It’s impossible not to be mesmerised by the custom Louis Vuitton look Cate Blanchett wore to the 2024 BAFTAs. Take the detailing on her gem-encrusted choker, which unfurled into a two-strand body chain of Tahitian pearls that wrapped around her high-neck claret dress. Such elegance, of course, is classic Cate—and so, too, is the sustainability message hidden beneath the surface of the look.
Nicolas Ghesquière used the maison’s existing stock to craft the crêpe-jersey dress, which required 150 hours of work, while Francesca Amfitheatrof, Louis Vuitton’s artistic director of watches and jewellery, selected and rearranged gems from older collections to create Blanchett’s show-stopping choker—a process the brand calls “creative circularity”.
“Deadstock is not a sexy word,” Blanchett tells Vogue. “But Nicolas used it to make a strong, sexy dress, and Francesca has brought her artistry to the fore yet again to rearrange and redesign a spectacular piece of body jewellery. I’m in awe of them both and relish collaborating with them at Louis Vuitton.”
It’s far from the first time Blanchett has used the red carpet to help thrust the issue of climate change into the spotlight. As president of the jury of the 2020 Venice Film Festival, Blanchett declared that she would only wear looks she had previously appeared in on the red carpet—now a regular habit in order to highlight the issue of excess production in the fashion industry.
Amfitheatrof worked closely with the actor and her stylist, Elizabeth Stewart, to conjure a unique creation that could be worn in a prominent and innovative way. “It is not simply Cate’s personal style but her creative output that is so inspiring,” says Amfitheatrof. “She has personified so many incredible characters that it inspires me to lean on history and drama, allowing emotion to be expressed through the designs. We share a mutual and very sincere belief in the message of these designs—there is a lot of love behind this project. It is not a ‘collaboration’, it is a privilege.”
The elaborate choker/body chain hybrid features pearls in a range of shades and incorporates a diamond chain emblazoned with the Louis Vuitton monogram, offset by three exceptional gems aligned vertically across the piece: a 15.25-carat cushion-cut pink spinel at the heart of a double diamond-studded monogram; a 10.73-carat cushion-cut tsavorite garnet; and finally a 2.70-carat oval purple sapphire embraced by diamonds. The result is the most elegant take on an eco-warrior’s armour.
The pearls are a particularly poignant element of the special piece. Being particularly sensitive to environmental conditions such as pollution and acidity, the marine gem has often served as a delicate but powerful emblem of our planet’s fragility. “This is not simply about designing great jewellery pieces, it is also about raising awareness on sustainability,” says Amfitheatrof.
“I love the next, the new, but I also relish the opportunity to rework, reflect and bring the best of the past into the present,” concludes Cate. “There are no single fixes to tackling anthropogenic climate change, but finding creative ways to tackle [the culture of] excess in the fashion industry, and the pressures it places on our climate, is imperative.”
This article was originally published in British Vogue.
