That intention is personified by the Multi Galons suite, which is headlined by a standout necklace of 10 strands, each one set with different cuts and motifs, as four metals – yellow, pink, white gold and platinum – bring added luxe and contrast. A strand of soft florets crafted from pear and brilliant-cut diamonds juxtaposes a herringbone pattern of baguette-cut diamonds. Additional layers come courtesy of angled, staggered strands fashioned from a smörgåsbord of fancy cuts – round, square and princess among them. A matching bracelet in a criss-cross pattern offers a more graphic interpretation, here with three different kinds of gold, in which the same bejewelled threads envelop a classic oval-cut diamond. If de Castellane’s previous collections saw couture details as a touchpoint, Galons mashes up a whole universe with sumptuous, decorative detail.
Paradoxically, it’s de Castellane’s signature use of asymmetry that is the thread holding the various motifs together. “In this collection, asymmetry flirts with repetitive patterns,” she says. “The enormous variety of stones – in marquise, square, round or oval cuts – allowed me to vary shapes and patterns, creating a disordered array.” Cue the Multi Galons earrings, where a charming trio of florets dangle from sharp geometric clusters of stones that centre on two oval-cut diamonds. Meanwhile another mismatched design sets the florets in one earring, the other featuring art deco-like step-pattern baguettes, the pair conjoined by the classic hoop form.
