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Art
Deco Adornments
Each signature Taffin is an achievement
in design innovation and craftsmanship. |
James Taffin de Givenchy. |
Peridot, rubellite, diamond, silver and 18K-rose-gold
“cross” pendant, $35,000. |
Multi-pearl, diamond, silver and 18K-yellow-gold
ring, $11,000. |
Moonstone and “heart-cut” Burmese
sapphire ear clips, $40,000. |
James
Taffin de Givenchy is walking through his bright,
airy showroom on Madison Avenue explaining that he
does not have just a few words to encapsulate the
jewelry he has designed for the past ten years. He
seems to like the offering of bold, memorable and
playful, though. He stands, suspended in thought for
a moment, and adds colorful to the list. Colorful,
indeed. The imaginative juxtaposition of vibrantly
colored precious and semi-precious stones de Givenchy
uses to construct his unique pieces evokes a tapestry
of global landscapes – Indonesian spice markets,
Middle Eastern mosaics and the breathtaking flash
of color on the streets of Rio’s carnaval. Each
piece tells a narrative of whimsy and adventure in
dazzling combinations of diamonds, peridots, sapphires,
mandarin garnets, coral and fire opal, to name a few
favorite gems.
Unsurprisingly, de Givenchy’s reference points
range across continents. Raised in Beauvais and Paris
in an illustrious family of artists and design icons
(legendary couturier Hubert de Givenchy is his uncle),
de Givenchy moved to New York in the early 1980s in
search of the diversity that would later inspire his
designs. After attending the Fashion Institute of
Technology, he joined Christie’s Auction House,
running the jewelry department in Los Angeles. He
returned to New York and, after a brief stint at Verdura,
launched his own line.
De Givenchy quickly distinguished himself as an emerging
design talent whose work, though harkening back to
Art Deco design aesthetics, was hailed as stunningly
original. “Although beautiful pieces are always
being made, the Art Deco explosion was perhaps the
most fruitful time for jewelry design in the last
century,” de Givenchy explains on a tour through
his collection. Among the period’s designers
over whom de Givenchy waxes poetic in his admiration
are Suzanne Belperron and Raymond Templier –
both of whom his own designs have been compared to
since the launch of Taffin in 1996. Like the Art Deco
masters, de Givenchy experiments with form, materials
and processes when designing his pieces, many of which
are one of a kind. Take, for example, his ring inspired
by the coils of a rubber band that wraps around a
finger multiple times. Painstakingly crafted in rose
gold with diamond details, the ring transforms a mundane
object into a remarkable adornment. Many de Givenchy
pieces play with elasticity and solidity, a design
aesthetic that not only makes each piece an achievement
in craftsmanship but also imparts a sensual feeling
when the jewelry is worn.
“Each piece of jewelry is and should be art,”
de Givenchy declares, revealing the exacting standards
to which he consistently aspires. “Instead of
making collections, I find materials that inspire
me – exceptional gems, for instance,”
he explains. “I create jewelry around those
particular stones and then move on.” The distinctive,
one-of-a-kind quality to the pieces has drawn admirers
who are true collectors, women who know fine jewelry
and want to make a singular statement with their adornments.
With de Givenchy’s growing following of steadfast
devotees, New York’s elite cadre of well-accoutred
sophisticates and global style hunters will soon no
longer be able to lay claim on Taffin as their own
secret weapon to inspire envious admiration. However,
with de Givenchy’s commitment to design innovation
none of his collectors need worry that Taffin pieces
will lose what makes them signature. As de Givenchy
puts it, “Jewelry should not be trendy –
it should be beautiful.”
We could not agree more.
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JASMINE
MIR |
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Photo
credits
Image 1: Fernando Bengoechea, images 2,3,4: David Behl
& Associates. |
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