Lookout Emirates

The Hirondelles necklace is a show-stopping creation featuring a detachable clip.

Transforming Works of Art: Van Cleef & Arpels

Van Cleef & Arpels, a luxury partner and sponsor of Design Days Dubai, is known for its precious creations, and its reputation for catering to the most style-savvy clients in the world. T Emirates talks to Guy Chatillon, Van Cleef & Arpels President for Europe, CIS and Middle East, and explores a signature creative concept set to dazzle the crowds.
By Orna Ballout

Van Cleef & Arpels (VCA) often evokes fairy-tale fantasies, thanks to its worldly, charming creations. Since its establishment in 1906 by founders Alfred Van Cleef and Estelle Arpels, the maison has built a repertoire creating unique, timeless designs rooted in history and tradition. Jacques Arpels, a member of the founding family, once said that the mission is to offer the best, and according to Guy Chatillon, VCA strives to stand by this. "Maintaining this means no compromise on quality, service and patrimony," Chatillon says. "Some brands might be tempted by a quick sale but we are a maison with roots, passion, emotion and history." According to Chatillon, who was in Dubai to mark the opening of the new VCA boutique at Mall of the Emirates the 10th in the region its important for VCA "to be different and have substance", and with this ambition, VCA unceasingly aspires to deliver innovative designs that set it apart. As luxury partner and sponsor of Design Days Dubai, which provides a platform for limited edition design such as furniture and other work in the region, VCA is set to shine with its signature creative concept, transformability, showcasing unique jewelry that can be worn in

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T Emirates: The New York Times Style Magazine

In 1939, VCA illustrated the art of transformation with the Passe-Partout necklace, which can turn from a short or long necklace into a bracelet, clip, shoulder ornament or belt. A modern interpretation of the iconic antique Zip, this piece from the collection, created in 2011, features white gold, diamonds and turquoise.

Guy Chatillon, Van Cleef & Arpels President for Europe, CIS and Middle East, and Alban Belloir, Van Cleef & Arpels Managing Director for the Middle East and India, pose at the inauguration of the new boutique located at Mall of the Emirates.

One of the Maisons most iconic pieces, the antique Zip, can be worn as a necklace or transformed into a bracelet by simply closing the zipper.

Between-the-fingers rings are popular in the Middle East due to their eye-catching, unique attributes.

different ways. From the Passe-Partout necklace to the famous Zip, many of the maison's pieces are capable of changing from necklaces into bracelets or belts. Some parts can even be removed and worn separately. Partnering with Design Days Dubai, which coincides with Art Week, is important for VCA. "One of our clients said that buying from VCA is like buying a piece of art. Art means quality, long-term and symbolic. Sharing our know-how is also important, and we have established a school in Paris because we want to share our knowledge and help people understand not just the world of VCA but the world of jewelry. Art is about sharing and looking to the future." Over the years, celebrities, royals and VIPs have opted to flaunt rare and spectacular offerings from VCA on the red carpet and at various high-profile events. Some of those clients have included Princess Fawzia of Egypt, Elizabeth Taylor, Grace Kelly and the Duchess of Windsor, illustrating the true star quality of the maison. "We have some very well-known clients, but to VCA every client is a star," Chatillon says. "People appreciate expertise and quality, and they know that when they make a purchase from VCA, it's a long-term investment." Alhambra, the iconic VCA motif born in 1968, is among the most appealing collections in the Middle East market. "High jewelry is improving and growing significantly. Alhambra and between-thefingers rings are appreciated by our clients because they are unique. Our watches are also very well appreciated by ladies and men who want something that is symbolic of a positive world - a world of love." Chatillon, who first visited Dubai in 1996, believes VCA shares many similarities with the emirate. "Throughout the years, I've seen the development and evolution of Dubai," he says. "It's been done with class, sophistication and vision. This also symbolises VCA, which is always anticipating the future. Dubai is also very different from anywhere else in the Middle East, and VCA is different in the sense that it's a world of story-telling, love, luck and excellence."

Issue 2, 2013

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