Sandra‘s Closet

Hortus Deliciarum — meaning «Garden of Delights» in Latin — blends Gucci’s rich heritage in Italian craftsmanship and its ever-distinctive creativity in one-of-a-kind masterpieces distinguished by unique artistry, exceptional quality, and acute attention to detail. The current chapter, the third since the collection’s launch in 2019, draws inspiration from the world of travel and the memorable moments that every journey can bring.

The new additions to the Hortus Deliciarum collection include necklaces, bracelets, earrings, and multi-finger rings, divided into different themes. The designs explore tantalizing facets of the natural and animal kingdom, placing jewelry artistry center stage. These pieces evoke distant, exotic, and magical worlds, exciting the imagination of Gucci’s signature painterly approach to high jewelry craftsmanship. A selection of pieces features fresh interpretations of Gucci’s distinctive Lion Head and Tiger Head motifs, symbolizing strength, courage, and passion. Flawless, fancy cut vivid gemstones, from aquamarines to yellow sapphires, add vibrant touches to these dynamic designs.

The collection includes several new creations showcasing a captivating combination of multicolored stones that are inspired by the concept of prismatic beauty and specifically designed to catch the light. These include a brilliant multi-finger ring – the result of 100 hours of meticulous production – crafted in yellow gold with a beautiful 38.8 carat green tourmaline centerpiece surrounded by diamonds. An equally stunning yellow gold cuff earring offers an elegant explosion of garnets, yellow beryl, rubellite, and diamonds. Here, Gucci blends the modernity of a cuff style with the exquisite beauty of warm-toned gems and dainty, flowing lines.

Other stunning pieces are distinguished by cascades of dancing diamonds, inspired by the beauty of shooting stars and the sparkling torrents of a waterfall. A highlight of this selection is a parure comprising a dazzling white gold necklace and matching drop earrings. Involving 300 hours of production, the necklace features diamond-embellished starbursts trimmed with lady-like diamond bows, while the earrings reveal diamond- encrusted bows and chandelier-like crystal droplets around two teardrop cut diamonds with a total of 16.7 carats.

A yellow gold bracelet, meanwhile, showcases a diamond-embellished chevron pattern and an oval-shaped 16 carat rubellite tourmaline, offering a striking geometric interplay of straight lines and smooth curves. This exceptional creation takes 200 hours to produce.

Intricately crafted and full of surprising details, an ornate diamond parure pays homage to the majestic beauty of natural landscapes. A diamond-encrusted geometric chain necklace is teamed with a stunning round-cut mandarin garnet pendant embellished with dainty emerald leaves. This can be teamed with a matching pair of jacket earrings, also in fresh and surprising shades of green and mandarin, offering a dazzling 40.5 carats of jewels for the necklace and 15.3 carats for the earrings.

To complete the collection, new diamond-embellished solitaire rings shine in an array of hues that resemble the changing colors of the sky. A sculpted, white gold design mesmerizes with a hexagonal 14.7 carat tanzanite centerpiece, while three other white gold rings each present a heart-shaped gemstone in a vivid color: a 9 carat blue tourmaline, a 12.6 carat peach tourmaline, or an 11.5 carat pink tourmaline.

The Hortus Deliciarum High Jewelry collection, launched in Paris in 2019, was followed by a second chapter presented on Italy’s Lake Maggiore in 2021 while the third and current collection was initially unveiled in Rome in 2022.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Gucci
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A timeless icon perpetually reinvented, the Lady Dior has enjoyed an extraordinary destiny. With its architectural lines exalting the cannage pattern, it encapsulates the very essence of Dior style, its audacious elegance.

Season after season, this emblem’s aura shines on, at the crossroads of modernity and excellence. It has become, more than ever, an object of art and desire, revisited by artists from around the world. Through the most fascinating detour, the Lady Dior is thus transformed into a unique oeuvre, merging heritage and creative visions.

For the seventh edition of the Dior Lady Art project, Ghada Amer, Brian Calvin, Sara Cwynar, Alex Gardner, Shara Hughes, Dorothy Iannone, Minjung Kim, Zhenya Machneva, Bouthayna Al Muftah, Françoise Pétrovitch and Wang Yuyang – from Egypt to the United States, from Qatar to China – have each risen to the challenge of reinterpreting and transforming the iconic bag.

A meeting between Dior and the cultures of the world, this new inspiring carte blanche showcases virtuoso techniques and craftsmanship, driven by a spirit of innovation and limitless inventiveness. Each detail, thought out with infinite meticulousness by the eleven artists, is a tribute to singularity and savoir-faire, opening the doors of the imagination. As a final touch, each of the exceptional reinventions extends the artistic expression to the inside of the bag, revealing several poetic surprises. A celebration of joy and freedom.

All bags are highly limited and in stores in January 2023.

LoL, Sandra

MINJUNG KIM

BRIAN CALVIN

FRANÇOISE PETROVITCH

ZHENYA MACHNEVA

ALEX GARDNER

DOROTHY IANNONE

BOUTHAYNA AL MUFTAH

SARA CWYNAR

GHADA AMER

WANG YUYANG

SHARA HUGHES

Photos: © Dior
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Leave it to Jonathan Anderson to make walking on eggshells aspirational. At first glance, I could hardly believe my eyes. Birthday candles, nail polish bottles, roses, cracked eggs and even a bar of soap were shaped into heels for LOEWE’s S/S 2022 collection.

I find it a stroke of genius and so instagrammable. Personally speaking, a must for Sandra’s Closet. It’s hard not to want to collect them all as objects of desire. Just even on display…

LoL, Sandra

Nail-polish heel leather sandals by Loewe

Candle-heel leather sandals by Loewe

Rose-heel leather sandals by Loewe

Broken egg sandals by LoeweSoap sandals by Loewe

Photos: © Loewe
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The new Sixième Sens par Cartier collection showcases that extra touch of soul unique to High Jewellery, an expression of art that inspires like no other.

Trompe-l’oeil or graphic games, optical effects or evocative power, the compositions play with Earth’s gravity. Disrupting our perceptions, this collection draws us into a world where our senses are stimulated and awakened. Even our sixth sense, that exhilarating rush of emotion that touches the heart.

With the Imperio necklace, Cartier continues its reflection on movement: how do you give rhythm to a composition and create a sense of speed? To answer these questions, Cartier borrows from the codes of kinetic art. Lines of tension, brisk strokes, geometric shapes and mirrored construction.

Graphic patterns are further accentuated by colour contrasts such as the black of the onyx and the green of the emeralds.  A chromatic combination that has been part of the Maison’s stylistic repertoire since 1910 and which accentuates the effect of perspective. It all combines to confuse the gaze that converges on the central stone: an exceptional 23.55-carat Colombian emerald with no inclusions. This octagonal stone has a perfectly homogeneous green colour with bluish undertones that harmonise with the other emeralds. Since my visit to an emerald mine in Muzo, Colombia in 2015, I have so much appreciation and love for those amazing, powerful green stones.

Like every piece of Cartier High Jewellery, the choice of stones pays tribute to their beauty. All must meet the highest standards of excellence and quality set by the Maison’s experts. A duty and a responsibility, both social and environmental that Cartier has pioneered, by being committed from the very beginning in terms of sourcing coloured stones. Therefore the Maison is a founding member of the Responsible Jewellery council (RJC), an organisation created in 2005 that sets standards in the areas of social and environmental responsibility for the jewellery and watchmaking industry.

With almost thirty different ways to wear it, this was the challenge the Cartier design studio and workshops had to face. This approach to jewellery has been part of the Maison’s history since the appearance of the first headbands that could be transformed into necklaces and, around the 1920s, bracelets that could be dismantled into brooches. Each new High Jewellery collection is an opportunity for Cartier to push the boundaries of innovation and ingenuity.

This necklace allows itself to transform. It can be worn short, long, split in two to be worn either together or separately. Opt for the diamond or emerald alone as a pendant, multiple combinations further increased by the possibility of unfastening the triangular motif that can be worn as a brooch… When worn, the jewellery piece reinvents itself, divides its charms and multiplies its appearances.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Cartier

Your next dream destination? It might be an intergalactic exploration if your budget allows for a 28$ million trip to space with Jeff Bezos or to accompany Richard Branson on another space test-flight. The global super-rich are taking joyrides in viewing our planet from above.

If you are a fashionista, your space race is on this season. Several designers have tapped into the «Living on Mars» trend, with BALENCIAGA offering the most authentic interpretation. Now you can look like you accompanied Bezos to space without spending millions of dollars, a few thousands are just enough.

The most insane and most expensive piece of the collection is the so-called Space Parka. First spotted in the label’s F/W 2021 video game presentation, this puffy coat takes inspiration from retro NASA spacesuits. It’s made from distressed white shell and has an oversized fit that’s almost gravity-defying. Playful finishing touches include appliqués, buckles and straps.

Interesting to know is that as authentic as some of the collection’s pieces look, they are not launched in collaboration with NASA. You can use the space center’s logo, even free of charge, as long as the design is submitted to the Multimedia Division of NASA’s Office of Communications and the agency approves the specific uses. Ranging from €95 to €3990, the Maison’s NASA capsule that includes also graphic tees, polos, hoodies, socks, and co-branded baseball caps, can be found at select stores or the brand’s website.

Certain pieces are only available for pre-order. If you love the Space Parka as much as I do (it definitely deserves a spot in my museum), you can order it now at NET-A-PORTER. Sorry guys, size FR34 went straight to me :-)…

Space lovers can get the full look with silver Chevalier 110MM Booties, cyberpunk aluminum sunglasses, and logo-bearing handbags.

Who doesn’t want to walk around looking like an astronaut?  And it probably leaves less carbon footprint than the hour-long joyride that will have a staggering impact on the planet.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Balenciaga
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The Constance bag, a great Hermès classic, undergoes a complete transformation for this exceptional limited edition version in silk and leather. The fruit of meticulous and complex assembly work, this refined marriage gives pride of place to the material. This silk is printed with the Orbis design using a unique technique that lends the colors and extraordinary vibrancy.

Marble Silk is the culmination of a veritable treasure hunt. It all started with the discovery, in an archival album of printed fabrics acquired by the House long ago, of fascinating motif whose production technique remained a mystery.

It took several years of research to locate the origins of this technique, invented in the first half of the 20th century in Switzerland, Germany, and France… In the end, however, it was in Japan that Hermès discovered the passionate craftsmen, heirs to know-how their ancestors had acquired in Europe, whom we may thank for the creation of the Marble Silk scarf.

Matching the bag is this exceptional Hermès Carré 90 Marble Silk Robe du Soir.

The process used to make the scarf is unique and entirely artisanal. First, a paste imbibed with different color pigments is prepared. Skilfully worked, cut out, and arranged in patterns, it is used to form the design, like marquetry, on a cylinder. The cylinder is then rolled over the silk to print it. Gradually becoming more refined over the course of the production process, the motif is never exactly the same, making each piece one-of-a-kind.

From this intricate process a rare silk is born, with wonderful whimsical motifs and a wealth of incredibly diverse effects and intense colors, all of which feature on this exceptional bag.

This bag is delicate. Although the silk of the Marble Silk Constance bag (size 24) has been treated to make it more resistant to stains, water (its is showerproof and not waterproof) and marks, it deserves special and attention. To preserve its original beauty, it needs time to rest. It needs to be provided with the best possible preservation conditions; a temperate, dry environment away from light, preferably in its original boy and dust cover.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Rian Davidson © David Biedert Photography / Sandra Bauknecht
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The new SIXIÈME SENS COLLECTION by CARTIER illustrates the soulfulness particular to high jewelry, an expression of art with the power to move like no other.

With a stylised feline interpretation, organic textures and shards of coloured light, shimmering gems electrify while stones in flavoursome hues of ripe fruits summon up scents of distant paradises.
Using trompe-l’œil and graphic patterns, optical illusions and the power of evocation, compositions play with earthly gravity in radiant transfigurations of reality. Quivering in the light, jewels come to life upon contact with the skin.

Accomplished actress, singer and musician, Golshifteh Farahani, is the ambassador of this amazing high jewelry collection. This multi-hyphenate creative moves with ease between arthouse films and Hollywood productions, spanning the course of her 20-year career. She has made her mark on the red carpet, where she is known for her style and elegance.

PHAAN RING

How do you add to the beauty of an 8.20 carat ruby? How do you enhance that which is already exceptional? Behind the architecture of this ring is a tiered construction that allows a 4.01 carat rose-cut diamond to be inserted directly below the magnificent stone that sits at the top. When the light hits the diamond after first passing through the ruby, its rich red hue is intensified.

The structure integrates groups of triangular diamonds while maintaining the ring’s airy appearance. Along with tiny ruby balls, diamonds surround the central stone, arranged with subtle openings to allow them to catch the light, illuminating the ruby.

MERIDE NECKLACE

The purity of the motif is also its strength. The stones appear to multiply ad infinitum an optical illusion that is made all the more striking by the relief of the piece as each element is mounted at a different level. Movement, rhythm, and all spatial and temporal references are lost in a precious mosaic of gemstones. The blurring of perspective is complemented by a play of materials and light between mirror-polished metal and graphic black onyx.

As always with Cartier, particular attention has been paid to the back of the piece, which reveals the exact reverse of the front.

PIXELAGE NECKLACE

This necklace conjures up the familiar image of the panther, so dear to Cartier, borrowing both its markings and symbolic power. A stylised play on the feline’s coat has been part of Cartier’s artistic bestiary since 1914. Faithful to the original stylisation, here, motifs make up the panther’s spots. Polished onyxes evoke the marbling of the fur, while white, yellow and orange diamonds represent the thickness of the pelt, with its golden reflections highlighted by three captivating golden topazes for a total of 27.34 carats.

Attention to the volume and articulation of the sides allows the construction to respect the vertical geometry of the collar, while preserving its flexibility.

PARHELIA RING

At its centre lies a 21.51-carat sapphire cabochon, with an intense blue hue which seems to glow from within. Around it, five parentheses of radiant diamonds and emeralds reflect the light, fanning out like the surface of a lake. Black lacquer creates shadow effects to reinforce the impression of movement, supported by the original width of the ring, which spans three fingers, with slightly mobile tips.

As an ultimate refinement, the motif can be detached and worn as a brooch.
Created at the very beginning of the 20th century, this combination of sapphires and emeralds, named the «peacock motif» by Louis Cartier, is part of the Maison’s emblematic colour palette.

ALAXOA NECKLACE

The captivating texture and chromatic intensity of this necklace belie the rigorous and precise approach of its inception.
After selecting the emeralds according to their colour and diameter, artisan jewellers carefully considered harmony, symmetry and correct placement in the composition, before assembling using the threading technique—an expertise rooted in the Maison’s savoir- faire which consists of threading the stones on a wire to form strands and fringes. Finally, the strands are linked together by tiny metal bridges, maintaining a fan shape while allowing the fringes to remain mobile.

SHARKARA NECKLACE

With a balance of straight lines and curves, the design of this piece highlights its ample and generous volume. Considered as a whole, the necklace evokes an organic shape, ripe with succulent berries.
Elaborating a colour palette as such requires total gemological mastery, while the discreet tourmaline settings and attention to detail—right down to the shape of the garnets cut to reflect curves of the piece— reveal the workshop’s expertise.

CORUSCANT NECKLACE
A vibrant testament to the enchanting power of diamonds, this necklace features six different cuts—kite, octagonal, emerald, triangle, baguette and brilliant— certified D IF and E IF, each of which reflects light from a unique angle. Characterised by rigorous geometry, the necklace is entirely structured by an interplay of lines, with three stones—a kite of 3.00 carats, an octagon of 1.62 carats, and an emerald of 1.54 carats—emerging from brilliant interlacing to catch the eye.
The chain resembles a tight braid of gemstones, creating a path of light leading to the trio of diamonds. On the outside, brilliant-cut diamonds appear to slip underneath the inclination of the baguette- cut diamonds, radiating from the top thanks to the graphical effect of motif repetition.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Cartier

In the 1930s, Robert Dumas, son-in-law of Émile Hermès, whom he succeeded at the head of Hermès (1951-1978), created the women’s bag with straps. He designed a trapezoid shape with two triangular gussets, a cutout flap, a handle and two side straps, and with it he brought the house into the era of boldness and modernism.

In the late 1950s, legend has it that Grace Kelly, a Hollywood star turned princess of Monaco, was photographed holding the bag over her stomach to conceal the early signs of her pregnancy.
The bag shot to international fame and was renamed the Kelly.

The Kelly bag comes in different sizes and styles (like the Kelly Pochette or Kelly Ado for example), offering different aesthetics. There is no «right» size or shape. Although right now smaller bags are the rage, the size for you is the size you choose.

Recently, I have added a Kelly Danse to my Hermès collection. Originally released in 2007 by Jean-Paul Gaultier, who was at the helmet of Hermès at that time, Kelly Danse is a more casual and multi-functional version of the iconic Hermès Kelly. Without the top handle, and with a long strap, you can wear it seven different ways: around the waist, as a crossbody bag, a shoulder bag at two different lengths, as a wristlet, a clutch and even as a backpack!

Danse means dance in French. The idea behind its creation was to attract a younger audience: young ladies who like to dance while having their hands free. Kelly Danse was a revolutionary design for the brand. However, it was discontinued in 2013 because the shape was too «advanced» and fashion-forward. Comfortable cross-body bags were not so trendy at that time.

However, as it often happens, after the bag has been discontinued, the bag has quickly turned into a rare collector’s item and was re-introduced in 2019. Known today as the Kelly Danse II, the bag is around 22 cm in length and 17 cm in height. In terms of dimensions, the Kelly Danse II is very similar to its predecessor.

I chose my Kelly Danse II in Verso Blush/Rose Jaipur Evercolor leather (a leather that is very resilient to wear and tear) with silver hardware and love it, as it is without a doubt, the most versatile of all Hermès bags.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: AP, Courtesy of Hermès, © David Biedert Photography
DISCLOSURE: This post is not sponsored. I own and love this bag!

A colour combination emblematic of the style of the Maison since the 1920s, Tutti Frutti brings the Udyana necklace alive.

Created in the High Jewellery ateliers of the Maison, this one-of-a-kind piece takes its name from the Sanskrit word for garden. It celebrates nature at its most luxuriant and colourful, through a profusion of motifs and precious stones including sapphires, rubies and engraved emeralds. For Cartier, the necklace not only represents a continuation of expertise, but also the Maison’s tradition for transformable jewellery that can be worn in multiple ways.

THE UDYANA NECKLACE AND ITS EXCEPTIONAL CENTRAL STONE

The Udyana necklace forms a balls studded with rubies and 67.7-carat engraved ruby rich canopy of ribbed emerald topped with an impressive pendant from Mozambique.

In addition to its impressive weight, the stone is a fascinating pinkish red colour with a touch of orange. Its uniqueness lies in the hexagonal shape which provides an ideal space for the carved floral motif. This engraving is entirely carried out by hand, using a technique developed by the Mughals in
the 17th century.

The choice of stones lies at the heart of the creative process for the Udyana necklace, as for every piece of Cartier high jewellery, in a tribute to their beauty, as well as to the beauty of nature.
When it comes to selecting coloured stones, a quest for excellence dictates Cartier’s choices each time. The jeweller is looking for an extra something that will allow for a dialogue between the stone and the creator. What story does it tell; where does it come from; what does this emerald cut into a ribbed ball, this sapphire or this flowered ruby evoke? The stones inspire Cartier, which in turn offers them an appropriate setting for their beauty.

Each of them must meet the highest standards of excellence and quality set by the Maison’s experts. It’s a duty and a responsibility, both social and environmental, pioneered by Cartier as an early adopter of responsible commitment in terms of sourcing coloured stones.

Cartier is a founding member of the Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC), an organisation created in 2005 that sets the standard in social and environmental responsibility for the jewellery and watchmaking industry. Gold, diamonds, platinum, silver and coloured stones are all included in its scope of certification. The commitment to continually evolve industry practices is ongoing, and ten years later the Coloured Gemstone Working Group (CGWG) was founded.

The initiative brings together the world’s leading luxury brands and mining companies to strengthen research, tools and training for those in the Coloured Gemstone supply chain. As a responsible, RJC-certified jeweller, Cartier develops long-term relationships with its suppliers, who are encouraged and supported in their efforts to achieve RJC certification themselves, in order to adhere to the best responsible practices and strengthen trust in the jewellery industry.

TUTTI FRUTTI: THE STORY OF A STYLE

In 1911, Jacques Cartier boarded the Polynesia and set sail for India, to see the stones that had been worked there for centuries.

Ribbed and gadrooned balls, rubies and emeralds engraved in the shape of leaves, flowers and berries all bear witness to the Mughal dynasty that ruled northern India until the 18th century. Great lovers of ornaments and precious stones, the Mughals employed the expertise of Indian artists,
the only ones who knew how to cut emeralds, sapphires and spinels in relief and engrave them in the imperial workshops of Rajasthan. All these stones, emblematic of traditional Indian jewellery, inspired Cartier to create colour combinations that had never been seen before, using red, green and blue.

Enthusiasm for the jewels spread throughout the world to conquer a refined clientele that
enjoyed art and fashion, such as Lady Mountbatten (1901 – 1960) and Daisy Fellowes (1890 – 1962), each considered the most elegant woman in the world, in her day.

In the 1970s, the creative genre took on the name Tutti Frutti and became so closely associated with Cartier, that the Maison patented it in 1989.

In 2016, the Maison created a Tutti Frutti style High Jewellery necklace named Rajasthan for one of the most opulent states of Mughal India, featuring a 136.97-carat engraved emerald from the mines of Colombia. It was followed in 2019 by a new set, the Maharajah necklace, which pays tribute to the great ceremonial necklaces of Indian princes, with an exceptional set of emeralds. In 2021, came the Udyana necklace, characterised by its intense colours and engraved ruby.

THE UDYANA NECKLACE: A QUESTION OF SAVOIR-FAIRE

Harmony of composition and the naturalness of the branches and buds was a priority for the workshops that created the Udyana necklace.

The challenge began with the design, and how to associate the cut and engraved stones. Each stone then required a jeweller to make a bezel to size by hand, for insertion into the veins of the leaves. The leaves themselves were linked by a tree of diamond-set stems, each of which is different, to maximise the naturalness of the whole.

Added to this jewellery prowess, is the complexity inherent in any transformable piece, designed to be worn in several different ways. A pendant to be worn alone, a brooch, and necklace all in one, the piece is designed to be changed as desired without any visible engineering, whilst the whole remains secure. The pendant can be detached and fixed on a chain, while the main necklace can be worn as is, and the back pendant can be worn as a brooch.

HOW TO WEAR UDYANA

Two variations are available for each of these two versions. The necklace can be worn with or without the central ruby, and with or without the pendant to the back, which itself can also be worn as a brooch.

Chain necklace version, with or without the pendant and central ruby.

Pendant earrings with two engraved pear-shaped totalling 10.84 carats.
Watch bracelet with 19.53-carat engraved ruby.
Ring with 9.04-carat engraved hexagonal ruby.

Such a stunning piece of jewelry and the story itself reads like a fairytale…

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Cartier

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has co-created a magnificent Bespoke Phantom in a unique collaboration with Hermès. Designed and handcrafted by a combined team of Bespoke specialists at the Home of Rolls-Royce at Goodwood, West Sussex, and Hermès in Paris, Phantom Oribe reflects the personality and passions of its owner, Japanese entrepreneur and art collector Yusaku Maezawa, who envisioned the car as a «land jet», bringing the serene exclusivity of private air travel to the road.

Yusaku Maezawa

The car’s striking two-tone exterior matches the characteristic green and cream glazes of antique Japanese Oribe ware, of which Maezawa-san is a prominent collector. The upper part is finished in Oribe Green, a fully Bespoke colour created exclusively for the client; in an unusual move, Rolls-Royce has made the paint available for use on the client’s private jet the Phantom will be paired with. Developed over many months by specialists in the Surface Finish Centre at Goodwood, it perfectly captures the lustrous, deep-green glaze that characterises these 16th century ceramics. The effect is beautifully completed by the cream-white lower section.

The Oribe ware-inspired colourway harmoniously continues through the interior, created and realised through a true meeting of minds between Hermès designers and craftspeople, and the Rolls-Royce Bespoke Collective of designers, engineers and craftspeople. Together, they applied their shared expertise and ingenuity to ensure every individual component embodies the finest traditions of both houses.

The interior is finished predominantly in Hermès Enea Green leather, extending to details that include the immediate touch-points of the client; for example, the steering wheel, duchess handles, gear selector and the rotary controls for the motor car’s climate settings.

The Hermès leather flows around the upper instrument panel, interior pillars and parcel shelf. It also enrobes less visible surfaces including the glove compartment and luggage compartment lining, centre console, decanter stowage compartment and Champagne cooler. In a sign of the project’s truly collaborative nature, and the two makers’ mutual esteem, the glove compartment lid is embossed with the signature Habillé par Hermès Paris.

Delicate Hermès piping adorns the headrest cushions and calf supports of the rear seats, while soft Seashell White accents and matching lambswool floor mats create a sense of light and space throughout.

The interior is also replete with examples of Rolls-Royce Bespoke design and handcraftsmanship. Wooden speaker frets, for example, are formed by meticulously perforating the Open Pore Royal Walnut veneer applied to the doors, creating a seamless, textured aesthetic and delicate haptics. Open Pore Royal Walnut is additionally applied to the centre and rear consoles and picnic table backs; in another first for Rolls-Royce, the interior features Hermès «Toile H» canvas on the door armrests, centre and rear consoles and, most notably, the signature headliner.

Hermès brings its distinctive equestrian heritage and innovative craftsmanship know-how to the car, with the leather upholstery created using stitching and edge-painting techniques originally employed by master saddlers. For Phantom’s Gallery, a feature unique to Rolls-Royce, that runs the length of the motor car’s fascia, Hermès commissioned an artwork based on a design by the celebrated French artist and illustrator Pierre Péron (1905–1988) who created many of the House’s iconic scarves. The work, inspired by the famous Hermès horse motif, is hand-painted on Open Pore Royal Walnut and is presented as though staged in an art gallery, behind glass.

Torsten Müller-Ötvös added, «This majestic and tasteful Rolls-Royce Phantom demonstrates what is possible when talented people from two of the world’s great houses work closely together alongside a far-sighted, inspirational client like Maezawa-san. It is a meeting of minds, expertise, visions and skill that represents the very best of our respective craftspeople and capabilities.»

I am speechless. What a beauty! Bravo!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Rolls-Royce