A House of Enchantment

Van Cleef & Arpels' Asia Pacific president JULIE CLODY MEDINA sheds light on the enduring popularity of the classic Alhambra, and why the jewellery maison is on a mission to share its savoir-faire with the widest possible audience.

- LYNETTE KOH

With luxury watches often tied to performance and precision, it's not uncommon to see athletes sporting timepieces on the field. Delicate pieces of jewellery? Not so much. Which is why the recent Paris Olympics stood out not just for its sporting feats, but also for the number of Van Cleef & Arpels Alhambra bracelets that were spotted on the wrists of several competitors.

These pieces, featuring distinctive four-leaf clover-shaped motifs, suspended on fine gold chains, were worn not just by sportswomen such as Ukrainian tennis player Marta Kostyuk and Cypriot high jumper Elena Kulichenko. Also in on the game were male athletes like Hong Kong badminton player Tang Chun-man and his fellow countryman, fencer Cheung Ka-long. It's even more of a coup considering that Van Cleef & Arpels rarely uses brand ambassadors.

"We're very flattered and humbled," said Julie Clody Medina, president of Van Cleef & Arpels Asia Pacific, during a recent interview with Prestige Singapore at the brand's Marina Bay Sands boutique. "To see such a wide range of athletes wearing Alhambra shows how universal the theme of luck, which the four-leaf clover represents, can be. It's also interesting to see more and more gentlemen finding pieces at Van Cleef & Arpels that resonate with them. But I'm equally happy when I take public transport and see women on the streets wearing our creations. It's satisfying to see our pieces adopted by the widest possible clientele."

ALL THE LUCK