The mystical and magnificent peacock is the focus of the luxury lifestyle brand’s latest inspiring collection.
Leading luxury lifestyle brand Lotus Arts De Vivre unveiled “The Colours of Splendour,” a brand-new collection of jewellry, objets d’arts and home decorative items at a virtual event on May 20. The collection is inspired by the magnificence of the peacock; the glorious motif finds reflection in the entirety of the collection. At the event, Rolf von Buren, the brand founder and Head of Design showcased the highlighted pieces to VIP guests and participants, as well as other artistic creations which are a signature of the brand.
The Colours of Splendour collection is inspired by two peacocks that roam freely in Rolf von Bueren’s spacious garden. Struck by their beauty, their intelligence, their elegance and charmed by their territorial habits, significantly when the peacocks tapped on the windows as a greeting, Rolf von Bueren decided to use the birds as his muse; much like poets and artists through the ages who have encapsulated their dramatic beauty in works of art. This passion for the peacock and the ideals it stands for is reflected in the entire collection.
Highly regarded in both Eastern and Western traditions, the peacock has sparked entire practices. In China, the peacock became the symbol of the Ming Dynasty, representing divinity, rank, power, and beauty. The peacock is also associated with the benevolent and protective Bodhisattva Guan Yin, who transforms evil into goodness. In India, peacock feathers adorn the Hindu god Krishna’s crown – the feathers symbolising purity and divinity.
In Europe, the peacock found reflection in Christian and Byzantine art both as a symbol of rebirth and the resurrection of Christ. The association reflecting the male peacock that sheds its tail feathers once a year. The iridescent tail feathers fanning out like a halo came to symbolise the divinity of saints. Rolf von Bueren distills all of these traditions into the exquisitely handcrafted jewellry in the Peacock Collection – modern, dramatic, and ultra-luxe, the peacock-inspired pieces include earrings, rings, necklaces, and a brooch.
The virtual event appealed to all those who value quality craftsmanship be it in accessories, or bags, home decorative items or Obi fabric from Japan. All pieces are inspired by the peacock and many are in the peacock’s shape. The creations feature natural materials sourced from all over the world – a reflection of the uniqueness of the brand. The Collection also reflects the spirit and passion of the craftsmanship that is Thailand’s national heritage. In addition, it underlines the magnificence and symbolism of the peacock, a part of the world’s shared cultural heritage. These priceless creations will be a source of joy and pride to those who choose to possess them.
The highlight piece – “Dancing Peacock Brooch” – has been reserved until the grand opening ceremony. A strikingly masterful piece of jewellery in iridescent colours of the peacock, it is painstakingly studded with precious gems to bring the ‘dance’ of the peacock to life. The body is a large carved Emerald and the key features (neck and head) are decorated with Diamonds and Tsavorites set in 18K Gold while the chest is embellished with iridescent abalone shells and the beak is in 18K Gold.
The crest is a beautiful blue sapphire which holds up 18K Gold, Diamond studded feathers. The thighs are studded with Diamonds and decorated with Abalone shells, the claws are crafted from 18K Gold. One claw holds a beautiful Pearl that is further enhanced with Diamonds on 18K Gold. The fanning tail of the Peacock features a collection of Diamonds, Rubies, Blue Sapphires and Abalone shells, together with authentic Peacock feathers. This masterpiece was painstakingly designed and finished by over 20 craftsmen and designers involved at various stages, taking six months to complete.
Other jewellery pieces in this dramatic and ultra-luxe Peacock Collection include earrings, rings, and necklaces. Each piece incorporates the peacock feather highlighted with precious gems, including Golconda diamonds (the world’s finest diamonds that possess superb luminosity, transparency and an innate purity), rubies, pearls and Mexican Abalone shell. Absolutely outstanding earrings include an elegant pair of flexible 18K Black Gold wire spiral earrings. Suspended from the centre of the spiral on a string of Pearls and Amethyst is a Gold Plated Prayer Bead that ends in an actual peacock feather. Another pair has the neck and the head of the bird in handcrafted 18K Gold and Diamonds; the body is the peacock feather.
The handbags also feature the peacock motif made from precious gems and peacock feathers. The focus of each bag is a beautiful peacock ornamented with an array of Diamonds and Tsavorites and elegantly designed head-crests. Lined with silk, each handbag, or clutch, contains a special surprise – a silk envelope enclosing an antique Japanese comb (only with The Colours of Splendour collection).
The peacock also adorns a Japanese Obi. The silk is woven with peacock feathers and gold by Kyoto’s obi master Kondaya Genbei. Not only has he created peacock feather patterns on silk obis, he has also woven peacock feather barbs into the silk, at times interspersed with gold thread, crushed mother of pearl or other precious elements. The resultant obi is more a work of art than just a length of exquisitely woven textile.
The peacock symbolises auspiciousness, particularly meaningful when it comes to home decor. Within this Collection are decorative items that combine free-form ebony wood, peacock feathers, ruby, sterling silver, agate and high-quality abalone shell to create a whole host of objet d’arts. One of the most admired pieces is a beautiful peacock sculpture designed from a single piece of free-form Ebony wood. The key features – the head, beak and feet accented with sterling silver, actual peacock feathers for the tail, beautiful head-crests and turquoise set on the eyes – bring the piece to life.
Discover the legend and incredible beauty of “The Colours of Splendour” at Lotus Arts de Vivre’s Flagship Boutique, Anantara Siam Bangkok Hotel or visit www.lotusartsdevivre.com
