Parisian jewellery house Messika’s new Moderniste collection marks 20 years of the maison’s creative journey. Drawing inspiration from modernist architecture, the collection explores the interplay of structure, light, and volume, translating sculptural gold forms and diamonds into a bold, contemporary jewellery language.
Valérie Messika, the founder, partners with creative director and AI narrator Sybille de Saint Louvent for this collection. She notes that working with AI is entirely in keeping with the very notion of modernism. “Modernism is when we break with ornament, turning to pure form, structure, and repetition almost to the architecture of the object itself. For the Messika Moderniste bracelet, it makes perfect sense: a jewel conceived as form, tension, and volume, not decoration. AI allows us to explore this radical edge, to seek out new lines, sometimes imperfect, yet uncannily right in shaping modernism for today.”
After 20 years, Valérie felt it was the right moment to open a new chapter for the maison. “From the very beginning, my ambition has always been to modernise jewellery—to make it more free, more alive, more in tune with the women of today. With Moderniste, I wanted to go even further and explore a more radical, almost essential expression of design,” she shares.
It’s a collection that reflects everything she has learned over the years, as well as her desire to break away from traditional codes. “I was drawn to the idea of creating pieces that feel like objects of design,” she says.
So why did she focus so strongly on sculptural gold as the central material? “Diamonds have always been at the heart of Messika, but I wanted to challenge myself by giving gold a new role. I approached gold almost like an architect or a sculptor would approach a raw material. I was fascinated by its ability to capture light, create volume, and express strength and softness at the same time,” explains Valérie, who has worked with different finishes such as polished, brushed, and faceted to give gold a real presence, almost like a living surface.
Architecture has always been a major source of inspiration for Valérie. “Whether in Paris, New York, or Dubai, I’m constantly observing lines, volumes, and the way light interacts with space. With Moderniste, I was particularly inspired by modernist architecture and its philosophy, drawing from figures like Tadao Ando and Le Corbusier,” she says.
The collection plays with contrasts such as circle and square, light and shadow. For Valérie, this duality has always been central to her work. “I love the tension that exists between opposites: strength and softness, structure and fluidity. For me, this duality also reflects the women I design for. They are never just one thing. They are strong yet sensual, bold yet effortless. Jewellery should capture that complexity. It should not define you, but reveal the different facets of who you are. That is why I chose contemporary muses for my campaign as well—Julianne (Moore) for the softness, Irina (Shayk) for the boldness; together, they complete each other perfectly,” she adds.
Price on request. Available online.
—manuvipin@newindianexpress.com
@ManuVipin
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