Written in Stones (and Etched in Metal)

Three years after taking the reins at Bottega Veneta, Matthieu Blazy unveils his first fine jewelry collection.

- Lynn Yaeger

We produce exceptional things when it comes to clothes, and bags, because we have great artisans—so I thought, Why not jewelry?” Matthieu Blazy, the creative director of Bottega Veneta, is in Venice describing his unhurried approach to the house’s latest endeavor: its first fine jewelry collection. We are discussing these glittering prizes sequestered in a salon in a ridiculously elegant 15th-century Venetian palazzo; on the table between us are the 15 pieces that make up this inaugural undertaking—sleek if gargantuan teardrop earrings; chain bracelets imposing enough to ward off evil spirits; rings whose sweetness is cut with thorns. (The pieces in this initial collection are grouped into four families: Drop, Catena, Primavera, and Enlanced.)

“We started with very few objects,” Blazy explains, with the quiet intensity that informs both his personality and his work. Since taking the reins at Bottega Veneta in late 2021, Blazy has treaded that enviable territory between astonishing artisanal craft and unforced modernism, with his collections among the most anticipated in any fashion season. Maybe it is not so surprising, then, that he should be drawn to creating jewelry that echoes the clean lines and discreet whimsy—those feather hems!—of his clothes. Then again, the whole notion of “investment dressing” has lately undergone a seismic shift: It no longer means predictable classics that last forever, but now includes one-off pieces that justify their price tags with both their uniqueness and the care with which they are made. And isn’t fine jewelry, after all, the ultimate investment—deeply personal, crafted to last for generations? (Last point: If times are tough, you can’t melt a dress and get your money out, but a serious piece of jewelry will always retain its worth.)