lived a long life. She grew slowly underground for millions of years, then was dug up to be polished and molded. From there, she’s set in place and sheathed in the perfect garment of gold before being presented to her gem-loving owner. Each gem brings the wearer a kind of magic rich in history and folklore.”
In order to showcase YI Collection’s esthetics beyond its jewels, Yi curated the shop space with HdM Gallery, displaying small-scale paintings by China-born artist T’ang, a Chinese abstraction pioneer, famed for his gracious brushstrokes in vibrant colors that recall the strokes of Chinese calligraphy.
Miu Miu's campaign for pre-fall 2020
Miu Miu
The latest campaign and collection for Miu Miu Pre-fall 2020 was released recently. Shot by Douglas Irvine in January, just before the novel coronavirus lockdown in Europe, the campaign “Here Comes the Night” arrives at a time when people have tried to explore more in the inner world when the outside world is shut down.
A dreamlike interior world is conjured through Irvine’s photography to match the external, magical manifestation on display in the clothing. A blur of florals and glittering visual embellishment, diaphanous drape and ecstatic movement belie the strict foundations for both the images and garments.
The building at Via Melzi D’Eril 30, once home to the Miu Miu catwalk shows, was transformed to the photoshoot place.
Wearing a clothing collection that splices the utilitarian with the formal, and the everyday with the extravagant, delicate artisanal embellishment is contrasted with a notion of the sturdily homespun.
