Louis Vuitton.
The high jewellery collections from Louis Vuitton have always been spectacular under Francesca Amfitheatrof’s direction, but with the launch of the new ‘Mythica’ collection, the Maison invites us on an epic, personal quest. Described as a narrative of self-creation, ‘Mythica’ is inspired by the timeless structure of myth, casting the Louis Vuitton woman as both the heroine and the author of her own destiny.
Unveiled during a sunset show at the Kasbah d’If just outside Marrakech, against a cinematic backdrop of the Agafay desert and the Atlas Mountains, the 110-piece high jewellery collection maps out an internal journey of transformation and victory across 11 distinct narrative themes. Teased already with global brand ambassador Ana de Armas, the visual campaign captures the evolving states of courage, mystery and resilience that define the collection’s mythical heroine.
Sølve Sundsbø, Nicolas Kantor.
The odyssey begins with ‘Conquest,’ a chapter heavily influenced by Artemis, the fiercely independent goddess of the hunt. Here, the traditional house arrow motif turns into a directional compass for those who refuse to sit still. The primary necklace under this theme required 1,200 hours of craftsmanship, weaving a rigid row of 21 vivid red rubies totalling 21.86 carats framed by baguette diamonds. For an impactful contrast, the geometric arrows are outlined in deep black onyx and crowned by a central ruby paired with a 1.07-carat LV Monogram Star cut diamond.
This initial force propels the heroine to ‘Totem,’ evoking the protective aura of Athena with a protective emblem that celebrates ancestral symbolism through bi-colour white and yellow gold configurations. The pieces focus on heavy volume and architectural harmony, relying on the graphic chevron pattern to mimic the foundational Vuitton ‘V.’ For the first time, the high jewellery line introduces a solid gold pen embellished with diamond-set chevrons, sitting alongside playful pendants that reinterpret the classical amphora shape.
Growth and inner clarity define the next phase of the path, ‘Fortitude,’ a suite that borrows the unyielding presence of Roman virtue. The design team took a massive creative risk here by spotlighting an immense 82.14-carat cushion step-cut blue zircon – a Cambodian natural stone famed for its ancient crystallisation – that appears to float from a refined, white-gold tang silhouette necklace. The detail features a juxtaposition of an organic snow-pavé setting against the graphic, checkerboard Damier pattern, framed by an iconic LV rope motif. If that feels too subtle, the triple-strand alternative ups the ante with nine cushion-cut zircons framed in over 50 carats of diamonds, requiring nearly 2,000 hours of design work to ensure the piece follows the exact contours of the neck.
Nicolas Kantor, Louis Vuitton.
The story enters darker, more mysterious waters with ‘Enigma,’ a suite inspired by the untold stories of a submerged world that channels the fluid, shapeshifting energy of Amphitrite. A ribbon-like necklace combines the signature ribbon motif with the Damier pattern, dangling five aquamarines totalling 70.18 carats and four greyish-blue cat’s eye topazes. The focal point is a head-turning 127.66-carat cat’s eye topaz cabochon oval that radiates a milky brilliance against white-gold lines. True to Louis Vuitton’s ongoing obsession with utility, a secondary pendant configuration within this family is fully transformable, offering ten different ways to wear it depending on how dramatic the evening demands.
Innovation takes an almost sci-fi turn with ‘Spell,’ an incredibly daring suite that functions as a historical first for the industry. Drawing from Hecate, the goddess of mysticism and intuition, the pieces feature fluorescent diamonds that ignite with a secret, blue-tinged glow only when exposed to UV light. A single-row necklace features disks crafted from these fluorescent pavé diamonds, which slowly reveal a hidden LV signature pattern in the dark. This mystical light effect is balanced by a warm dialogue between 65.97 carats of round-cut cat’s eye moonstones and 44.13 carats of imperial orange-pink topazes. Every disk is outlined in unexpected black ceramic to inject a graphic, highly modern contrast.
Nicolas Kantor.
The mood shifts towards the poetic with ‘Mesmerism,’ a tribute to the enchanting grace of Aphrodite. Thousands of hours of diamond lacework form a sumptuous mesh that traces the LV Monogram Flower motif. Dangling from this texture is a 17.18-carat Colombian emerald with vibrant blue hints, paired with a 3.03-carat diamond. Acting as one of the collection’s primary masterstones, the gem exhibits a deep green tone with vibrant blue hints, paired with a 3.03-carat LV Monogram Flower cut diamond. Meanwhile, air and breath take form in ‘Whisper,’ a light, cloud-like construction of white-gold pavé volutes that conceal the underlying metal. The transformable collar features an ultra-rare 11.56-carat royal blue pear step-cut sapphire suspended from a 4.11-carat D Flawless LV Monogram Star cut diamond.
Looking towards the night sky, ‘Sirius’ functions as a celestial vault of intense blues and greens. A single-row necklace links a constellation of 13 splendid gemstones – including six tourmalines, three aquamarines and four tanzanites totalling 249.31 carats – via a structural diamond rope. Each stone features a fully pavé shell on the reverse side alight with green emeralds and blue sapphires, making the piece as precious on the back as it is on the front.
Nicolas Kantor.
The final chapters move towards transcendence and ultimate reward. ‘Fortune’ represents the ultimate tangible prize through a bold high-collar necklace radiating with over 4,700 snow-set diamonds that transition in a colour gradient from white to fancy vivid orangey yellow, topped with a 5.12-carat D Internally Flawless LV Monogram Star cut diamond. A second choker within the theme features 25 pink-to-green gold pearls totalling 511.28 carats, contrasting beautifully against white diamonds. Resurrecting the phoenix, ‘Triumph’ features hand-engraved gold wings sculpted by a master artisan to celebrate rebirth, wrapping yellow-gold plumage around a rope-like white gold pattern set with 1,350 diamonds.
The apotheosis of the heroine concludes in ‘Victory,’ an homage to Nike, the goddess of triumph. Inspired by a classic laurel crown, the masterpiece necklace features an interwoven pattern of gold leaves braided with a graduate array of 38 coloured diamonds spanning the entire chromatic spectrum for a total of 19.71 carats. The piece finishes with a 3-carat Fancy Vivid Orange-Yellow pear-cut diamond suspended from a 3.88-carat LV Monogram Star cut diamond. Paired with a Victory ring hosting a 3.31-carat Fancy Vivid Pink pear-cut stone and a 1.01-carat green diamond, the collection cements a new standard for gem-setting savoir-faire.
If you are going to rewrite classical mythology for the modern age, packing the entire Louis Vuitton Mythica collection into your suitcase is the only logical way to ensure you accomplish that mission.
Louis Vuitton.
Discover more about the Louis Vuitton Mythica high jewellery collection here.
photography. courtesy of Nicolas Kantor (worn), Sølve Sundsbø (campaign), Louis Vuitton
words. Gennaro Costanzo
