Creative Mind: Francesca Amfitheatrof
The jewelry designer's extravagant and extraordinary bijoux for Louis Vuitton push past the boundaries of wearable art
Francesca Amfitheatrof’s latest high-jewelry collection for Louis Vuitton examines the epic journey of the birth of the planet to the first signs of life. Sound ambitious? Not for the house’s artistic director of jewelry and watches, who imbues her lavish designs with imagination, intellect, and, of course, extraordinary gems and savoir faire.
During her five years at the French maison, she’s made her mark with vibrant and audacious bijoux, like the new Volcano articulated collar executed with platinum and gold bars and 168 carats of mandarin garnets and raspberry-pink tourmalines (two stones that form in lava’s intense heat and pressure). Equally impressive is the Bones transformable necklace, with a 44-carat opal surrounded by an intricate web of diamonds, a Paraiba tourmaline, and tanzanites. “These pieces live on your skin and need to transmit elegance and refinement mixed with drama and excitement,” Amfitheatrof has said.
Personal approach: Past collections have nodded to body armor and mythical creatures, but at the heart of every one is an engaging narrative. “Storytelling is my emotional connection; gold and precious stones are my paint,” she wrote in her tome, Fantastical Jewels (Rizzoli), released last fall. “I create chapters as if I were writing a book and fill them with unique jewelry that is meaningful and timeless.”
A version of this article first appeared in print in our 2024 Spring Issue under the headline “Creative Minds.” Subscribe to the magazine.