Ever wondered what famous designers are behind some of the luxury jewellery in your favourite celebrities wardrobe? From the wild and wacky to the trendy and minimalist, celebrity closets are certainly a talking point. Celebrity wardrobes are obviously oozing with the newest, and most on-trend designer items right now. However, the key to their staple looks is their timeless jewellery. But, celebrities are just like us, they have their favourite necklace or ring they love to wear.
We speak about timelessness a lot here at Love Luxury. But the reason most designers do so well is that their designs transcend the seasons and therefore the trends. Van Cleef & Arpels are extremely popular for their elegant and timeless designs. Most of the jewellery they make is not to fit a trend or to be popular right now and then never again. Van Cleef & Arpels have expanded their collections over the years as they create new jewellery from new gemstones and jewels. Their accessories have the ability to be worn together and layered, which can elevate a look from day to night. To this day, the mother-of-pearl jewellery remains as the bestseller at Van Cleef & Arpels.
There is only really one collection up for debate here, and that is Van Cleef & Arpels’ Alhambra collection. This is the most famous (and popular) collection the brand makes to date. So famous that you probably already know what we are talking about. If not, the staple collection was created in 1968 and was seen as a lucky charm motif, due to its design, which is reminiscent of a four-leaf clover. Apparently, the collection was inspired by its namesake, the Alhambra Palace which is located in Grenada, Spain. When the collection was first released in the early 1970s it wanted to capture a new era of liberated women. Today, the Alhambra jewels are still worn on the same type of women.
There are so many famous faces who you would probably recognise wearing Van Cleef & Arpels. It has been a celebrity favourite, and staple, for many years now. From Reese Witherspoon and Gwyneth Paltrow to royalty, it is hard to miss when a celebrity is bejewelled with a piece from Van Cleef & Arpels. Take a read below to see who you can spot.
Barbara Hutton was one of the original American socialites who was made one of the richest individuals in the world, due to her huge inheritance left to her by her grandfather, Frank B. Woolworth. With her fortune, she decided to spend her money on paintings and other work by the Old Masters and she also invested in some of the personal belongings of Marie Antoinette. Throughout the years, Hutton culminated quite the collection of Van Cleef & Arpels jewellery too. She owned a diamond Ludo bracelet, a fairy brooch named ‘Spirit of Beauty’ and a one-of-a-kind tiara bejewelled with 22 pear-shaped diamonds.
Grace Kelly was an Oscar winner, and she was ranked as one of the most well-paid actresses of all time. In 1956 she married Rainier III, the Prince of Monaco. Rumour has it, on her wedding day Kelly received no other than a white pearl and diamond necklace from our jewellery designer of the moment, Van Cleef & Arpels. The association between Grace Kelly and Van Cleef & Arpels began long before her wedding. Kelly was already an established member of the clientele in the Van Cleef & Arpels Monaco store. Kelly acquired a collection of the Alhambra pieces of jewellery, as well as a platinum tiara decorated with marquise pear-shaped diamonds. The Princesses’ family still have a great relationship with Van Cleef & Arpels today.
It is not a secret that Elizabeth Taylor has one of the most impressive luxury jewellery collections in Hollywood. Within her wardrobe, she amassed a huge collection of brands, most notably, Van Cleef & Arpels. Actor Richard Burton promised to find Taylor the most incredible ruby he could, as a romantic gesture of course. The search took four years, but Van Cleef & Arpels were able to source a ruby and create a Puertos ruby ring. The detailing of this ring is impeccable, from its 8.25-carat ruby gemstone to the diamonds which surrounded the centre ruby jewel.
Jumping forward a few years, another famous face we had to put on this list was the Duchess of Cornwall. Camilla has been spotted a few times wearing the extremely popular Alhambra necklace, however, that is not the most intriguing thing about her wardrobe. Her most intricate and charming pieces are her collection of Van Cleef & Arpels’ ‘Lucky Animal’ brooches.
The Duchess was first seen wearing a Hummingbird brooch back in February 2020, and since then she has been spotted with a dog, owl, rabbit, squirrel and hedgehog too. Originally these brooches were sold at the brand’s flagship store in Place Vendôme, Paris, and were made in gold and studded with gemstones. Nowadays, the original design has been adapted to include stones like mother-of-pearl, onyx and lapis lazuli. Although it is a design not suited to everyone, it is thought that the Duchess could not resist this sweet collection of animal-inspired accessories.
The list of famous celebrities who have been spotted wearing Van Cleef & Arpels could go on. Celebrity style can be a great place to get inspiration from, and they often set new trends. Take into consideration that buying from a luxury designer like Van Cleef & Arpels are great investment pieces too. It is likely the jewellery will last you years and will also stay wearable throughout these years. That is something not every jewellery designer can offer. Some of Van Cleef & Arpels famous clientele dates back to 1930 so that acts as proof of the utter timelessness of Van Cleef & Arpels designs.
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