There’s beauty and kismet in every Rose des Vents piece.
Christian Dior learned to heed the prophecies of fate early on. When he was 14 years old with little inkling of what the future might hold, a palm reader predicted he would one day go from rags to riches, with women as the source of his success. The prognostication not only anticipated the rise of his fashion house and the reversal of fortune that preceded it—the Great Depression would deplete the Dior family’s fortune, eventually leading Christian to design as an artistic outlet and to earn a living—but it also sparked Dior lifelong enchantment with the mystical world.
From Left: Rose des Vents Bracelet in Rose Gold, Diamond and Pink Opal; Rose des Vents Bracelet in Yellow Gold, Diamond and Turquoise; Rose des Vents Bracelet in Yellow Gold, Diamond and Mother-of-Pearl.
A pivotal omen surfaced on the eve of a meeting with an investor poised to hire him to reinvigorate an established fashion house. Just before the meeting, Dior tripped on a star-shaped metal trinket that was unexplainably discarded on a Paris sidewalk. He interpreted it as a signal to start his eponymous label after years spent working for others. The fortunate meeting led to investment in his own brand. And in keeping with his faith in his lucky number eight, Dior founded his Maison on October 8 in Paris’ eighth arrondissement in 1946.
Dior’s fascination with the mystical world is evident throughout his work, but perhaps one of the most charming odes can be found in the brand’s fine jewelry. Creative Director of Dior Joaillerie Victoire de Castellane wove together elements from the couturier’s personal history and belief in providence to create Rose des Vents (meaning “wind rose” in French), a unique collection with its own supernatural allure. Dior’s childhood home in the seaside town of Granville, France, a windswept villa named for the points of the compass, inspired the evocative name.
From Left: Rose des Vents Necklace in Rose Gold, Diamond and Pink Opal; Rose des Vents Necklace in Yellow gold, Diamond and Turquoise.
JOEL STANS
Rose des Vents Medallion Necklace in Yellow Gold, Diamond and Mother-of-Pearl
Rose des Vents Necklace in Yellow Gold, Diamond and Mother-of-Pearl
A compass motif with eight points and a glittering diamond at its center is the focal point of the collection, with some designs featuring a rose—the flower Dior loved above all others—on their reverse. Each piece—from delicate medallions to substantial cuff bracelets—are talismans that draw from Dior’s biography, evoking his prodigious creativity but also the urge to travel to unknown horizons, whether literal or metaphorical. They are lucky charms that respond to a universal impulse, the longing for reassurance and protection, a beacon to point us in the right direction on all our journeys.
Of course, destiny entwines with personal choice, and Rose des Vents features a palette of nine different gemstones, options that can be worn individually, layered in unique combinations, and sometimes combined in a single multicolored jewel. Each gem is endowed with its own lore and meaning, making them both visual and symbolic delights. Pink opal signifies love and protection; turquoise is endowed with balance and wisdom; lapis lazuli indicates serenity and friendship; and diamonds are icons of clarity and strength.
From Left: Rose des Vents and Rose Céleste Earrings in Yellow and White Gold, Diamond, Black Onyx and Mother-of-Pearl; Rose Céleste Ring in Yellow and White Gold, Diamond, Black Onyx and Mother-of Pearl.
JOEL STANS
And Rose Céleste, a companion design representing the duality of day and night, brings a new chapter to the charmed collection. Its two faces reveal heavenly bodies: On one, a smiling golden sun whose rays forever radiate joy; on the other, the moon and stars in shimmering mother of pearl set against a black onyx sky. Together they are an artful reminder of life’s never-ending potential for renewal and reinvention.
In all its incarnations, Rose des Vents reveals the alchemy of creation, the capacity of precious material to transform into personal signatures that become part of the fabric of other-worldly beauty. And, a little bit of luck.