Russian high jewellery brand Faberge has unveiled a collection of one-off, couture jewellery designs inspired by Fauvism and Constructivism at BaselWorld 2011. Described as “In tune with the Bauhaus and Cubism, the striking Constructivism capsule collection includes the Dissonance earrings and a chunky white gold bangle with enamel, diamonds and Russian demantoid garnets aquamarines, sapphires, Paraiba tourmalines and beryls. The new designs are said to be inspired by the art of Rodchenko and Popova. Faberge also showed a more organic collection inspired by Fauvism, as part of its wider Les Fabuleuses collection. Les Fauves showed off sparkling couture jewellery, taking inspiration from Russian painting, literature, music and ballet, inspired by the work of Diaghilev – with whom Carl Faberge was acquainted – Stravinsky, Nijinsky, Malevich and Kandinsky and Matisse.It is said that Ballet Russes dancers were regularly gifted Faberge jewellery by admirers, and often danced on stage wearing Faberge diamond-set tiaras. Les Fauves collection is, as a result, a fluid collection taking the colours and shapes of the ballet and artistic movements of the early 1900s.
Like many art students, Cubism and Bauhaus were particular movements that inspired me so these Faberge earrings really caught my eye. Where as there is a trend with jewellery to really emphasise the three dimensional nature of the forms, these pieces reverse that trend. The two dimensional aspect of the earrings are the first thing that hit you – clever and beautifully resolved jewellery!