Kim Mee Hye brings an avant-garde sensibility to fine jewellery, experimenting with a reinterpretation of the classic architectural form in past collections that rethink traditional earrings, rings and bracelets. Whether playing on the curves of the body or resting on it in unexpected ways, pieces add a sculptural layer to the body, rather than simply acting as separate adornments. Unusual placements – earrings curve round the back of the ear and rest above the jaw, while rings sit at an angle on the finger – add a teasing tactility to classic references.
In the first collection released under her brand Kimy Gringoire, the Belgian-based jeweller is still preoccupied with seeing the body as a foundation upon which to build a jewellery statement. The new collection, Love Cables, casts fluid loops in 18ct gold, studding their ends with hearts. The pieces can be worn in myriad of ways – coiled round fingers, earlobes, necks or wrists, they play on texture and volume, giving a physicality to the ties that bind us.
The jeweller is inspired by the bold silhouettes and polished hues of the art deco period, intertwining these design references with riffs on romanticism. It is not the first time she has experimented with traditional romantic motifs, with hearts forming sensual cuffs in the Open Your Heart collection. In the Engagement collection, classic symbols of love are rethought entirely in golden handcuff bracelets and cross pendants.
Here, the heart symbol is sweet not saccharine when used to punctuate swirls of gold, a design tick that nods to the sentimentality inherent in the pieces. The new collection is accompanied by a campaign directed and shot by Steffy Argelich and featuring Lua Beaulieu for a strong modernity that chimes with the ethos behind Kimy Gringoire.
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