When pieces from the past continue to receive recognition, it’s a clear sign of their lasting creative and cultural value.
Achim Berg, Independent luxury consultant
And it has the potential to boost sales too. Achim Berg, an independent consultant who was a former senior partner at McKinsey & Company leading their fashion and luxury division, believes that the red carpet is a prominent platform to showcase that “jewelry is a good investment,” he told CNN. “It shows that jewelry from a top house will always remain relevant. It’s timeless. And when pieces from the past continue to receive recognition, it’s a clear sign of their lasting creative and cultural value.”
Tiffany & Co. president and CEO Anthony Ledru echoed this view. “Red carpet moments have allowed us to generate excitement around our historical pieces, many of which have inspired our designs today,” he said, citing the iconic “Bird on the Rock” brooches that the late Jean Schlumberger designed for Tiffany as an example of an archival design whose sales have taken flight.
Value for younger brands, too
It’s not only century-old brands like Cartier, Boucheron, and Tiffany that have invested in their archives and actively promote them. Pomellato, founded in 1967, is doing so as well. The Milanese brand’s history took center stage at the Fosun Foundation in Shanghai late last year, and again during Salone del Mobile in April, where jewels from its archive were showcased in-store alongside photography by Gian Paolo Barbieri. Earlier in February, at the Sanremo Music Festival held in the Italian city of Sanremo, Liguria, Pomellato’s new ambassador, actor Pilar Fogliati, wore vintage jewelry, further highlighting the house’s heritage.
“It was Pilar’s choice,” according to Pomellato’s chief marketing and product officer Boris Barboni. “Pomellato was happy to lend them to her, as it allowed us to showcase creations from the past in which we recognize the same creative energy found in our contemporary jewelry as well as our identity,” he said. By investing in its heritage, Pomellato is able to rediscover its history in new ways, which can lead to inventive, new designs, Barboni added. Last November, Pomellato launched a capsule collection of “Mosaico” rings inspired by its designs from the 1990s.
The red carpet is turning into a kind of cultural treasure hunt.
Laurent François, Partner at Paris-based communications firm 180
“Archive matters for the final client,” said Barboni, noting that by looking to the past, “jewelry lovers can better understand the brand’s creative vision and the messages behind the designs — and truly appreciate the depth of its artistic value.”
Showcasing historical pieces on the red carpet has become a surefire way to generate positive PR, said Laurent François, a partner at Paris-based communications agency 180 Global. “For luxury-savvy audiences, spotting an archival piece in a contemporary context is a thrill,” he explained over a call. “It invites deeper engagement. And there’s something generous about it, as jewelry houses offer the public a rare glimpse into its most treasured past.”
“Luxury is heading now toward rich, emotionally resonant experiences that reward curiosity and signal belonging,” François added, noting that with historical pieces on show, “the red carpet is turning into a kind of cultural treasure hunt.”
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