Divine Style
Courtside or red carpet, celebrities are embracing jewelry with spiritual significance. No need to be a be liever to adopt designs inspired by religious motifs.
Worn by Rihanna, Gwyneth Paltrow, Gigi Hadid, Dua Lipa and the Puerto Rican singer and wrestler Bad Bunny, Marie Lichtenberg’s scapulars have won a cult following. “Growing up, I’d often see images of religious scapulars. We also had some in our family. It’s such a visually powerful object with a dual meaning. The front displays a message while the back keeps a secret.” The cross is another celebrity indulgence. Lily-Rose Depp was seen sporting this universal Christian symbol at a basketball game; Madonna has been wearing hers for decades. /public-objects/4a01e342-1c7d-4b8e-b2a9-7eea459259ae-b69e052a-dd9a-4743-9152-9be97b860c04-Sans%20titre-2.webp Image sélectionnée The cross is an inherent motif in jewelry and an unusual one, being part style, part symbol. How much of one, how much of the other depends on the individual. Early rock n’ roll stars led wild lives but made Christ their companion and the cross an expression of their desire for redemption. Lydia Courteille, who has Anna Wintour’s blessing, has embraced the subject. Her crosses are an initiatory journey, an invitation to step through the looking glass into her enchanted world. Dolce&Gabbana, meanwhile, are in addition mode – another of the cross’s meanings. Their pendant necklace claimed the Public Prize at the inaugural Grand Prix de la Haute Joaillerie. /public-objects/9c5d45ec-5929-4baa-a620-081f47dfe837-d14c1d81-869c-4722-b68e-2d6db01d5083-Sans%20titre-1.webp Image sélectionnée Branching out Neo-religious jewelry “holds meaning but we decide what that meaning is. It speaks of love, identity, something close to our heart,” says Marie Lichtenberg. Maison La Couronne, a specialist in baptism medallions for five generations, has witnessed a surge in demand—a fervor not unrelated to the “Notre-Dame effect”. The world watched in stupefaction as flames ravaged the cathedral. The blaze left its mark on the collective psyche and prompted an outpouring of grief, independent of faith. Coincidentally, the Christogram fastenings for the new liturgical vestments were crafted by Goossens and its goldsmiths. Excellence and the absolute being the other acceptations of the sacred. /public-objects/93e97971-8006-48c3-a685-636e8d5a3bfc-7c59d43e-ff72-4c16-b8a5-83ceb691fa40-Sans%20titre-5.webp Image sélectionnée From Goossens’ talisman jewelry to Arthus Bertrand’s baptism medallions, success is now global. Arthus Bertrand sells its medallions in Japan and South Korea, where it seems kawaii takes precedence over cultural significance. In New York, Greg Yüna revisits high-end jewelry with his Kris Cross, Jesus and Rest in Piece pendants for hip-hop artists. Everywhere else, ex-voto earrings are having a moment, while the heist at the Louvre museum has put reliquary jewels back in the spotlight. Clearly, neo-religious jewelry is on a mission. /public-objects/53ba912f-b147-44bb-be8f-4031180f6501-6145f24b-85c8-4a2b-9d9a-4fcdc9b7719e-Sans%20titre-6.webp Image sélectionnée