"I wanted to showcase the deep-rootedness of jewelry in French heritage"
During Paris Fashion Week, jewelry is everywhere but in a fragmented manner. With the new Le Rendez-Vous exhibition held from October 2 to 5 in Paris, Francéclat offers it an official showcase. Priscilla Jokhoo, the event's director, spent twenty years in fashion before joining the institution three years ago, where she notably created the magazine Émergence. She details the genesis of this first edition.
What gap is Le Rendez-Vous aiming to fill? It all started from a form of frustration. I come from the fashion industry and have been attending fashion weeks for a long time. Yet, I had not fully grasped everything that was happening around jewelry and high jewelry during Paris Fashion Week. I asked brands why they chose to come at this time rather than during High Jewelry Week. Their answer was very pragmatic: this is when they capture buyers and the press. I found it unfortunate that such a richly skilled sector remained in the shadows, and brands cannot change this on their own. Francéclat is an institution and we were probably the only ones who could formalize this highlight. Does proposing a new show during fashion week mean approaching jewelry through the prism of fashion? No. I understand the question, because at first, I had this arrogance. When I arrived at Francéclat, I copied and pasted the models I used in fashion. The two sectors have a lot in common, but each has its peculiarities. Jewelry is neither fashion, nor design, nor contemporary art. I wanted an event specific to jewelry, with its codes but slightly twisted, reflecting this new generation of entrepreneurs who keep the industry's codes while allowing themselves a small step aside. I did the same with Émergence magazine. Jewelry dialogues with art, photography and publishing. The houses publish books, not magazines. So, I designed a magazine that looks like a book, blending the codes of publishing, those of an economic title like the New Yorker or Capital, and the iconography of fashion. Our industry has a history, a heritage, and a know-how. Copying other sectors is to diminish ourselves. What does the twist you speak of consist of? It begins with the curation of the 24 brands* at the Central Scene, which blends fine jewelry and fashion jewelry. Next, I would speak about the diversity of the universes gathered under the tent. I wanted to showcase the anchoring of jewelry in French heritage. The Monograph space is an exhibition of jewelry around the theme of the garden, in a more museum-like approach, showing the creative diversity of French brands and the plurality of craftsmanship. We also offer a photo exhibition. We talk a lot about fashion photography, much less about jewelry told through images, even though a piece of jewelry always tells a story. The event remains B2B, but I wanted to open the doors and make it more accessible. How did you select the 24 brands? For a first edition, it was necessary to position the event. There were several of us around the table, with business, image, and press profiles, and buyers. I know the buyers of Paris Fashion Week well. They are a curious audience, always in search of novelties, and many major international accounts have significantly developed their jewelry offer. The first criterion was uniqueness, that is, a clear and coherent aesthetic signature, and a story unique to the brand. You also offer conferences at the Les Conversations space. What topics will be discussed there? The idea is to address the major challenges of the sector without claiming to be exhaustive, including topics that are rarely discussed elsewhere. We worked with two partners, each with their specialty. NellyRodi provides a cross-sectional vision, since the agency works with jewelry and watchmaking as well as fashion, beauty and hospitality. The School of Jewelry Arts provides the expertise. On the program, we have a conference on diamonds with The School, another on the new visual grammar of jewelry, heritage, but also market dynamics, customer relations, and training. We designed this program for fashion and luxury professionals who will be present. * Anicet, Anna Shelley, Gas Bijoux, Hugo Kreit, Lucas Bauer, Mara Paris, Mezzaluna and Minéralosophie, 5 octobre, Atelier Molinari, Bot, Copin, D1928, Lydia Courteille, Maison Marcelle, Marie Mas, Marie-Alexandrine Yvernault, Matteo Mascheroni Joaillerie, Mazarin, Meteor, Rouvenat, Sylvia Toledano, The Black Alchemy and Vever. /public-objects/dec95669-ba1e-484d-a52f-93f869b62a59-7696af3e-d774-4a84-951d-4e55a9be9d22-LE%20RV%20_%20KEY%20VISUEL_RVB_2000px_FR.webp Image sélectionnée