Hermès Jury Award - Horse Bit Brooch
For our final year at the Haute École de Joaillerie in Paris, we were given the opportunity to participate in an independent creativity project hosted by Maison Hermès. As someone unfamiliar with equestrian culture, I found the inspiration point of the horse bit and the brand's equestrian heritage to be a completely new subject.
To fully immerse myself in this universe, I began studying the relationship between Hermès and horses, focusing on the concepts of movement, velocity, and sport that are often present in their collections.
Set of 18K Yellow Gold Brooches for a Hermès project at the Haute École de Joaillerie - 1st Place.
1-minute video showing the creative studies and development of the piece.
Hermès is a lifestyle.
It's sober and discreet, but also shows a glimpse of a precious and
mature sensuality.
It's the longevity of style and a showcase of materials in its rough beauty.
This creative universe of the brand sparked interest in me with its geometric forms, color contrasts and different patterns. One of their fashion runways (and the one that inspired me the most) was the 2011 Spring Collection by Jean Paul Gaultier.
What I sought to represent in my sketches and the final piece was this notion of timelessness, elongated silhouette and a fluid sensuality that is intrinsic to the brand. Like in Gaultier's past collections, I felt like Hermès could sometimes flirt with bondage or something more intimate and sensual while still remaining incredibly sober and minimalist.
The selected horse needle bit and its infinite variations served as inspiration for the final design, an asymmetric pair of brooches with different sizes and heights which evolved into a pair of asymmetrical brooches with varying sizes and heights. Ensuring the piece adhered to the brand's style and materials was a priority, and placing it in past Hermès runway shows confirmed its suitability.
Design proposals for the Horse Bit Brooch in different Hermès environments.
As a final development of my project inspired by the horse bit and Hermès equestrian heritage, I proposed creating belt buckles using the double-circle needle bit motif. These buckles seamlessly integrate with the brand's pieces and add a small touch of attention to clothing composition.
Proposal of a double belt buckle with the same motif.
Study made at the third year of Jewelry Design at the Haute École de Joaillerie in Paris and awarded with the 1st Place. Special thanks to Carla and Komlan, that thoughtfully provided me the materials I needed and the workspace. This project wouldn't be the same without your help. Gratidão.