Published on November 26, 2024Updated on December 10, 2024
Established in Monaco since 1978, Repossi has redefined the codes of jewellery by combining respect for the family heritage with a thirst for innovation. Anne de Vergeron, CEO of Repossi, talks to us about the history and avant-garde vision of the brand, on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of its emblematic Serti sur Vide collection. It's a natural fit for the Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mers and the Hôtel Hermitage Monte-Carlo, a hotel for connoisseurs who share a taste for excellence and beautiful things.
Maison Repossi in a nutshell...
Anne de Vergeron: Repossi is a high jewellery house that dates back to 1957. It became the official jeweller to the Monegasque crown in 1996. The House is unique in that it has been based both in Monaco and on Place Vendôme in Paris for several decades now. It's also a house that embodies a creative heritage, a family legacy spanning three generations, always with an elegant, avant-garde aesthetic. Last but not least, Repossi maintains a strong attachment to its historic Italian workshops, some of which it has worked with for over 50 years.
Can you tell us more about this family heritage?
Anne de Vergeron: Each of the three generations has influenced the House in one way or another. Constantino Repossi, who began his career as a car designer, had a very modern design approach for his time. Then there was a move towards opulence with the creations of Alberto Repossi, who, from the start of his career, established himself in high jewellery with imposing stones and a fairly high carat weight. The third generation and Studio Repossi have a much more contemporary, minimalist vision, with pieces for everyday wear, reinterpreted by Gaia Repossi.
Anne de Vergeron: Reinterpreting the codes of jewellery is at the heart of our philosophy. The House is taking a highly innovative approach, rethinking classic codes to create a resolutely contemporary aesthetic: a reinvented solitaire that becomes a floating diamond, chandelier earrings that become earcuffs mounted on the ear... In our philosophy, jewellery is an art form. There is a strong link with contemporary art, design and the avant-garde.
The Place Vendôme location is also part of the House's philosophy. Having been located on this square for almost 40 years demands absolutely incredible expertise and special attention to stone selection.
Repossi through history...
1957: Maison Repossi was founded in Turin. Costantino Repossi opens the first boutique.
1978: Alberto Repossi, son of Costantino, settled in Monaco and became the official jeweller to the Monegasque crown.
1986: The year in which Gaia, daughter of Alberto Repossi, was born, the House is established on Place Vendôme in Paris.
2007: Gaia becomes Creative Director. Since then, Studio Repossi has been reinventing traditional jewellery codes.
What does reinventing the great jewellery classics mean to you?
Anne de Vergeron: Reinventing the solitaire was one of the very first challenges undertaken by the House. Alberto Repossi came up with the idea over ten years ago, when he asked his daughter Gaia to reinvent this great jewellery classic by giving it the illusion of a stone placed directly on the skin. This very special design reproduces the gesture made by diamond and lapidary experts when they try out a stone by placing it between their fingers. That's how the Serti sur Vide ring came about. This signature of floating diamonds has continued with other creations such as earrings, earcuffs and necklaces, which always give the impression of a levitating stone.
Turin, Paris, Monaco... what do these three cities have in common?
Anne de Vergeron: What these three locations have in common is design. It's the thread that links Turin, which is fast becoming one of Europe's leading design centres, Monaco, which has always had this jewellery culture, and Paris, for all the reasons we know.
In Monaco, we called on the son of visual artist Donald Judd, Flavin Judd, to design the boutique. He has created a totally original concept, far removed from the codes of the jewellery world, and an absolutely unique place.
Opened in 1986 by Alberto Repossi, the Place Vendôme boutique was designed by an absolutely incredible Dutch architect called Rem Koolhaas. He had only done one shop before - Prada in New York - but agreed to design our Paris shop.
A little detour to Monaco's Café Repossi
For the festive season, the Hôtel Hermitage Monte-Carlo is teaming up with the Repossi House of Haute Joaillerie to create a unique ephemeral venue, the Café Repossi. A decoration featuring the floating diamond, the House's signature for the tenth anniversary of the Serti sur Vide collection, has been installed in the Square Beaumarchais for moments of celebration and sharing. On the menu: a gourmet selection of excellence with oysters, smoked salmon and caviar.
What inspires Maison Repossi today?
Anne de Vergeron: Most jewellery houses use highly figurative elements in their codes and sources of inspiration: nature, bestiaries, etc. For its part, Repossi stands out by drawing inspiration from a very different register: design, contemporary architecture - with Tadao Andō in particular being a major source of inspiration for the House - and modern art. For example, we have pieces that are literally jewellery transpositions of works by the American visual artist Donald Judd. More recently, we also collaborated with the heirs of the great photographer Robert Mapplethorpe, who asked us to reinterpret his works in jewellery... Primitive art is another area that inspires the House. Our Blast high jewellery collection is directly inspired by the Masai, with this infinite line of gold reminiscent of certain jewels worn by the women of these nomadic African peoples.
Any future projects?
Anne de Vergeron: We are currently working on several expansion projects, particularly in the Middle East: reopening in Dubai with a new architectural concept, new shops in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in a few weeks' time, then in Abu Dhabi in January. We will also be opening two shops in Tokyo, Japan, next year, notably in the Seibu district, which is a very busy area. A shop will also open in Korea.
A brief overview of Repossi's most emblematic jewels with Anne de Vergeron
Dis-moi oui, Lady Diana's engagement ring, is certainly one of the House's first iconic pieces. It's very well explained in the series The Crown: the story goes that Dodi Al-Fayed and the Princess were on holiday in Monaco when they saw the ring in question, designed by Alberto Repossi. Diana tried it on and liked it immediately. Some time later, during the couple's stay at the Ritz, Dodi Al-Fayed crossed the Place Vendôme and went to buy her this splendid ring in our boutique...
The Charlène engagement ring is a special order, a unique piece created especially for the Princess of Monaco. It is topped by an incredible 10-carat pear-cut diamond, the symbol of the House. Every time Charlène wears this engagement ring, the link with Repossi is reaffirmed.
The cuff from the Blast collection is a stunning, sculptural piece that reinterprets traditional Masai jewellery, with a spiral of gold topped by a composition of diamonds. It's very powerful when you see it for the first time. We immediately think of these images of Masai women wearing accumulations of bracelets or necklaces and spiral jewellery. The Blast cuff is modern yet appeals to our collective memory.
The tie necklace in our Serti sur Vide collection was designed by Alberto Repossi in 2000. It's a very pure, very minimal necklace, quite different from the opulent creations he generally designed, with a floating, levitating diamond. This year, for the 10th anniversary of Serti sur Vide, we've reinterpreted this necklace in a slightly more modern way.
The Serti sur Vide emerald earcuff is truly THE emblematic piece of the House. It's a reinterpretation of the chandelier earring, the great classic of jewellery, illustrating all the creativity and modernity of Repossi. Here, the cascade of diamonds runs the length of the ear. It's the result of very precise technical work: you get the impression of a multitude of piercings, when in fact it's just one and the same piece. A feat made possible by our Eiffel Tower bezel setting, which allows the stones to be hung without any risk of falling and lets the light shine through under the diamonds.
Repossi makes the lobby of the Hôtel Hermitage Monte-Carlo dazzle.
Maison Repossi has staged the lobby of the Hôtel Hermitage Monte-Carlo for the first time. The fir trees, a blend of tradition and modernity, illuminate the spaces and perfectly embody the spirit of this partnership, merging the avant-garde spirit of Repossi with the timeless elegance of the Hôtel Hermitage Monte-Carlo.
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