The year that Dior launched its Milly Carnivora, the floral jewellery collection made it to the cover of TIME magazine’s “The Luxury Index: A Complete Guide to the Best Products, People and Places of 2008.” It’s quite a scoop when you think about it, though not as surprising considering the wonders that Victoire de Castellane has been creating for the French luxury house since assuming the role of Dior Joaillerie’s creative director in 1998.
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Famed for her expressive use of colours, bold imaginative style and extraordinary eye for details, de Castellane’s creations meld beauty with whimsy (and sometimes a Grimms’ fairy tale edge), resulting in pieces that delight as much as they inspire wonder. The Milly Carnivora collection is no exception.
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Turning to Monsieur Dior’s renowned passion for gardens and flowers, de Castellane used his beloved Milly-la-Forêt garden in northern France as an inspirational stepping stone. But the designs that were to follow were anything but expected. For one, these were no delicate blooms like the lily-of-the-valley so loved by the late Christian Dior. What de Castellane gave the world, instead, were lush, fantastical blooms (some of the carnivorous variety) brought to life with saturated colours and sensuous lines that begged for a second glance.
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Fast forward to this year and three new designs are being added to the collection’s exuberant ranks. Crafted from gold and diamonds with a palette of lacquer adding punches of colour to the creations, the new Milly Carnivora necklace, earrings and ring make fine editions to any jewellery collection. Monsieur Dior would heartily approve.