KMSKA x Wouters & Hendrix

With Parure de l’Incroyable, Wouters & Hendrix succeeds in capturing the rebellious salonnière Countess Rattazzi (Émile Auguste Carolus-Duran). This great-niece of Napoleon married three times in her life, the first time at seventeen. That did not stop her from fully enjoying life in the vibrant Parisian jet set. She was a welcome presence in cultural circles and a free, independent spirit. Her rebellious style is translated into the parure through a set of flowing chains that evoke the essence of classical “rivières.”

Alfred Stevens’ The Parisian Sphinx served as the muse for the aquamarine-themed Parure de l’Entourage. Solitaire crystals become twice as dazzling when combined with a diamond “halo.” In The Parisian Sphinx, Stevens painted a woman—her identity unknown—who differs from the ladies he usually portrayed. Most of the time, he depicted them full-length, in richly furnished interiors filled with knickknacks and ornate details. Here, a dreamy woman sits lost in thought against a plain background in an undefined, bare space. This cool play of light evokes a sense of otherworldliness. Through the title—The Parisian Sphinx—Stevens transformed a young bourgeois woman into an enigmatic and sensual figure.

The Parure de La Peregrina is named after the legendary pearl that was discovered off the coast of Panama five centuries ago. The parure serves as an ode to the sea, a source of life and transformation. Wouters & Hendrix drew inspiration from the image of the fearless, unnamed mother in Virginie Demont-Breton’s painting Into the Water!, who pulls her children into the sea. Just as Wouters & Hendrix were inspired by this work, Demont-Breton herself was captivated by everyday life in the small fishing village of Wissant, capturing keen observations in countless sketches, drawings, and detailed studies.

Cleopatra, famed for her power, beauty, and relationships, but also for her tragedy, has inspired artists for centuries. Writers, composers, painters, and sculptors repeatedly depict episodes from her tumultuous life. In his work, Alexandre Cabanel adds new and imagined elements that emphasize an image of luxury and decadence, such as the languid leopard, the lavish garment, and Cleopatra’s black veil. Cleopatra’s beauty and cunning inspired Wouters & Hendrix to create the graceful, coiling salamanders (symbols of rebirth) as a surprise element in the earrings, bracelets, rings, and necklaces of the Parure de la Salamandre.

The four parures form the heart of the new collection and are limited to a total of 40 pieces. The individual jewels that make up the parures are also available separately. Treat yourself or a loved one to the Wouters & Hendrix X KMSKA collection, Je est une autre. Available at the KMSKA shop, in Wouters & Hendrix boutiques, or via www.wouters-hendrix.com.