In the mix: James de Givenchy
Teaming ceramic with precious stones, a New York jeweller is finding fresh ways to shine
The founder and creative director of Taffin, James de Givenchy, remembers the moment he realised he wanted to be a jeweller. "I was working at Christie's in New York, showing my uncle [legendary fashion designer Hubert de Givenchy] various lots from a jewellery sale. I'd picked out a simple diamond piece, 'but, look at this' my uncle said, picking up a leaf brooch by Verdura with a mixed pavé of zircon, amethyst and citrine. It's not solely about the stones, but what you do with it – the design," the older Givenchy said.
Those words proved pivotal in shaping James de Givenchy's vision for Taffin, the jewellery house he founded shortly afterwards in 1996. Today, a jewel by him is defined by its singular, unapologetic style, designed without consideration for the rules that shape conventional jewellery. Large, saturated stones are a signature, as are unusual materials such as leather, steel, wood and pebbles. But it's the use of ceramic that's become his overriding USP.
Having dabbled in its use as early as 2010, on a trip to the watch and jewellery fair Baselworld in 2013 he bought a machine that created hybrid ceramic – and transformed his business. A cursory look at Taffin's Instagram account (the website is tantalisingly sparse) and the full impact of this humble material is evident.
Faceted lapis lazuli is set into candy-cane stripes of red and white ceramic in a cuff; a rainbow of ceramic forms a twisted bracelet with the stripes encasing two diamonds; a 'target' ring sees a marquise diamond encircled by green, blue, cream, red, brown and grey rings of ceramic; ear clips feature shards of wood set against the palest pink material.
It's a jarring yet complementary vision – a tension that Givenchy is all too aware of. "Sometimes I put colours together that people think are wrong, or an accident. It has to be shocking," he insists, citing the striped jumpers his mother bought for him in the 1970s as one of his inspirations.
The jewellery-loving cognoscenti of New York, where Givenchy has a by-appointment showroom, have embraced this new modernism. Many obsessively collect his jewels; as a result, only 30 per cent of production makes it to the showroom, while his workshop devotes the remaining time to one-off projects for the lucky few. Patience, for them, is key – it can take months for Givenchy to decide how to set a stone.
"I'll put it on my desk," he says, "and surround it with blocks of ceramic. I'll move them around, playing with the colours – it's not a science and there are a lot of tweaks." He will scrap a piece and start again if something doesn't sit right with him on completion. "But nothing is more fun than going to a party and seeing a friend or client wearing a piece you made 10 years ago. I can always spot them from across the room," he adds.
A newly opened showroom in Miami will take up much of his time in 2024. "I think Miami will be a huge influence, because the vistas and pace are different. We're in a tropical zone, with gigantic trees. The light will affect the colours I choose," he says. Expect a new palette to show in his work soon – just done, of course, in the most unexpected way.
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Jessica is the Watch & Jewellery Director at The Sunday Times Style, The Times Luxx and Condé Nast Traveller. Jessica has written for Wallpaper*, British Vogue, The Telegraph, the FT and Vanity Fair.