CHAIN-SMOKE: A screen showing a short clip of Michele Lamy smoking a cigarette while absorbed in her thoughts was surrounded by guests gathered at Dover Street Market here on Friday.
Armed with their own iPhone to record the moody clip, they attended the event Panconesi staged with the retailer to mark the launch of its new jewelry collection at the store.
Rather than the product, the basement space of the shop showcased an installation of nine screens, each dedicated to a different character that jewelry designer Marco Panconesi tapped for “Facets,” a movie project developed with his partner and director Jordan Robson.
Michele Lamy starring in the “Facets” project by Panconesi.
Courtesy of Panconesi
“We have been thinking about this actually for a long time,” said Panconesi at the event. “It was [Robson’s] idea at the very beginning because we’ve been together for seven years and he’s always been following the brand and its evolution. He’s always told me that in the way I design, I [put] so many different facets in the jewelry, from how to wear things to its different materials and different way of layering things together, and overall different attitudes.
“So we’ve always had different types of people in mind that could embody all these different characters and facets of the brand,” continued the designer, retracing how the duo involved their “icons.”
Anna Dello Russo and Inge Grognard starring in the “Facets” project by Panconesi.
Courtesy of Panconesi
Along with Lamy, who Panconesi underscored has been “so supportive of the brand for a long time,” the talents starring in the clips include Anna Dello Russo, makeup artist Inge Grognard, photographer Malick Bodian, musician Izzy Spears, performer Ambrosia Fortuna as well as JoJo Legessa, Ceval and Kat Qiu.
“We came up with these nine characters very organically and we sat them at this table… to perform a sort of very simple action and movement and [portray] how they engage with jewelry. We didn’t want them to be nothing but themselves,” said Panconesi, explaining that the overall concept was to have a house with different tenants “who inhabit this space and make it their own.”
Kat Qiu starring in the “Facets” project by Panconesi.
Courtesy of Panconesi
Inspired by director Sergei Parajanov’s 1966 “Kyiv Frescoes” short film, the 30- to 40-second clips were conceived as intimate portraits of the talents, each sporting a family of jewels from the brand, which plays with movement with their sinuous silver shapes and texture via natural stones, enameled details and crystals. Most of the jewelry will be available at Dover Street Market from through March 17, but the cinematic project also featured some special made-to-measure creations, such as the statement headpiece and bra worn by Qiu.
Each clip additionally teases Panconesi’s first foray into lifestyle. Drawing inspiration from his and Robson’s own home, nine one-of-a-kind objects ranging from a jewelry-like metal vase and a totemic lamp built with different stones to a clock and wine glasses appear in the short films.
One of Panconesi’s new objects.
Courtesy of Panconesi
Beyond his own label, Panconesi has already collaborated with luxury houses such as Balenciaga, Givenchy, Cartier, Mugler and Fendi, and he also has moonlighted as design director at Swarovski since 2020. His namesake brand was among the accessories finalists of the 2023 ANDAM Prize.
Izzy Spears starring in the “Facets” project by Panconesi.
Courtesy of Panconesi
