Cartier Ion Orchard reopens its doors with a special exhibition titled Cartier, Icon of Style

By now you must have already caught sight of the gorgeous Cartier ferris wheel parked outside Ion Orchard shopping mall – or seen it plastered all over Instagram. This gigantic structure is just the first of many things happening at this Cartier boutique, which is set to reopen its doors officially on 24^th November. And did you know that this three-story boutique is the largest Cartier store in all of Southeast Asia?

Spanning a total of 688 square metres, the store’s remodelling was done by the famed Parisian artist, designer, scenographer, painter and photographer Bruno Moinard, who made sure to marry the French Art de Vivre (art of living, the French way) with multiple references to Singaporean culture as a Garden City – embracing the beauty, richness and diversity of it all.

Artist’s impression of Le Salon Cartier on the third level of Cartier ION Orchard

Inspired by the Singapore’s tropical climate, the external 20-metre-long glass façade is patterned with palm trees and raindrops to elicit a sense of privacy and exclusiveness. Another key feature is a custom-made sculpture of art – in the stairwell between the first and second floors. The Cartier panther – carved in bas-relief – nestles amongst the tropical environment on a plaster panel, referencing to Singapore’s very own flora and fauna.

On the third and highest floor, the Le Salon Cartier has been enriched with Peranakan artefacts exuding the splendour of this beautiful local Singaporean culture.

Shirin ‘Nina Dyer’ Aga Khan Panther Bangle

But more exciting news awaits. Cartier Singapore has – as part of the reopening celebrations – specially curated an exhibition of selected historic and extraordinary pieces brought in from the Cartier archives in Paris. The exhibition titled ‘Cartier, Icon of Style’ has been specially curated – showcasing selected beautiful historic and extraordinary jewellery pieces.

More than a Cartier symbol. A timeless emblem first tamed by Louis Cartier and his muse, Jeanne Toussaint, the totemic panther carries on her reign.

Titled Cartier, Icon of Style, the exhibition highlights, among other things, the origins of the Maison’s love affair with the panther motif. The French Maison was the first jeweller to adopt the panther. The elegant feline was used for the firts time on a wristwatch in 1914 with a setting of onyx recreating the animal’s fur.

Barbara Hutton’s Tiger Clip

When Jeanne Toussaint was appointed as creative director in 1933, the panter became even more as an emblematic motif for the Maison. Toussaint worked closely alongside founder Louis Cartier and was nicknamed ‘La Panthère’, presumably due to her freedom, strength of character and the love pather in her lifestyle. One of her most outstanding inputs lies in the search on volume and attidudes of the animal. For Jeanne Toussaint, the panther – now an iconic motif – is clearly the emblem of timeless femininity unfettered by convention.

Marked by wild and beautiful femininity, the fearless and audacious panther later seduced countless personalities; royalty, celebrities and femme fatales, who would continue the legend through new savoir-faire and unexplored attitudes in precious materials.

Both, Louis Cartier and Jeanne Toussaint, also had a mutual interest in, not to say a fascination with, other cultures. This has helped shape not just the aesthetic of one or other object, but the entire Cartier style. A visual language, wich has extended to every creation and whose ‘vocabulary’ has been constantly expanding.

The Duchess of Windsor’s Panther Brooch

The ‘Cartier, Icon of Style’ exhibition highlights the orgins of the panther and its rich connections with some of the most well-known figures, such as the Duchess of Windsor, Shirin – Nina Dyer – Aga Khan and Barbara Hutton, just to name a few.

Open to the public, the exhibition will run from November 24 to December 6. Monday to Friday: 12pm to 9.00pm, Saturday to Sunday: 10.30am to 9.00pm. Keen individuals are encouraged to indicate registration interest on Cartier ‘Icon of Style’ as viewing slots are limited.

Come into the world of Cartier.

 

 

 

 

From Paris with Love, Cartier 154 Champs-Élysées

Since 1899, Cartier’s iconic address has been 13 Rue de la Paix, a few steps away from the world famous and prestigious Place Vendôme. This year however, reflecting its position as the world number 1 jeweller, the venerable Maison is starting a series of large-scale openings and reno­vations, starting with the re-opening of 154 Champs-Élysées, its other Paris regal address.

First opened 10 years ago, the renowned 154 Champs-Élysées address recently went through a major transformation by Parisian interior designer Bruno Moinard who revised it in its entirety during 8 months.

Bruno Moinard is the mastermind behind the ‘Moinard concept’, which has been applied to all the 340 Cartier boutiques in the world for about 20 years.

At 154 Champs-Élysées, a private townhouse built during the Second Empire, two floors, spanning 650 square meters, are divided into private lounges, a portrait gallery, and the­med spaces dedicated to diamonds, men, jewelry and accessories.

The subtle luxury of the chosen details, the measured extravagance, and the ultimate comfort  created by Bruno Moinard all reflect the high standards of refinement that a Cartier boutique obviously demands.

The remarkable and monumental entrance on the most beautiful avenue in the world, for instance: eight metres high, it is surrounded on either side by three curved balconies and windows over seven metres high, framing two impressive chandeliers which are almost five metros wide, made by French glasswork artist Régis Mathieu.

I also had a crush on the staircase, designed as a spiral, with a bronze bannister along walls shimmering with natural pigments, hand-coated by the workshop of French artisan Pierre Bonnefille.

Of course, Bruno Moinard made sure the entire space is treated with the same attention to details, literally from floor to ceiling: the floor alternates Versailles parquet and Istrian stone floo­ring set with tone on tone cabochons, surrounded by a golden border. The vast and regal space is modernised by smooth grey oak walls with bronze patina, and large panels of glass and golden threaded tulle. An amazing place to replace the strap on my Cartier Santos Dumont watch….