Bite Autumn 2012

bite jewellery

Fabergé IN FASHION

FROMTHE COURTS OFTHE RUSSIAN IMPERIAL TO THE CATWALKS OF THE WORLD’S FASHION CAPITALS, SIMRANGILL UNCOVERSTHE HISTORY OF FABERGÉ AND THE IN- TRICATE CRAFTSMANSHIP BE-

HIND ITS ENIGMATIC JEWELLEDOBJETS D’ART.

T he House of Fabergé are historically known for jewelled eggs popular gifts for

Olivier Rousteing and inspired his AW12 collection for Balmain. The collection features boxy leather jackets and couture ‘ sweatshirts’ topped with matelassé- inspired embroideries dense with pearl, crystal and gold beading, a powder pink tuxedo suit topped with delicate pearl and crystal quilting and devoré velvet pants and tops, and long, languid skirts decorated with Fabergé-inspired motifs.Other fashion houses inspired by Fabergé’s prestigious and treasured designs include Salvatore Ferragamo, whose creative director Massimiliano Giornetti created petite minaudières rich with gilt embroideries echoing the decoration of the famed eggs and Mary Katrantzou who has drawn on their symbolism in past collections, reproducing the luxurious masterpieces in her highly ornate digital prints. Under the leadership of creative and managing director Katharina Flohr, Fabergé has introduced a compendium of the most lustrous and sought-after egg pendants and charms for its AW12 collection. Many of its uniquely crafted pendants compliment the inspired Balmain collection and those of other large and established fashion houses. The L’Oeuf aux Roses couture egg pendant decorated with delicate pink enamelled roses reflects the darkly floral and romantic looks found on the Balmain

m a k i n g that were Easter in the

late 19th and early 20 th century. Tsar Nicholas II of the Russian Imperial Court commissioned Fabergé to create an Imperial Easter Egg for his wife, the Empress Alexandra Fedorovna every year during his reign. The specially crafted eggs coated in fine gold were elaborate in design and details that drew inspiration from life at the Imperial Court, thus bearing the emblems of the Romanov Dynasty, Russian Imperial Court and other cultural influences. Rich in heritage and pleasing to the eye, the jewelled eggs have attracted interest from celebrities and royalty past and present, including Richard Burton who bought a Fabergé moonstone egg for his wife, Elizabeth Taylor during their marriage. It was this particular egg that captured the imagination of designer