Her Many Facets

Tatler speaks to Cartier CEO Cyrille Vigneron about the Cartier and Women exhibition at the Hong Kong Palace Museum

It's a brave brand that takes "women" as the theme of its major exhibition. The move is fraught with danger and potential pitfalls: how does one take on a gender as a theme and do it justice? How can a gender be adequately and insightfully represented? And how much more difficult is it in the context of today's conversation on gender and sexuality?

Cartier took on this challenge with its Cartier and Women exhibition, which is open to the public until August 14 at the Hong Kong Palace Museum. The exhibition showcases approximately 300 items from its archival collections, as well as special pieces on loan from collectors such as Brigitte Lin, Pansy Ho and Carina Lau. The exhibits include jewellery, timepieces, precious objects and archival records, some of which date back to the 19th century.

This is Cartier's first major exhibition on the role and influence of women in the brand's history, and CEO Cyrille Vigneron takes us through the strategy involved in the exhibition's structure and focus, the evolution of the role of jewellery through the decades, and how it all ties in to the celebration and empowerment of women today.

Why did Cartier decide to focus on women for this exhibition?

It came from the [Palace] Museum: "What about Cartier women?" The theme is the link between the jewellery and the role women play in society. Jewellery was, in some ways, representing the weight of their condition and the strength of their character.

Although this theme looks simple in some ways, it is also a story about female empowerment. Three of the most charismatic women in Asia [loaned their pieces] for this exhibition, [and so] have also taught us how jewellery can be a way for them to express the power of their own character. Jewellery is a part of their story.

Has people's relationship with jewellery changed over time?