Chopard has chosen British actress Poppy Delevigne to embody its Precious Lace collection, which is inspired by the lightness and whiteness of lace, plays with light and space, weaving diamonds and gold together in fluid, intricate openwork.
The result is a fascinating dialogue between strength and fragility, substance and delicacy; between the eternal brilliance of the diamond and the ethereal weightlessness of a lace-like jewel floating over the skin, hovering between Haute Couture and Haute Joaillerie.
The jewellery line from the Swiss maison is light, lyrical and supremely feminine, as well as unmistakably Chopard in its effortless design and mastery of craft skills.
On the occasion, Poppy Delevigne talks about her style, her vision of jewellery and her special relationship with Chopard
How would you define your personal style?
I'd define my personal style as sort of classic with a twist. I could be wearing a blazer with a pair of jeans, but there will always be a sort of Poppy twist to it, whatever that means… I guess I'm still figuring it out...
Is jewellery important in your everyday look? How do you usually like to wear jewellery?
Jewellery is incredibly important to my everyday look. I love pieces that I can wear from day to night. That I can sort of dress up with a little bit of lipstick or dress down just by wearing a pair of trainers… Jewellery can define who you are; the pieces you wear tell a story.
How would you define elegance?
I think elegance is all about being confident. If you're confident, elegance just shines through.
How would you define the Precious Lace collection?
I think it's supremely feminine, light and delicate.
How does it make you feel?
When I wear the Precious Lace collection, I feel like I'm in a dream. It's other worldly.
What would you say is your favourite piece in the collection?
My favourite piece from the collection would have to be the heart. It feels like the world needs more love in it right now, so why not?
Which one word pops into your mind to describe this collection?
Effortless.
How would you personally style this collection?
I would wear this collection in the bath, doing the washing up (one can dream). No seriously, what I love about this collection is that you can wear it with anything. I see it with a beautiful dress, but I can also see Precious Lace with just a plain white T-shirt, jeans and trainers…lounging on your sofa at home… It's just so versatile and the diamonds make you smile.
This Haute Joaillerie collection is inspired by the world of Haute Couture and lace in particular. What is special about lace?
There's something quite emotional about lace. When I think about it, I think about its delicacy, and how precious and timeless it is.
All Chopard's Haute Joaillerie is created in-house by its artisans. How important is craftsmanship and meticulous work to you?
Someone very special once told me to buy better and therefore buy less… and that really rings true to me. I really do believe that you can have one very special piece of jewellery that's been sustainably made, using beautiful craftsmanship and to have that one piece is so much better than having several that don't feature that same quality.
The Precious Lace collection is made exclusively with ethical gold and diamonds from Responsible Jewellery Council-certified suppliers. Is that something important to you?
It is important to me to wear responsibly-sourced materials because we need to respect our planet, and nurture it; we only have one after all...
As you know, Chopard has been very committed in a Journey to Sustainable Luxury for many years. Is it important to you to work with a Maison which has a sustainable approach?
I love to work with brands that I feel a connection to and have an authentic relationship with; and as Chopard is so passionate about sustainability, the partnership just makes sense. It feels organic and true.
"Bringing ethics and aesthetics together" is a motto of Chopard's Co-President and Artistic Director Caroline Scheufele. How does that resonate with you?
“Bringing ethics and aesthetics together” does indeed resonate with me very much. To have something that looks beautiful and comes from a beautiful place – what more could you want? Caroline is hugely inspirational and I look up to her very much.
What does Chopard represent for you?
I would say, modern elegance.