flowers of the concrete | gcds ss25

Agnes Lloyd Platt.

In the bright sun of the Côte d’Azur, Cartier has officially unveiled its new High Jewellery collection, ‘Le Chœur des Pierres’ (The Choir of Stones). Acting as a true ode to gemstones, this initial chapter comprises more than 125 unique pieces that required over 85,000 hours of meticulous work across the house’s Parisian ateliers. “Technical and aesthetic excellence unite all the crafts in our workshops, transforming materials into timeless pieces that blend beauty and expertise harmoniously,” says Alexa Abitbol, Director of the High Jewellery Workshops.

The name itself plays on a beautiful French linguistic duality, where the identical pronunciation of ‘chœur’ (chorus) and ‘cœur’ (heart) mirrors how the designs draw on the emotional core of each stone to reveal its fascinating character. Chosen from the most extraordinary gems, unique in their history, their symbolism and their nature, they create a precious symphony orchestrated by the Maison. 

Agnes Lloyd Platt, Annaïck Lejart.

Agnes Lloyd Platt, Annaïck Lejart.

The physical creations prove that everything at Cartier starts with the stone. Standouts include the sculptural and architectural Tellura necklace, which suspends 30 hand-selected diamonds side-by-side inside an articulated white-gold frame of openwork and pavé scrolls to replicate raw volcanic energy. The iconic panther returns in the Panthère Kentia necklace, pairing the house’s signature three-dimensional predator sculpture with an immense, spectacular 50.13-carat cabochon-cut Ceylon sapphire that shifts in tone depending on the coastal light. 

Elsewhere, the Olorra necklace sits almost like armour by mixing five Colombian emeralds totalling 40.67 carats with custom-cut turquoise and lapis lazuli pendants to update the house’s geometric collar history. The animal kingdom expands further with the Haryma tiger necklace, featuring over 28 carats of luminous topazes. The collection also pays homage to the Cartier mid-1920s heritage with the Tutti Kanya necklace, balancing carved rubies, sapphires and a 30.33-carat engraved Zambian emerald in an exuberant renewal of the iconic Tutti Frutti aesthetic.

Agnes Lloyd Platt, Annaïck Lejart.

Agnes Lloyd Platt, Annaïck Lejart.

The focus on rare stones carries through to a curated lineup of rings that celebrate unique diamond cuts. The Kinko ring offers a highly contemporary, asymmetric interpretation of the classic Toi & Moi layout, reimagining Louis Cartier’s historic peacock feather motif through a vibrant juxtaposition of blue-green and green diamonds framed by clean, sharp geometric lines. Sitting alongside it is the warm-toned Amberis ring, which spotlights a highly collectible 7.09-carat brown-rose octagon-cut diamond. Cartier designed a highly texture-driven setting for this central masterpiece, flanking the coloured centre stone with fully pavé bands of brilliant-cut and square-cut white diamonds alternated with tactile brown diamond cabochons that meld beautifully with the skin. 

Agnes Lloyd Platt, Annaïck Lejart.

Rare colours continue with the Auralis ring, which incorporates six exceptionally scarce pear-cut pink diamonds sourced from Australia’s now-shuttered Argyle mine to mimic absolute fluidity. Rounding out the display is the architectural multi-layered Keona ring, built entirely to cushion a massive, 11.60-carat oval grey centre diamond flanked by structural triangular diamonds.

“The jeweller’s work is to be moved, to interpret and magnify the stone’s unique soul, its presence,” explains Jacqueline Karachi-Langane, Director of High Jewellery Creation. “The creation serves the stone, revealing its nuances, its brilliance, its sparkle and its inner vibration.” 

Annaïck Lejart, David Luraschi.

Annaïck Lejart, David Luraschi.

The collection made its global debut across a multi-day French Riviera rollout, kicking off on the evening of 12 May with a sunset cocktail reception overlooking the panoramic bay of Saint-Tropez. The following afternoon, the main presentation moved to a sun-drenched garden lunch at the historic, 100-hectare Château Saint-Maur estate. Models paraded through the grounds adorned with the collection’s showstoppers. 

Global brand ambassadors Shu Qi and Tilda Swinton sat front row alongside Zoë Saldana and Virginie Efira, watching the gems interact with the maritime sun. Swinton arrived wearing the Solenara necklace, displaying two massive, organically rounded emeralds. The trip concluded with an intimate sunset concert by singer-songwriter and EGOT winner John Legend, who performed his biggest hits at a grand piano under the stars – a remarkable finale for a collection that proves Cartier’s greatest strength is simply letting the natural world do the talking. 

Discover the ‘Le Chœur des Pierres’ collection here. 

photography. courtesy of Agnes Lloyd Platt, Annaïck Lejart, David Luraschi for Cartier
words. Gennaro Costanzo

Galib Gassanoff

Returning after a four-year hiatus, Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Tbilisi proved that the Georgian capital remains a place where tradition and modernity intersect. Positioned between Europe and Asia, Tbilisi’s storied history – Soviet heritage, brutalist architecture and medieval churches – is deeply intertwined with its contemporary cultural scene, shaped by electronic music, independent art and emerging creative communities. 

With that said, it’s no surprise that fashion continues to thrive in the city. Taking place from May 7 to 10, the Autumn/Winter 2026 edition of MBFW Tbilisi was packed with runway shows, exhibitions, presentations, dinners, performances and after-parties, spotlighting eleven designers – both established names and up-and-coming talents. The event was also fundamental in platforming Georgian designers to a global audience, with founder Sofia Tchkonia noting that this season stood out “both for the strength of the collections and the way the designers presented them.”

Galib Gassanoff

Factory Tbilisi served as more than just a backdrop for the four-day programme. The industrial-style complex, with its raw concrete surfaces and lofty open spaces, carried an atmosphere that morphed with each presentation. That tone was established from the opening evening, when Simon Machabeli’s exhibition debuted alongside an installation by Galib Gassanoff. Together, the works transformed the venue into an immersive introduction to the themes that would define the days ahead.

Among the designers showing in Tbilisi, Gassanoff emerged with defining international momentum. A finalist for the 2026 LVMH Prize and recipient of the Zalando Visionary Award, the Georgian-born, Milan-trained designer presented a collection woven entirely from shoelaces as a part of the ongoing research project he launched in 2024. Beyond the runway, two generations of master weavers from Borchalo in southern Georgia worked on a traditional loom at the entrance to Factory Tbilisi.

left. God Era
right. Materiel x Gudu

Nino Goderidze, founder of God Era, approached her collection through a distinctly political lens, describing the experience of creating in Tbilisi as existing within “a constant friction between freedom and restriction.” The show referenced censorship, migration and queer identity, marking it as one of the most important statements through fashion. Attendees also visited Samoseli Pirveli’s atelier on David Sarajishvili Street, grounding the runway shows in craftsmanship, heritage and Georgian savoir-faire. Founded in 2009, the brand is a leading force in the contemporary revival of traditional Georgian dress, bringing historic garments into modern wardrobes by reinterpreting pieces like the men’s chokha.

left. Supernatural Superstar
right. Ingorokva

Other collections balanced tailoring, youth culture, heritage and experimentation simultaneously. The collaboration between Materiel and Gudu stood out in particular, with designer Lasha Mdinaradze reworking classic staples like trench coats, shirts and denim through exaggerated proportions and pops of colourful leather. Designers, including Supernatural Superstar, Ingorokva and Tatuna, explored different intersections of craft and identity, while newer labels brought a more instinctive energy. Most notably, Reckless presented ‘Half Sleeper’, a collection by Anka Koiava, Liza Kajrishvili and Masu Mtsariashvili that examined the psychological space between being asleep and awake, something that feels inherently Gen Z.

Malgosia Bela book signing

Off the runway, the programme was just as impactful. Polish model and actress Małgosia Bela presented her book ‘Winter Girl’ – a personal introspective inspired by her essays and memorable images spanning her career – at Telegraph Hotel. And later in the day, Jay-Jay Johanson, Nikoloz Rachveli, the Georgian Philharmonic Orchestra and Ensemble Shavnabada came together for a concert at Factory Tbilisi before a Pornceptual takeover and after-party at Bassiani. These events reinforced the idea that MBFW Tbilisi is far more than a traditional fashion week; it is a wider cultural platform shaped equally by fashion, music, art and nightlife.

Jay-Jay Johanson concert

After four years away, MBFW Tbilisi’s comeback reignited a creative spark that extended far beyond the runway. More than a showcase of collections, the week positioned itself as an evolving cultural platform communicating Georgia’s identity through fashion, art, music, and so much more. Rooted firmly in its own context while speaking to an international audience, this season felt less like a relaunch and more like a look at where Georgian creativity is heading next.

photography. Courtesy of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Tbilisi
words. Amber Louise

GANNI, Melissa.

If your idea of summer footwear involves a stressful mental battle between painful blisters and incredibly boring canvas trainers, a trip back to the nineties might be exactly what the doctor ordered. Dropping globally today, the Copenhagen-based cult label GANNI has teamed up with Brazilian footwear pioneer Melissa to inject a heavy dose of Y2K nostalgia straight into the Danish capital’s holiday wardrobe. 

The limited-edition capsule acts as an organic collision between Melissa’s classic injection-moulded design heritage and GANNI’s signature, high-voltage street style. This isn’t a first date for the two brands either; their recurring creative friendship stretches back to a highly successful debut capsule collection in 2023, making this latest launch a seasoned reunion between Scandinavian cool and South American manufacturing expertise.

GANNI, Melissa.

Following an exclusive preview party hosted last Sunday in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the capsule introduces two distinct silhouettes designed to slide right into GANNI’s High Summer ready-to-wear universe. First up is the Melissa Thong Kitten Heel, an elevated, slightly chaotic spin on the traditional beach flip-flop. The style is offered in a colour-blocked palette of red, yellow, blue and black, alongside a striking leopard print variation that satisfies every GANNI Girl’s animal-print obsession. Sitting alongside it is the Melissa Flip Flop Slim, which embraces a playful, feminine edge by adding a tactile ruffle detail across the strap. Both models prioritise pure utility, built to survive everything from a frantic morning bike commute across town to late-night drinks by the water.

Creative Director Ditte Reffstrup says that the entire design process was driven by the pursuit of an unbothered summer energy: “With Melissa, we wanted to capture that endless summer feeling in Copenhagen. Shoes that are fun, expressive, and easy to wear from morning to night. I can’t wait to wear them cycling through the city and by the water.”

GANNI, Melissa.

For Melissa, the drop secures another major partner for its collaborative archive, which already boasts historic link-ups with fashion heavyweights like Vivienne Westwood, Jean Paul Gaultier and Y/Project. “GANNI brings a distinctly original perspective to dressing – balancing attitude with a sense of playful irreverence that both reflects and reimagines everyday Danish style,” says Paulo Pedó, Brand Director at Melissa. “By infusing this vision into Melissa’s DNA and signature materiality, the collaboration came together organically, translating the defining codes of both brands into products with a strong point of view and undeniable appeal.”

Beyond the bubblegum scent and nostalgic aesthetic, the collection carries progressive weight. GANNI’s status as a certified B-Corp ensures the partnership pushes responsible manufacturing choices, utilising the Brazilian label’s 100% vegan, recyclable material. Monochromatic minimalism takes a back seat to vibrant self-expression, delivering a joyful footwear option for the global street style crowd.

GANNI, Melissa.

The GANNI x Melissa collaboration is now available globally online and at select boutiques. Discover more here.

photography. courtesy of GANNI, Melissa
words. Gennaro Costanzo